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Green Shoots of Recovery and the First Primroses of Spring

Petersfield Physic Garden features in recent edition of Pro Landscaper Magazine

Garden manager Jenny Hill was interviewed recently by Rachael Forsyth of the Pro Landscaper Magazine to fill an article centered on the history and aims of the Garden featuring many of the herbs that are grown in it. The article also covered many of the historical cures to which the plants had been applied but not, she stressed, recommended for modern use. It mentioned too, recent research which was being used to investigate a possible cure for COVID-19 in Artemisia, a herb grown in the Garden. This attracted interest as it has been used in Madagascar to combat the virus previously having for many years been used to treat malaria.

Pro Landscaper is a monthly print magazine which is published for the horticultural industry. It covers a very wide variety of topics associated with gardens to showcase the entire UK landscaping market. The magazine is broken down into four main sections: Inform, Inspire, Nuture and Educate to provide essential information for the landscaping community. The article on the Physic Garden fell into the Nuture category.

More News of Country Gardener

The Winter edition of the new look of The Hampshire Country Gardener has now been published and will be available from the Physic Garden when it reopens after lockdown2. It may then be collected from the office or when this is closed from the rack in the archway. The new larger size magazine is proving popular with its 40 colourful pages packed with interesting articles, photos and good advice. Topics include an article on helping your garden to survive the winter, buying and caring for your Christmas tree, planning your garden for spring and where to see this winter's snowdrops. With its collections of regular features, readers's letters and Hampshire events it makes an excellent read.

This is a free magazine which is now printed in Somerset and covers five areas Devon, Dorset, Somerset, The Cotswolds and Hampshire. Due to the coronavirus pandemic publication of the magazine has changed. The publication which aims to give quality information about gardening and garden events in and around the area covers is an essential read for enthusiastic gardeners. The next edtion of the magazine will be available in March 2021.

Summer Harvesting

The damson tree had a very good crop of fruit this year and the picture demonstrates that it was all hands to the task to collect the fruit before the next storm did so for us.

Damsons offered for sale were very quickly snapped up by visitors but volunteer cooks have been busy with the remainder of the fruit turning it into jams and jellies. These will be available from the office with a selection of other home made jams and chutneys now that it is open. See Garden Shop

Can you find any Chinese Lantern plants in the Garden?

Now that there is more freedom to come into the Garden Pauline Elkins our artist in residence is providing the opportunity to help visitors to identify the plant. Using a number of coloured pencils Pauline has drawn a detailed picture of the fruits of Physalis alkekengi or as it is commonly called Chinese or Japanese lantern or rather less romantically bladder cherry.

This species is native to Asia unlike the rest of Physalis that is native to the Americas. It is easily identifiable by the large,bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resembles paper lanterns.

In Japan its bright lantern-like fruiting calyces form a traditional part of the Bon Festival as offerings intended to help the souls of the dead. In this country it is often dried and used as a decoration for all halloween.

Petersfield Community Radio visits the Garden - January 2020

Jenny and Claire during the recording session

The Physic Garden was invited to host Petersfield Community Radio group in the recording of one of their weekly podcasts. In this edition Jenny Hill, Garden Manager can be heard speaking about the Garden in an interview with Claire Vennis to produce the P pod podcast. This can be heard by following the link below.