Building your own functional medicine/food garden

by Catherine Wilson 

“Its just a matter of getting to know the plants we can grow and which ones can help us most” Motherearth living.com

Throughout the ages Indigenous people Ayrevedic wisdom, Ancient civilizations, knew the power of certain plants to build health and to cure illness and emotions.  Plants bring beauty, shade, food, medicine and wildlife to your home.

Find out how your current garden is supporting your health and wellness, healing our bodies, minds, spirits and the environment. 

* I will visit your garden to observe about the plants you already grow.  

* Discover what their benefits are in terms of their medicinal /energy value.

* Receive suggested additional Flowers, herbs, trees and shrubs exotic and native plants that you can also introduce to create a beautifully balanced, peaceful and functional medicine garden over time that can improve your health and wellbeing.

“Put a chair in your garden. Just sit & breathe”  Catherine

My background & crazy love of edible and medicinal plants...

I am Manager of Riddells Botanicals.  Our Farm is dated C1880 in Riddells Creek.  We have handcrafted 150 Flower Essences and 80 crystal essences on our 10 acre property in the Macedon Ranges.  We have over 150 different plant and tree species on the small property including indigenous native trees, grasses and flowers.

We practice Biodynamic gardening by adding extra nutrients to the soil to activate 100’s of biological enzymes that enrich the soil regularly each year. We compost and make our own liquid fertilizers. The plants, food and flowers they produce grow stronger, more resilient to pests and fruits have more intense flavour and storage ability.  Plants just pop out of the ground!  Of course it is 100% organic. 

I have studied courses Herbalism, Flower Essence making, Biodynamics, Rose Therapy, Edible weeds and Geomancy.  I am currently studying a Diploma in Health Science (Naturopathy). We currently grow many herbs, native bush foods and flowers and over the years I learn more and more about these amazing healing properties. Many herbs, flowers, plants and weeds have multiple purposes and/or are adaptogens. I also treat all my animals on our farm with Naturopathic medicines and Flower essences successfully.

An active beehive thrives on the local flowers and we are currently expanding our native bee flower range in our garden as well.

A large stone circle sits in our garden next to the sacred tree grove we are creating now.

These are special quiet spaces for contemplation.

I regularly love to go bushwalking identifying birds, local flowers and plants that are our indigenous medicinal history.

Our soil is challenging –the rocky/clay/sandy basalt plains on the flat lands around Mt Macedon so I understand about challenging soil types, weather, astrological influences, space restrictions and seasonal fluctuations. 

I am currently teaching myself to grown more native flowering shrubs and trees from seed such as the Acacia Purpurea and propagation the of olive trees. 

In 2020 I started seed saving a complete collection of all the seeds from all plants at Coolaman Farm.  Now I am teaching myself to grown them!

Please feel free to email riddellsbotanicals@gmail.com for a free first consultation in our Apothecary room to get a personal customized flower / & crystal essence.

Contact: Riddells Botanicals (Catherine) 0407 132 312

I am very passionate about creating healing gardens of the future and sharing my ideas and knowledge.  I hope to come visit your home green space very soon!