Discovering Women’s Health through Herbal Wisdom

Forage Botanicals x The Modern Herbal at Chelsea Physic Garden 2024

Explore the relationship between women’s health and holistic plant medicine with our exclusive lecture series at Chelsea Physic Garden.

Join herbologist Maya Jayaweera Thomas and award-winning medical herbalist Natasha Richardson, founder of Forage Botanicals, for the fourth of a five part series of exclusive lectures at Chelsea Physic Garden where you will explore the relationship between women’s health and holistic plant medicines, delving deep into the intersection of herbal medicine, history, and female reproductive health.

This session will focus on the digestion system and its connection to the female reproduction system. Natasha and Maya will highlight the most indispensable herbs for treating women’s health, whilst examining how time-tested remedies can complement modern healthcare approaches. Each session will culminate with a practical demonstration on how to craft medicinal preparations from potent plants, helping you to build your skills in the art of herbal healing.

Historical context, prejudice, and the persistent mysteries shape our perceptions of women’s health. This course aims to re-examine how we view traditional and modern healthcare for women, and how to work towards a holistic foundation of functional healthcare for women.

Curated for a cross-section of people, from individuals deeply passionate about women’s health to experts. While the content has an academic slant, it is also accessible to people enthusiastic about health, herbs and general wellbeing.

Please note that doors open at 6:30pm with the lecture starting at 7pm.

Ticketing

Here is the order of the remaining three lectures being held at Chelsea Physic Garden in 2024

Discovering Women’s Health through Herbal Wisdom: The Digestion System – Chelsea Physic Garden — Wednesday 29 May

Discovering Women’s Health through Herbal Wisdom: The Urinary System – Chelsea Physic Garden — Monday 3 June

The Course Facilitators:

Maya Jayaweera Thomas

Maya Jayaweera Thomas is a herbologist, writer, workshop facilitator and creative consultant specialising in plant medicine, food and growing.

Maya’s background is in documentary filmmaking for Channel 4; ITV and the BBC, and script editing. Having left London a decade ago to pursue a life more closely connected to the land, she went on to gain a distinction from The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh in Herbology. Maya then worked with growers, plant medicine practitioners and chefs across the UK. On returning to London Maya’s work has centred on finding innovative ways to connect people with their environments through the stories of plants.

Maya regularly collaborates with Chelsea Physic Garden and Toast, and has worked with the Garden Museum; Soho Farmhouse; Charleston Plant Festival; Rough Trade Books and Bloom Magazine.

Natasha Richardson 

Natasha Richardson has a BSc (Hons) in herbal medicine from Lincoln University and a master’s in the history of women’s medicine from the University of Oxford. Having struggled with period pain, followed by an unsuccessful search for treatment, Natasha applied her scientific knowledge to create herbal remedies that finally resolved the problem.

Today, Forage Botanicals offers natural products expertly made by her, personalised 1:1 treatment plans, and online courses for empowering menstrual education, menopause, and more. She ran a successful clinic for over 10 years helping with menstrual complaints from menarche to menopause before writing her book ‘Your Period Handbook’. Now she has a team that takes patients while she focuses on product development and community relationships.

Accessibility:

This event will take place in our first floor ‘Gallery’, unfortunately this space is not wheelchair accessible. Please email  if you would like to discuss accessibility