Foundation Course
Herbs for Health
A Foundation Course in Plant Medicine
at Dilston Physic Garden
(Dip Plant Med.)
Discover the remarkable Healing Power of Plants
and how to make your own Home Herbal Remedies
Scroll down for full Course List
Single Day Course: £50 (concessions £40)
Foundation Course in Plant Medicine: 10-day diploma only £400
*Maximum of 15 participants per day course, so we advise early booking to avoid disappointment.
To book a Single Day Course from the course list below please email nslperry@gmail.com with the title of the course your wish to book
To book the 10-day Foundation Course simply complete the Booking Form (836KB pdf)
and send it - with your deposit - to Dilston Physic Garden, Corbridge, Northumberland, NE45 5QZ or email it to nslperry@gmail.com
For full course details and booking form, Download:
The 2012 Foundation Course in Plant Medicine at Dilston Physic Garden
Booking Form & Handbook
(836KB pdf)
Welcome to our new innovative Foundation Course series on the power of medicinal plants- Each course is informative, friendly and fun and are complete beginner’s guides - no previous knowledge needed
- Discover the remarkable medicinal properties of the plants that grow around you
- Learn to use medicinal plants to treat minor ailments and health issues you encounter in everyday life: make your own Home Herbal Remedies for you and your family.
- Uncover some of the fascinating facts behind the principles of herbal medicine
- All our courses are provided by qualified Medical Herbalists and other professionals
- We have a limited number of scholarships available for 2012 - please email nslperry@gmail.com with why you would like to receive a scholarship
*The Foundation Course in Plant Medicine takes place at the inspirational Dilston Physic Garden over 10 days. It is a hands-on series of courses, on completion of which you receive a Diploma (Dip. Plant Med.) Certificate. NOTE: The Foundation Course in Plant Medicine this is not a practitioner course and does not qualify you to become a herbal medicine practitioner or qualified Medical Herbalist. It does however give you an in depth and working knowledge of herbal medicine.
Foundation Courses 2012
Hedgerow Medicine: Introduction to Herbal Medicine Part 1
With Ross Menzies
Saturday 12th May 2012
10am-4pm
Hedgerow Medicine Parts 1 & 2 are designed to bring herbal medicine alive by focusing on local plants that can be gathered from the wild or easily cultivated. Both sessions are very practical and students will learn how to identify a range of medicinal plants and the techniques used to gather and prepare them. Experience the joy of making a wide range of traditional medicines and preparations using simple ingredients. At the core of these modules is an approach to plant medicine that is deeply respectful of the plants and the wider environment. The Hedgerow Medicine modules will lay the foundations for other modules introducing many of the skills and ideas that will be used or developed as the course progresses.
Ancient Folklore to Modern Medicine: Historical Context of Herbal Medicine
With Jill Schnabel
Sunday 13th May 2012
10am-4pm
A look at the rich and fascinating folklore that surrounds many of our medicinal herbs and its place in the context of modern medicine. Herbal Medicine is the oldest form of healing. This course explores some of the earliest historical evidence for the use of plants as medicine and then traces a timeline through to the modern day. Alongside the learned scientific evidence of herb use that led to modern medicine there will be a special focus on domestic herbal traditions and how these can enrich our view of many herbs. Throughout the day we shall be working with herbs from the Physic Garden via guided walks, observations, tastings, quizzes and individual worksheets.
Hedgerow Medicine: Introduction to Herbal Medicine Part 2
With Ross Menzies
Saturday 26th May 2012
10am-4pm
Please see details in Hedgerow Medicine Part 1 above.
Nature's Pharmacy Part 1: Digestive
With Anne Larvin
Sunday 27th May 2012
11am-5pm
A day learning about the crucial and central role of the digestive system in health and disease, and finding out how herbs can help both specific problems and promote healthy digestion. Did you know that the gut contains more immune cells than any other area of the body? Did you know that the digestive system produces more serotonin (which affects mood and sleep among many other things) than the brain does? In this full day course we will look at how the digestive system works and find out about its crucial role in our overall health and well-being. The course will give an overview of the anatomy and physiology of the gut and explore herbal strategies can help with specific digestive problems from the mouth downwards, including such problems as indigestion, reflux, IBS, food intolerances, constipation and infections. A range of herbs will be reviewed along with explanations of how they work and how they can be used in the home. Many of the herbs to be discussed are suitable for a range of effects in the body and these will also be highlighted during the day. This one day course links in with the 2 other day courses on Nature’s Pharmacy – Skin & the Nervous System, and Cardio & the Respiratory System – although each 1 day course can be taken on its own,
Green Fingers: Growing, Cultivation, Drying, Seed Saving
With Jill Schnabel
Saturday 23rd June 2012
10am-4pm
This module is about the joys and skills of gardening and how these can both enhance our relationship with herbs and enrich our understanding of their healing potential. From seed sowing and nurturing your herbs in the garden to gathering herbal medicines in the form of leaves flowers seeds and roots. This course covers the basic techniques of organic growing and then looks in detail at selected medicinal herbs, with specific tips and guidelines for successful production. This module is about the joys and skills of gardening and how these can both enhance our relationship with herbs and enrich our understanding of their healing potential.
The Plant Itself: Botany, Plant Families & Ecology
With Jill Schnabel
Sunday 24th June 2012
10am-4pm
The mysterious botanical world of plants: what we know about them as living organisms and how we strive to categorize and label them as a way of understanding them better. Using the wealth of plants found in Dilston Physic Garden this course will delve into the realms of botany, ecology and plant classification systems as a way of stimulating and expanding our perception of plants and how to work with them. Understanding modern plant classification and becoming familiar with Latin names of herbs can be an invaluable tool in understanding plant relationships….Several of the major plant families (e.g. rose family, daisy family, mint family) will be examined in detail with a focus on their botanical, medicinal and healing qualities. Alongside conventional scientific methodologies space will also be given to discuss alternative ‘energetic’ approaches to plant study. We shall be considering the varying life cycles of different herbs with an opportunity for seed sowing and individual projects.
Nature's Pharmacy Part 2: Skin and Nervous
With Ross Menzies
Saturday 7th July 2012
10am-4pm
The skin – discussion of its important functions. Students will explore how the skin is associated with other bodily systems and how skin problems may be locally caused but also often associated with imbalances in the body. Students will learn how to maintain good skin health and will also explore how diet, fluid intake and lifestyle can have a great influence upon the health of the skin. A number of useful and effective herbs will be studied that can be used to correct a range of skin problems.
The nervous system – students will consider the functions of the nervous system and will explore some of the common imbalances - stress is perhaps the most common imbalance having many disruptive effects on a person’s state of health and well being. A range of techniques to reduce stress will be practiced alongside a comprehensive study of herbs that can be used to calm and strengthen the nervous system.
Nature's Pharmacy Part 3: Cardiovascular & Respiratory
With Anne Larvin
Sunday 8th July 2012
11am-5pm
A day learning about the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in health and disease, and finding out how herbs can help both specific problems and promote healthy heart and lungs. A brief overview of the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular and respiratory system will ‘set the scene’ for exploring some of the home herbal remedies that can be used to treat specific conditions. Plants to maintain a healthy heart and lungs will be reviewed but we will also look more widely at herbs to treat conditions such as headaches and migraines, varicose veins, and Reynauds disease. Respiratory conditions discussed will include seasonal infections (and how to treat them with or without antibiotics), allergies such as hayfever, sinus conditions, and excess catarrh. The course will also review the different methods of delivering herbal treatments from poultices to tinctures; from inhalations to infusions. A range of herbs will be included in this 1 day course along with explanations of how they work and how they can be used safely in the home. Some of the herbs to be discussed you will have already met on the other Nature’s Pharmacy courses, others will be new but all will be discussed specifically in terms of their effects on the cardiovascular and/or respiratory systems.
Clinical Perspectives: Any Questions?
With a panel of professionals
Saturday 8th September 2012
10am - 4pm
A session that consists of an open discussion with professionals from different perspectives in the fields of plants, science and medicine. This course will give you broader perspectives on plant medicine in medical practice: from self medication of herbal medicines, to the integration of science into the practices of general practitioners. This session will close with an ‘Any Questions’ discussion panel where you can present your chosen Herbarium and questions you may have for the panel (assistance will be given in the preparation of this).
Optional Subject
Your choice Course from the Workshop Courses - Details & Dates as stated.
This course is for Foundation Course participants only. It is an Optional Module that allows you to learn more of an area that interests you most. Select your own choice of subject from the Workshop Courses available.
Please note Foundation Course participants can only select the courses marked with a ‘ * ’.
MORE INSPIRATIONAL WORKSHOP COURSES! You can also book a single Workshop Course - just visit our Workshop Course page to see more and to book an inspirational course for 2012.