Botanic Shed

Botanic Shed Botanic Shed creates sanctuaries - we are a community of gardeners and healers developing gardens and running events. Lara Cowan

Through expert design, consultancy, and nature-based experiences, we reconnect people with the healing power of the natural world. Botanic Shed membership will help you move towards a brighter future, by focusing on the power of nature. You will collaborate with world-class members, and learn to heal and grow through a range of nature-based therapies and ideas. Through nature connection, we hope t

o help you to build new neurological pathways to sooth your mind and protect your well-being whilst empowering your existing personal strengths. "If every person could take a non-negotiable 1 hour out of each day and spend it outdoors in nature, deepening that innate connection we have with it then stress and depression levels would plummet."

Some days we are full of beans and other day we just don’t feel too happy. There’s plenty to challenge us and if we get ...
16/04/2026

Some days we are full of beans and other day we just don’t feel too happy. There’s plenty to challenge us and if we get a bit over tired on top of it all then things start to feel overwhelming. But when we meet each other in the garden things start to feel lighter. I cannot tell you how lucky I feel to work outdoors most of the week. And with such kind and gentle people including my very own daughter Tehya too. Grateful 🙏

And here we have her Royal Highness, Tulip Verona Sunrise on her way back to the Earth and in the second photo it’s Tuli...
15/04/2026

And here we have her Royal Highness, Tulip Verona Sunrise on her way back to the Earth and in the second photo it’s Tulip Groenland and Muscari Soul Mate.

Me and the light of life that is Nina Beena…please can we have lots more times like these? The audio is a quote attribut...
15/04/2026

Me and the light of life that is Nina Beena…please can we have lots more times like these?

The audio is a quote attributed to Alan Watts;

“Your lowest point is the doorway to your highest self, for when the heart breaks something far deeper is taking place than mere misfortune. We often don’t realize the value of the darkness until it has passed, for only in the absence of light do we become the light.”

New Moon in Aries - this Friday April 17th 2026 and what gardening can do for you. Morning all,If you’d like some Sunday...
12/04/2026

New Moon in Aries - this Friday April 17th 2026 and what gardening can do for you.

Morning all,

If you’d like some Sunday listening there’s a link in my bio to an astrological update about this months energy by

This is an uplifting and positive perspective focussing on our potential to create a much more loving and abundant world.

All of our thoughts, our feelings and our actions right now are more important that ever so be super conscious as you move through your days. Try and protect your environment (what you eat, drink etc and don’t fill your day surrounded by people and draining energies/stories).

Be be as forgiving and grateful as you can be to yourself and to others.

Help yourself relax so your cells can tune in to a mindful ‘at one’ state as often as you can.

This can most easily be done in the garden, doing simple things like weeding or picking daisies or dandelions, looking up at the sky, picking blossom stems or making little wildlife homes, you are helping your body to stimulate the happy hormones.

Or listening to the sound of water.

Just look after yourself and make sure your oxygen mask is on so you can help others without depleting your energies and putting too much pressure on your system.

You are very precious.🤍

Picture perfect. The first Tulips are Alexandra Pushkin (love the Russian reference) Then the Tulip Pretty Lady with Daf...
11/04/2026

Picture perfect.
The first Tulips are Alexandra Pushkin (love the Russian reference)
Then the Tulip Pretty Lady with Daffodils (Mount Hood)
The last are Exotic Emperor.

Scenes of joy. So garden therapy is a big thing but so is colour therapy and all this therapy is about really is being a...
07/04/2026

Scenes of joy. So garden therapy is a big thing but so is colour therapy and all this therapy is about really is being and staying on team harmony.

Yellow!
06/04/2026

Yellow!

05/04/2026

Here’s how and why I use these 4 herbs at home and I grow them are our clients gardens for their benefit too!

Cleaver
How? As a tonic water
I simply add a fresh bunch of cleaves to my water glass, jug or bottle and leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes before drinking it.
How does it taste?
Delicious…like cucumber.
And it looks like a glass of crisp white wine at the table. It’s very mildly caffeinated so bear that in mind.

Why?
She is an immunomodulatory active herb influencing the defense response of the human body.

She protects the liver and breasts
She’ an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

She’s a tonic, alterative herb that safely, gently detoxifies the body by supporting the lymphatic system and strengthening the immune system.

She also supports the health of the kidneys and urinary tract.

The cleaverss pop up in Spring, just in time to be gathered for a cleansing tea that banishes winter stagnation.

Garlic Mustard
How? Leaves in salad or a polistice on the skin
Why?
She is high in Vitamins A and C, as well as minerals like selenium, potassium, and magnesium.
She supports respiratory health, specifically for coughs, colds, and bronchitis and she treats wounds, sores, and leg ulcers.

Nettles
How?
We use her fresh or dried leaves in tea.
Why?
She’s got anti-inflammatory properties for joint & muscle pain.
Nettle is exceptionally rich in minerals (iron, calcium, potassium) and vitamins (A, C, K), making it really useful for treating mild anemia and fatigue
She’s got natural antihistamine properties, helping to reduce hay fever symptoms like sneezing and itching.
She’s helps with blood sugar management and may help manage type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels, potentially by acting similarly to insulin (my brother has type 2).

Dandelion

How? leaves in with spinach or in salads, flower on salads

Why? she’s a powerful diuretic, liver tonic, digestive bitter, and anti-inflammatory agent
Her compounds like chicoric acid and chlorogenic acid in dandelion may improve insulin secretion and regulate lipid metabolism, which can aid in managing Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Cont in comments

❤️

Come and see where we’ve been this week. Historic walled gardens, large and small private gardens, ancient orchards, for...
03/04/2026

Come and see where we’ve been this week. Historic walled gardens, large and small private gardens, ancient orchards, former pubs, and we are about to embark on developing a large scale ecological project, an agro-food forest.

So it’s busy and beautiful all at the same time!

I love working calmly and creatively with plants and people.

Definitely in my flow with the land.

It’s where we grow.

We are a team of 10 gardeners and 3 designers looking after 17 gardens, growing at a nice pace welcoming in new gardeners and new clients on a regular basis.

The best part of it all is that I am able to work with my gorgeous and talented daughter and help people build their careers with plants and in ecology.

I started gardening with my Dad in 1982 when I was 3 and we moved to Bampton, then studied horticulture and design with the in 2010 and design again with at in 2025 - along the way I have had several careers in property, travel and design….all the while I set up and ran my first business baby for 20 years.

Oh wow, this is turned into a bit of an introduction! Who don’t know a little bit about me.

Happy Good Friday!

Lots of love,

Lara

Let’s love and adore the Pink Moon that is full at 03:12am on the morning of 2nd April. It’s the first full moon of spri...
01/04/2026

Let’s love and adore the Pink Moon that is full at 03:12am on the morning of 2nd April. It’s the first full moon of spring, symbolizing a profound, heavenly, and earthly renewal, rebirth, and the return of life after winter’s dormancy. While it typically glows bright white or gold rather than pink, its name is derived from the Phlox subulata (moss phlox) wildflower, which blooms during this time, blanketing the ground in vibrant pink.

And this quote from js a favourite of mine…it seems so fitting. Rebirth is a daily occurrence in all our cells. Let’s remember we aren’t staying still!

01/04/2026

Let’s have a look at one of the gardens I’m designing. In the early stages were playing with shapes and improving the soil, while drawing up designs and choosing the right plants for this location which will give a beautiful pallet of colour. And it will be pollinator friendly and leave beautiful seat heads for the winter. What do you think so far?
Love Lara

31/03/2026

Action stations, springtime growth and pruning.

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