Julie's & The Herbal Garden Story
I’m Julie, welcome to The Herbal Garden my two acre property in Selwyn District, just south west of Christchurch, New Zealand, where I grow culinary and medicinal herbs which are used in my products.
There are different gardens within the property which have evolved over time, as every garden does. The initial requirement was to produce spray free/organic fruit and vegetables for the family, then came the culinary herb garden, then the medicinal herb garden. I also love flowers so a flower garden had to be put in so I had a place for my heritage roses and my take on an 'English Country Garden'. These gardens are positioned in the tradition of permaculture, whereby you have what you use the most closest to you, in easy access of the kitchen.
At the front of the property is a more 'park like' setting, with various species of large trees, beech, oak, ribbon wood, acers etc. We have a central pond and a smaller top pond, linked by a small stream, which has and brings in much wild life and offers sanctuary to birds and insects alike.
All the gardens are built on organic/permaculture bases, all natural without any chemical additives, offering a sustainable and natural wellbeing life for ourselves and develop sustainable ecological life within the garden. Everything in the garden stays in the garden; trees, bushes, branches are all cut and put through the chipper and used as mulch, all garden waste, weeds etc, are composted along with house food waste. We have chickens who not only give us eggs but help compost the weeds and grass I don't want to go into the garden compost as they take longer to break down but still after a couple of years produce amazing composted soil to go back into the garden. By gardening in a biological manner this builds the soil food web. Along with the compost I have vermicast from the worm farm, compost tea and biochar. All of which bring energy to the soil and encourage micro-organisms which enrich the soil and give vitality to the plants.
By growing the herbs on the property means harvesting them at their peak when the volatiles oils and natural properties are high. They are then taken immediately to the drying shed where they naturally dried on racks, maintaining colour, potency and properties, thus maintaining excellent quality. Harvesting is done by hand and starts in spring with leafy herbs and ends in autumn with with medicinal roots such as licorice and marshmallow. The herbs are then used in all the products including herbal teas, skincare and herbal salts.
I strongly believe having herbs and vegetables/fruit growing in chemical free soil not only keeps them healthy but keeps us healthy and helps our body stay strong.
I trained as a Cordon Bleu Cook in the UK and owned my own restaurant as well as working all over the UK and Europe for private clients which was wonderful experience and gave me the opportunity to experience many natural products being produced in Europe and met with some very interesting people who introduced me to the abilities of herbs as remedies and medicines.
When I moved to New Zealand with my husband and young children we started on a new chapter of our life!
I worked in the corporate marketing world until in 2016 I became a Christchurch statistic in the 'restructuring' of a company and a job I loved.
The stress of being an employee casualty caused various health issues and once it was over gave me the impetus to look at my own 'well being' and take stock of my life and made significant changes. I needed life to be about me and my family not some else business or organisation. I enrolled and studied organics at Lincoln University which has given me greater academic knowledge to my practical experience and went on to complete the Herbal Medicine apprenticeship with Valmai Becker of Phytofarm learning about herbs and natural medicine.
A few years on and I now have The Herbal Garden and can share my knowledge through workshops, garden tips and blog.
