Artemisia’s Forest Garden Nursery
Our mission is to share a growing variety of edible, medicinal, and valuable trees, shrubs, vines, and native plants, especially suited for Forest Gardens in southwestern Ontario.
About Forest Gardening
Forest Gardening is a low-maintenance, sustainable, plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables, which have yields directly applicable to humans. Using companion planting, these can be intermixed to grow in a succession of layers to build a woodland habitat—more from Wikipedia.
We see forest gardening as one of humanity’s most significant prospects for establishing a flourishing future by providing for our most essential needs, where and when we need them.
For more information on Forest Gardening in Southwestern Ontario:
The most important book on Forest Gardening for Northeastern North America is the two-volume Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier. Martin Crawford’s books are also an excellent introduction to the field. However, more focused on the U.K. Gaia’s Garden climate, by Toby Hemenway, is also a significant introductory volume, though a bit more suited to Western North American growing conditions.
Small, Local, Regenerative
Artemisia’s Forest Garden Nursery is intentionally small in scale and local. By staying small, we can have a much smaller carbon footprint. By extensively using Permaculture and forest gardening methods and encouraging others to do the same, we show our devotion to caring for the Earth and its people.
Different and Unique
Most plants are grown using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and provided bare-root on two pick-up dates – one in May and one in October. Customers pre-order online, and we dig the plants just before the pick-up day. This method has several advantages.
1. Though not certified organic, our practices are ‘beyond organic’ and based on permaculture and forest gardening principles. We never use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, prefer polycultures and diversity of planting, and are constantly experimenting with ways to grow and replicate plants while regenerating the Earth.
2. By digging plants directly from the Earth shortly before pick-up, we know they are healthy and have been living in natural conditions. Many experienced gardeners will be familiar with the long-standing tradition of dividing perennials to spread and share them, and trees are commonly transplanted bare-root when dormant. Plant tops are pruned to match the size of the healthy roots below the surface to reduce overall stress on the plant. We give you large plants and sometimes throw in extras to ensure you get great value. A big bonus one of our customers pointed out is that in addition to the plants themselves, because our plants are not grown in sterile growth mediums, you also get other bonus organisms such as soil biota and fungi that already have relationships with the roots of the plants you receive.
3. Potting soil ingredients such as peat, perlite, and vermiculite (all quickly diminishing resources on our planet) are drastically reduced. Plastic pots are used only for very sensitive (or imported) plants and reused, and reusable plastic bags are currently used on pick-up days.
4. On pick-up days, plants are dormant or moving towards dormancy – the ideal time to transplant.
We have been propagating our herbs, berries and native plants and trees using ecological permaculture practices plants to share since the early 1980s.
Shipping
Unfortunately, we cannot ship any plants, and pick-up days are restricted to one day in the spring and one day in the fall (see homepage to confirm the next pick-up date).
Guarantee
We guarantee that plants are healthy at pick-up – though they may not always look pretty. Experienced gardeners will know that divided perennials will grow just as well and often better than potted plants – but they don’t always look ‘nice’ at planting. Trees, likewise, may resemble sticks more than trees. Rest assured, throughout the growing season, your plants will wake up and thrive.
If your plants die within two weeks of purchase, you will be eligible for up to 100% credit towards future purchases.
Because we can’t be held responsible for the poor choice of the planting site, insect damage, late frost, or grower neglect, we require a photo and written documentation for any claims and may ask for the return of any grafted trees.
Customer service is important to us, so please let us know if any part of your experience was not optimal.
Alternate Pick-up Dates
If you wish to order but cannot pick up on the scheduled pick-up date, don’t hesitate to contact us: attention Shantree info@thelivingcentre.com before putting in your order. We may be able to accommodate but are not always able to.
If you pick up your order later than the scheduled pick-up date, we cannot provide a guarantee of your stock.
Order Not Picked Up
If you fail to pick up your order and have not contacted us about cancelling your order, we can only offer a 70% refund. We will have already dug the plants for your order, many of which will not survive being replanted and incur expenses due to PayPal expenses.
Order Modifications and Returns
Put through another order before the deadline to add items to your order.
To remove items from your order, please get in touch with us. Refunds are available case-by-case, but a small fee may apply to cover PayPal expenses.
We do not offer returns or exchanges after plant pick-up.
Substitutions
Occasionally, we may be unable to provide all plants on your order. In this case, we will offer a comparable substitution at the time of pick-up or, if you prefer, will give a cash, cheque or PayPal refund.
Beyond the Nursery
We see Artemisia’s Forest Garden Nursery as more than just a nursery. Beyond providing valuable plants, we also hold the essential permaculture ethic very firmly: caring for the Earth; caring for people and the greater community; and sharing the surplus beyond what we need.
We feel there is an educational component to what we do. We hope to excite people about the potential Permaculture and forest gardening, mainly, hold for our future as a species on planet earth.
Contact us if you are interested in organizing a talk for any age level or level of experience. Whether at a club meeting, or a professional group, we can provide exciting and relevant presentations to educate and share our passion.
A Few Topic Ideas:
How to Grow an Edible Forest Garden
Growing Your Backyard Sanctuary
Landscaping with Edible Plants
Healthy Soil: A Permaculture Perspective
Permaculture 101
Best low-maintenance food plants
Minimizing maintenance and competition
Rare and Unusual Fruit and Vegetables that are easy to grow
Zero offsite input gardening
Weedeating: Foraging your lawn
About the Founder & Owner
Shantree Kacera R.H., D.N., Ph.D. is a Certified Permaculture Designer & Educator, an Ayurvedic Live-Food Nutritionist, Therapeutic & Shamanic Herbalist specializing in Forest Gardening with 45-years experience. Shantree’s deep spiritual connection to the Earth has drawn him into the teachings of shamanic and Earth wisdom practices and Carolinian Canada native plant preservation and studies. He is a passionate edible forest gardener and well-known for his unique circular medicinal-wheel garden and medicine trail with over 1,000 species of edible and medicinal plants and trees through the 50-acre botanical sanctuary. Since the mid-1980’s Shantree has been applying permaculture practices, he has created his unique approach to how Permaculture works in Canada. After 40 years, he is now sharing his experiences with his students and apprentices who come to study Forest Gardening and Permaculture. Learn more…