Set within the historic surroundings of Chelsea Physic Garden, London’s oldest botanical garden and a place where medicinal plants have been grown for centuries, this four part talk series invites you to explore the enduring relationship between plants and women’s health.

The Modern Herbal x Forage Botanicals returns for its third year, bringing back its much loved Plant Medicine for Women’s Health series. Across four sessions in June, July, September and October, this year’s programme explores four essential pillars of women’s wellbeing: gut health, nervous system regulation, perimenopause and menopause, offering practical, plant based insights to help women feel informed, supported and empowered at every stage.

Rooted in both traditional herbal knowledge and emerging research, each session combines learning with hands on experience in a setting shaped by centuries of plant medicine.

What to expect at the talk:

• In-depth exploration of several herbs and their therapeutic properties
• Plant identification and growing tips
• Seasonal remedy and recipe tastings
• Interactive Q&A session with expert herbal advice
• Doors open at 6pm, offering time to explore the Garden to yourself. All talks begin promptly at 6.30pm.
• All Forage Botanicals products will be available at a 20% discount: foragebotanicals.co.uk

Booking information:

• Concession tickets are limited to those aged 25 and under, individuals in receipt of Universal Credit, and those with refugee status

Dates and Topics of the Plant Medicine for Women’s Health Talk in 2026:

Tuesday 2 June Soothing the Gut

Tuesday 7 July Nurturing the Nervous System

Tuesday 8 September Thriving Through Perimenopause

Tuesday 6 October Aging Well, Menopause

About Maya and Natasha:

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. Natasha ran a successful clinic for over 10 years helping with menstrual complaints from menarche to menopause before writing her book ‘Your Period Handbook’.

Now Natasha has a team that takes patients while she focuses on product development and community relationships.