Springfield Sanctuary in the Cotswolds

Diary - 05/11

Diary - Nov 2005

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November 2005

The willow trees needed a lot of cutting back

Work on pollarding the willow tree was shared.

Our last gathering at the Sanctuary for 2005 was a general tidy up in November.

With the help of Sue, John, Lorna, Steve and Juell, we pollarded two of the willow trees, levelled the floor of the meditation space and dug and extended the top herb garden. We’re very grateful for their help and support.

In conclusion, it has been wonderful to share the Sanctuary with others who have also grown to love its special atmosphere and peaceful ambience. We have been able to learn together about tastes and smells, from the bitterness of the spring dandelion root and motherwort tincture, through the calm “greenness” of the agnus castus and lady’s mantle tea to the astounding beauty of the stately white black cohosh flowers. There has been something for all the senses and for every individual.

During the first workshop people commented that they were almost afraid to step inside the boundaries of the main herb garden to dig up seedlings and take them home because it seemed like they were treading on sacred space, but by the last workshop they were asking if they could have the responsibility of tending parts of the growing areas over the coming year. The most successful workshops were those where everyone was given time and opportunity to explore different parts of the Sanctuary and experience plants and wildlife at first hand.

Next year we shall be revisiting some of the areas studied this year and venturing into new territories, such as using herbs for dyeing and how they can help ease the terminal phases of life for the whole family. There will be opportunities to become more familiar with various herbs and techniques for their extraction and preservation as well as getting to know them on more subtle levels.

I shall also be offering two new ‘Introduction to Healing’ workshops where people will be able to become familiar with channelling energy to assist their friends and family and send distant healing to those far away.

For more information about 2006 workshops click here.


The working party clearing the top herb bed ...	... and the results of their efforts, a cleared bed, ready for next year


Sage in flower, just to show not everything flowers in the summer!	Meanwhile, work continued in the trees ...


... and clearing and levelling the meditation area ...	... to level the area, a small length of dry stone wall was needed ...


... and there we are. Almost complete.	... complementing the (very) small cairn we have started.