We know that a little gardening is good for us, so why not combine this with what we grow in a health-giving garden? Marian Boswall explains how to create a modern apothecary garden <\/p>

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Many of the beneficial plants we can add to our food are very easy to grow. Rather than buying new plants every year, I like the integrated approach that aims to create a sustainable mini ecosystem using mainly perennial plants. There are excellent books on permaculture, including Michael Crawford<\/a>\u2019s Creating a Forest Garden<\/em>, but we can just as validly dip our toes in without diving wholesale into herb spirals and H\u00fcgelkultur.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 Sophie Pollock for MBA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNine key elements of the above apothecary garden<\/h2>
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1<\/p>
Clover<\/h3>\n<\/div> A central area is planted with a simple clover rich lawn mix. Cover adds nitrogen to the lawn so keeps it healthy in the summer and, when in flower, is also forage for bees.
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2<\/p>
Berries<\/h3>\n<\/div> A south-facing berry patch can be decorative and delightful as well as packing a punch with vitamins for the table. A mulberry tree is a permaculture favourite, needing little attention and providing delicious superfood berries.
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3<\/p>
Green roof<\/h3>\n<\/div>
A green roof<\/a> adds an additional layer of green to a garden and here it is planted with flowers that will attract pollinators.<\/p>
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4<\/p>
Low maintenance<\/h3>\n<\/div> Mediterranean, sun-loving herbs<\/a> and creeping groundcovers are planted straight into a layer of gravel over soil in the gravel garden, a technique that minimises weeding and protects the soil below. An old water trough collects rain and doubles as a pot washing station to recycle pots for propagation.
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5<\/p>
Smells<\/h3>\n<\/div> A mix of herbs and aromatic plants near the house adds scent<\/a> and provides a ready source of plants to add to infusions, as well as providing forage for pollinators. They will also visit the pond, which helps create a fertile microclimate.
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6<\/p>
Fruit trees<\/h3>\n<\/div> Smaller fruit and nut trees provide a layer of dappled shade and an all-important extra vertical aspect. Collect fruit early to catch them before the wasps, and compost any you can\u2019t use or add them to a wormery. Hazel nuts can be coppiced on rotation to keep them small, and stems used to create stakes and arches.
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7<\/p>
Use shady areas<\/h3>\n<\/div> Rhubarb is happy in a shadier spot under the large shelter trees, while herbs creep between the stepping stones leading to the herb-drying room at the end of the garden, which also doubles as a writing room and yoga studio.
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8<\/p>
Woody debris<\/h3>\n<\/div> A simple H\u00fcgelkultur mound uses woody debris and plant waste piled up and covered with a layer of soil to plant directly into. The nutrients are released quickly in the first year when demanding plants such as pumpkins<\/a> and potatoes will thrive, and then as the mound sinks crops such as beans and peas take over.
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9<\/p>
Edible hedges<\/h3>\n<\/div>
Edible hedges divide the different areas of the garden and provide shelter and a backdrop for each border. Here a mix of berries and wild roses, plus hawthorn for blossom and early leaves in salad, and blackthorn to knit the hedge together. For additional privacy you could add evergreen holly.<\/p>
Taking a layered approach<\/h2>
The key is the layered approach that learns from nature how different plants interact beneficially. It needn\u2019t even look unruly. I like to marry loose planting with clean design lines and in the garden in the plan shown left we based the layout on artist Ben Nicholson\u2019s overlapping cube shapes to complement the contemporary house and create a garden in layered blocks. The approach starts with shelter, especially on a windy site. Plan for a shelter belt with edible hedges, climbers on vertical surfaces and different height trees. In a smaller site fruit and nut trees provide dappled shade, sequester carbon and allow the roots to begin communicating between plants. Buy trees young and allow enough space between their mature canopies to allow sunlight to reach the plants below.<\/p>\n
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Vegetables grown in swirls – \u00a9 The Garden Collection\/FP\/Jane Sebre<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
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Allt-y-bela – Arne Maynard – \u00a9 Jason Ingram<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
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\u00a9 Marian Boswell<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>