The Sage Gardener CIC is about every aspect of wellness – positive mental health, eating good food, exercise and friendship.
On a peaceful site at the edge of the tiny village of Eagle Hall near Lincoln, small groups of people visit – to volunteer in the ancient woods and kitchen garden, to partake in outdoor exercise sessions, to make friends over cups of tea under the trees, or to participate in one of the many groups and events that take place at the Sage Gardener CIC.
Jane and Dave, with backgrounds in horticulture, health and education, make good teachers and hosts, and value the friendly scale of the garden, where they can take the time to talk with their guests.
It’s an ancient woodland site, where nature and food work together. Fruit bushes grow in the light edges of the woodland, under-cropped with strawberry plants and low growing wild flowers.
The apple trees – being carefully pruned and nurtured after years of neglect – are old, Lincolnshire varieties.
Currant bushes on the woodland edge 
Old varieties of apple trees in blossom 
Strawberry plants grow among the wildflowers 
A food forest!
The kitchen garden is full of edible herbs – a useful resource for the recent bread-making workshop – as well as raised beds full of young salad crops, kale and pots of broad beans and peas.
Lots of the older adults who come to the garden often have very small gardens or patios at home, Dave tells me, and so they have created lots of examples of container growing.
There are diminutive teepees in large pots of beans; and a resplendent vertical strawberry garden, created from a suspended pallet and reclaimed plastic milk containers. It inspires people with food growing ideas that are practical for tiny spaces and people who don’t do lots of bending.
At the garden gate stands an array of potted plants, including herbs and strawberries, for sale – a little extra funding for the CIC as well as an opportunity to take home the start of something delicious!
Dave explains to me that they are working on ways to reduce their environmental impact – phasing out peat-based compost in favour of mixing their own composts and nettle- and comfrey teas; sourcing local compost and woodchip for the paths from nearby MEC; there is a compost toilet on site.
You can find out more about the Sage Gardener CIC and forthcoming events -including wild cooking, healthy herbs and friendship days – on their website: sagegardener.co.uk.
Good food, friendship & health in the Kitchen Garden @sagegardeneagle. Blog from Lincolnshire Food Partnership:
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2 responses to “The Sage Gardener”
Hello
I am a mental health nurse and work in a prison North Sea Camp which is an open environment.
We are holding an event to promote world mental health day and would be grateful if you could have a stall/table to promote what you do to enhance mental wellbeing for our prisoners
We aren’t able to offer a stall as such, but drop me an email, Vicky, and let’s work something out.