THE Broadway Community Gardens group was given a helping hand by medical herbalist and author, Alex Laird, to learn more about what grows on the much-loved wild space.
The author of ‘Root to Stem’ shared her knowledge of the lesser-known varieties of plant and medicinal herbs growing on the site, whose future, according to the Broadway Community Gardens & Allotment Association, still remains unclear despite an ongoing campaign to protect the site.
Ally Nelson from the association said, “Coming from London to give a talk on Wild Nutrition at the Rise as part of The Gaia Foundation’s We Feed the World talk series, Alex is one of the UK’s most highly respected medical herbalists and has spent the last thirty years using natural ingredients at dermatological and medical clinics in London.
“We were thrilled to have Alex visit the land and share her knowledge with the group who are passionate about helping others see the enormous value of the wild diversity that we have here. Alex identified and explained the medical uses or nutritional qualities of Spurge Euphorbia, Ribwort Plantain, Red Clover and Valerian, as well as more familiar but incredibly nutrient rich wild foods such as Dandelions, Nettles and Rose Hips.”
Alex, whose book Root to Stem was published by Penguin in 2020 added, “This is nature’s larder and with just a little bit of knowledge – the likes of which many older members of the community will no doubt still have and put into practice – we have a wonderful resource to diversify our intake of natural vitamins and minerals.
“For example nasturtiums are related to the brassica family and that mustard taste of theirs is incredibly good for clearing mucus from the respiratory tract. Rosehips and nettles are incredibly high in vitamins A and C, and rose hips make the most wonderful tea infusions as well as the traditional syrup.
“Community-owned, wild spaces and community-minded food growing spaces are more critical than ever before. These wild, marginal spaces support our pollinators, birds and mammals, but they can also do so much more to support us, if only we came together to explore Nature’s larder together more.”
The campaign to protect the tract of land between Oakfield Road and Broadway from housing development continues, with the Broadway Community Gardens & Allotment Association seeking that the land be transferred from Mendip to Frome Town Council for the benefit of the whole community and the abundance of wildlife on the land.
In May reassurances from Mendip District Council that the site is not being considered for housing was met with caution by campaigners.
The district council told Frome Times and the Broadway Allotments and Community Garden Association that the site is not part of its “current social housing programme of works”.
However, the group questioned the use of the word “current”, demanding that the council gives further reassurance that the site has been removed completely from consideration.
Visit the website www.broadwaycommunitygardens.com to find out more and get involved.
