As winter wraps Franschhoek in its icy embrace, our local medicinal garden remains a hub of hard work and dedication. Winter is known to be a season of rest, resilience, and of course, the winter flu. This year, the flu has hit particularly hard in Franschhoek, bringing the importance of our medicinal garden to the front of our minds once again
Before the devastating floods of 2023, The Demonstration Garden, under the expert guidance of Judah James, served as a vital resource for the community of Franschhoek, offering herbal remedies for ailments like colds and flu. Judah has been the garden’s steward since the early 2000s, committed to bringing essential plant education to our community.
In partnership with Judah, the Orgari team is on a mission to restore The Demonstration Garden and bring this botanical space back to its former glory. This includes providing financial support and being involved during the restoration process.
An ongoing challenge for the garden has been to organize a digger-loader for leveling the land in preparation for planting some of the donated and collected indigenous plants. These plants have been carefully chosen for their medicinal properties and ecological importance and will form the backbone of the garden’s collection. Levelling the land is a crucial step that facilitates better water management and healthier plant growth.
Thankfully, we saw significant progress in clean-up efforts, plant collection, and land leveling over the month of June. We now await consultation from a member of the South African Botanical Society before finalising the landscaping design.
This is a major team effort, and together we are not only preserving a botanical treasure but also reconnecting our community with the rich heritage of indigenous plant medicine. Stay tuned for more updates on The Demonstration Garden!
If you would like to join us on this journey and contribute to the restoration of The Demonstration Garden, please email us at info@thefranschhoekshop.co.za for more information.
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