Belfast Botanic Gardens
Global Medicine Garden - in 2021
2021 has been an exciting year in the medicinal garden. Many new plants have been added and some of the early plantings have thrived beyond our expectations. Finally in October we had the official opening (see pictures and link to video below)
Our volunteer gardening team have enjoyed sociable and productive days as the hard physical work on site has proceeded through the year.
So far, around 80 species (some 200 plants), all with herbal associations, from around the globe have been planted and are being accessioned. Throughout the project we have benefitted from co-operation and support from council and gardening staff.
The garden in summer 2021.
As soon as the Covid restrictions allowed we were back to the garden.
April 2021--a welcome sign of vibrant life in the soil after winter
The glossy leaves of Galanthus woronovii promise a display next year
In May, the May-apple Sinopodophyllum hexandrum has come through the winter
25 April. Pseudowintera colorata New Zealand Pepper Tree goes into the New Zealand zone along with Phormium tenax 'Chocomint'.
This was a big planting day:with Hidcote lavender, valerian, Christmas box, dyer's greenweed and jasmine all going in.
16 May. The first hazel obelisk goes in for the hop plant which is starting into growth.
The Zantedeschia has established well and the bare soil is beginning to be colonised.
Statuesque angelica Angelica archangelica with cardoon and wormwood at last giving us a luxuriant look.
6 June. Planting Corymbia (Eucalyptus) from the Botanic Gardens. The Australian zone lacks plants, hard to source with Brexit and Covid restrictions.
The garden flourishes. Foxglove and English marigold are flowering alongside the hops
Ugni molinae A rooted cutting of Chilean guava. Planting is consolidating-- all that work behind the scenes during lock-down is paying off! Horseradish, roseroot, shoo-fly and society garlic are planted.
4 July. Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana. We have been given this from shrubbery elsewhere in the Botanic Gardens where it seeds freely.
This lovely specimen of Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus was grown by Derek Lockwood, propagator BBG. Maybe a temporary specimen, or we can coppice it when it threatens to get too large.
The opening of the Global Medicine Garden by Lord Mayor of Belfast on 9 September 2021
The Lord Mayor Kate Nicholl and FoBBG Chair Adrian Walsh admire the colourful display
Belfast's Lord Mayor talks to Barbara Pilcher, designer of the Global Medicine Garden
Looking at plants in the Europe section
The view across the garden from "South America"
See report from Belfast City Council here
and a short video by the Mayor on Twitter here
October 2021
planting Silybum marianum, milk thistle, a gift from our friends at Greyabbey Physic Garden
meanwhile, more handmade labels are put in place such as this ID tag
and this explanatory sign
November 2021
dividing a large clump of Eupatorium purpureum, sweet joe pye weed, ready for relocation.
late flowers of Lavandula vera, English lavender, catching November sunshine. Regular dead-heading has extended the flowering season.
the view across Phormium tenax 'Chocomint' New Zealand flax, and Impatiens tinctoria, dyer's impatiens, to autumn colour on Mespilus germanica, medlar and Taxodium distichum, swamp cypress
December 2021
a simple leaf bin made from poles and wire panels
leaves when rotted to leaf mould will be a useful mulch
our favourite gadgets for gathering leaves: brush and leaf box
and leaf grabbers (especially when used with a lightweight wheelbarrow)
More plants for the garden continue to be sourced and propagated off site.
Updates, information on herbs, plant lists and more will follow.
