• Plants & Modern Medicine

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

  • A living physic garden with medical herbalists and clinical research

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

  • Centre for education in plant medicine

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

  • Dilston Dispensary of Plant Medicine

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

  • Inspirational tours, talks, workshops & courses

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

  • Experience an ultimate relaxation garden

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

  • Medicinal Meadow, Labyrinth, Spirit Henge

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

  • Science Garden

    DILSTON PHYSIC GARDEN

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Discover the power of plants. Wander up a country lane in a panoramic stretch of Northumberland to a unique medicinal garden on the banks of a meandering river. Find a garden like no other, set in 2 acres of natural habitat and brimming with over 700 medicinal plants. Plants used as medicines throughout history, that now have science to verify their use. Explore plants that are used to help maintain health, and plants that are used as efficacious medicine today to treat a range of everyday conditions from anxiety to IBS, and often carrying few side-effects, . Experience an ultimate relaxation garden, a tranquil space for wellbeing in which its plants and people nurture mind, body and spirit.

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What’s On

About Us

The Physic Shop

What to See & Do

Dilston Dispensary of Plant Medicine

States of Mind Survey

We are delighted announce our new States of Mind Survey. This survey aims to record self-assessment ratings of states of mind – such as feelings of calm, focus, creativity and whether you are sleeping well – after taking a medicinal plant or product that you were going to take anyway.

The results from these self-assessment scales are seen as important in studying the self-rated effects of medicinal plants. The results will be used to contribute to the growing body of evidence behind the use of medicinal plants for health and medicine today.

If you would like to take part please complete the survey using the QR code or follow this link https://forms.office.com/r/ZEvTZx2j0b.

Find out more about our scientific research

Junior Herbalist Club

Junior Herbalist Club is a brand new venture. It’s taking place with the support of the National Institute  of Medical Herbalists (NIMH). The aim of Junior Herbalist Club is to let children learn about the healing and medicinal plants all around them in a safe and supervised environment – in this case, Dilston Physic Garden! JHC is a 1 year or 2 year club that meets at Dilston Physic Garden once a month from September to July and is led by NIMH medical herbalist Davina Hopkinson. Read More.

Junior Herbalist Club

A charity for education

As a registered charity for education Dilston Physic Garden is visited by everyone from families to groups, community groups, schools, colleges, universities and professionals, all visiting to discover more about the incredible life-changing world of plants for health and medicine.

Educational visits include curriculum based school trips, junior herbalist club, as well as university medical students and groups from other university departments.

With research links to the University of Newcastle, Northeast Universities Medicinal Plant Research Group (MPRG), the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and other research bodies, Dilston Physic Garden conducts controlled clinical trials to study the effects plant medicine for the mind and brain.

  • Science Garden

    Dilston Physic Garden is rooted in science. Beside each plant find information on the plant’s traditional use, the folklore that brings each plant to life and the science of how the plant works – from chemical ingredients and lab studies to clinical trials.  The physic garden also conducts scientific research into traditional medicine especially those to improve memory. Find specialist collections of plants shown by science to be effective for memory, mood, sleep, pain and more.

  • Plants for Health & Medicine

    Dilston aims to increase the awareness of plant medicine backed by scientific research, helping reinstate plants medicine as an essential component of human health and medicine, just as it was in the past. By embracing sound scientific evidence from a multidisciplinary and trans-boundary perspective, we are helping bridge the gap between plant medicine and general medicine.

    Discover how effective plant medicine is all about taking the right prescription for your individual needs – visit a National Institute of Medical Herbalists Medical Herbalist every Wednesday in the summer at our Dilston Dispensary of Plant Medicine.

DON’T FORGET OUR ESSENTIAL ADVICE

When visiting Dilston Physic Garden please be aware that some plants are poisonous. While many plants in this physic garden are used medicinally, some are also poisonous, even common plants that grow in most gardens like delphinium, euphorbia, foxglove, laburnum & yew, plus others like mandrake, belladonna and poison ivy (see our Magic & Medicine Area).  Do not touch or eat any plant unless you have consulted a staff member on identification and safety. The physic garden cannot be held responsible if you do.

If you are allergic to bee stings please avoid the east corner of the garden / orchard area.

Please watch your step, the lanes to the physic garden, the physic garden ground and the Herbology House floor are uneven and slippery when wet.

When using plants as medicines it is important to know that some plant medicines can interact with other medications and some are not advised in certain medical conditions. If you are considering taking a plant medicinally always first consult a NIMH registered medical herbalist and inform your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, have any medical condition or are taking any medication.

Always be sure of the identity of your plant and source plant medicine products from an established reputable source only, read any caution and do not exceed the recommended dose and duration (but note that there is an effective dose and duration).

For further information on preparations, dose, effects, side-effects, interactions with other drugs visit https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/herb_All.html and  http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/ or consult a NIMH registered medical herbalist.

Volunteer

Volunteers play a central role in caring for the plants at Dilston Physic Garden and say they experience many rewarding opportunities in a number of different and exciting ways. As well as keeping the physic garden plants healthy and happy, they also are involved in the harvesting and making of botanical teas as well as helping visitors.

We provide any training needed and volunteers pick up plenty of herbal tip bits, enjoy good company and a healthy herbal lunch. Volunteers can be reimbursed for travel expenses and also have the chance to join a workshop of their choice, free of charge. Just contact us to start your experience!

Volunteer
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What others say about us

I have had the good fortune to visit this beautiful garden over a number of years and so have seen it grow and develop. Each visit is a new and thrilling experience.

It’s a nice and interesting garden to be visited. I use it for benchmarking, cause I build the same garden “spice garden” in tropical country Indonesia containing more 400 species of medicinal plants. Thank you

“What a fantastic find! Thank you.”

I found your site by accident while looking for something else. It looks wonderful! I am involved in a small garden of health behind one of the departments in Glasgow University so I am very interested. I hope to be able to pay you a visit before too long and will be in touch.

“A beautiful and peaceful garden and a real source of inspiration.”

“Absolutely fabulous. Thank you.”

“The most exquisite magical garden you could find”

Thyme – Plant of the Day

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Grow Your Own Physic Garden: Use medicinal plants grounded in science

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Science is now providing the evidence to show just how effective plant medicine is. In our new book we aim to help you to grow and use safe plants to treat many common ailments. When used correctly plant medicine is safe, effective and has other health benefits. There are many plants that we can take […]

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