The Forest Garden
A Living, Breathing Sanctuary
In the tranquil heart of Hardy’s country lies our Forest Garden — a regenerative woodland ecosystem where every plant serves a purpose.
What makes a Forest Garden so special?
Unlike traditional agroforestry, ours is a multi-layered landscape of fruit trees, shrubs, and perennial herbs that work together to nourish the soil, support biodiversity, and provide an abundance of edible delights. It’s agriculture in its most beautiful, sustainable form.
The design for the initial Forest Garden came out of Tracy’s final project as part of her Permaculture course in 2012. The Forest Garden was planted with spaces created for environmentally friendly glamping accomodations.
The New Medicinal Forest Garden
Following the arrival of our new Head Gardener Rachael Moss we are developing a dedicated medicinal section within our Forest Garden. This space is designed to showcase the healing power of plants, from ancient remedies to modern herbal supports, all grown in harmony with our Dorset landscape.
2026
Rachael Moss joined as head gardener in early summer 2026. She brings a deep knowledge of plants and organic gardening. She travelled for 6 years, volunteering on organic and biodynamic farms in Australia, New Zealand, the Phillipines, and the UK, before settling in West Dorset. She fits perfectly into the forest garden with her interest in ecology – volunteering for the National Trust, and helps undertake surveys for varying species; plants, fungi, lichens, inverterbrates, birds, bats, and trees.
She is currently training to become a medical herbalist. She is passionate about re-connecting plants and people, whether through medicine, food, touch, taste, or smell.
“At Dorset Forest Garden, I aspire to create a medicinal herb garden as an educational and meditative space where guests can come and sit, touch, taste and smell the herbs, and learn about their medicinal benefits. I also hope that, through this, a re-connection to the plant world, the natural world as a whole, and a sense of self within it, can be re-kindled.”
Your Retreat Awaits
Come and see the progress for yourself. Whether you stay in one of our cabins or bring your campervan, the Forest Garden is yours to explore.
