What do you think?
Rate this book
The Apothecary by the Sea: A Year in an Orkney Garden
From the award-winning author of All My Wild Mothers: a lyrical, tender story of creating a wild apothecary garden on the Scottish archipelago of Orkney.
With the years of early motherhood and elderly caregiving over, Victoria faces a time of change. She and her family decide to take a leap, moving five hundred miles north of everything they know to the northern Scottish islands of Orkney, where the winters are long and the summer a perpetual light.
Uprooted and in an unfamiliar landscape, Victoria instinctively returns to the work of growing, setting out to transform her scrappy backyard into an abundant apothecary garden by the sea, inspired by Orkney's folklore, ancient landscapes and wild nature.
Shaped by tides and storms, wild plants and seaweeds, she creates a biodiverse backyard sanctuary filled with micro-habitats, wildflowers and herbs. Here, in her apothecary by the sea, she crafts teas, tinctures and balms inspired by the surrounding soil and seas.
As the year closes and the endless summer light turns once more to dark, Victoria finds belonging not only in the garden she has nurtured, but in the landscape that has quietly embraced her and called itself home. Here, at the wild edge of things, she is reclaiming parts of herself long set aside.
'An impossibly moving memoir of gardens, herbalism, and the rigours and rewards of care… An exciting new voice in nature writing' Cal Flyn on All My Wild Mothers
With the years of early motherhood and elderly caregiving over, Victoria faces a time of change. She and her family decide to take a leap, moving five hundred miles north of everything they know to the northern Scottish islands of Orkney, where the winters are long and the summer a perpetual light.
Uprooted and in an unfamiliar landscape, Victoria instinctively returns to the work of growing, setting out to transform her scrappy backyard into an abundant apothecary garden by the sea, inspired by Orkney's folklore, ancient landscapes and wild nature.
Shaped by tides and storms, wild plants and seaweeds, she creates a biodiverse backyard sanctuary filled with micro-habitats, wildflowers and herbs. Here, in her apothecary by the sea, she crafts teas, tinctures and balms inspired by the surrounding soil and seas.
As the year closes and the endless summer light turns once more to dark, Victoria finds belonging not only in the garden she has nurtured, but in the landscape that has quietly embraced her and called itself home. Here, at the wild edge of things, she is reclaiming parts of herself long set aside.
'An impossibly moving memoir of gardens, herbalism, and the rigours and rewards of care… An exciting new voice in nature writing' Cal Flyn on All My Wild Mothers
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 2, 2026
I don't know if it would be easier to describe what this book is or isn't. I can say that I wish I had had it with me when I finally got to see Orkney and the Outer Hebrides on my last Scottish trip a few years ago. I am fascinated, almost obsessed, with Scotland, and feel the strangest pull to its lands that I know others like me have felt. It's like an invisible filigree that instills deep yearning whenever I see the munroes, the shores, the untamed land. There are many passages in this book that I felt connection with, even though I am not a gardener. A few years ago I downloaded a plant identification app on my phone, and used it like a child's Pokedex, identifying every new bloom or scraggly bush I could find both in my Ontario backyard and on that trip to Scotland.
This book brought to mind what I expect Wintering by Katherine May to be like (on my list!)... This book is an ode to gardens, to the power and medicine of plants, but it also deals with themes of healing, of reflection, of joy and grief. I felt very calm and quiet when reading the author's passages, which follow a lovely routine of plant description, use, and then delves into the changing seasons and all the elements that come with that. It felt like as the land was changing, the author described changes in herself, her family, and the plant world around her. I appreciated the historical elements she provided for Orkney and Viking, religious, and other yearly traditions. The author describes this dream purchase of a home and all the work involved in setting up in their new homestead. To me, the author was also describing her own rebirth in tune with the seasons of Orkney.
Whether you are a botanophile, you love the sea, the description of forlorn places, you like armchair travel, or you like meaningful memoir, I would say this book is for you. It inspired me to go back through my photos of Skara Brae, to remember what it felt like to walk an empty Scottish beach and draw my name in the sand, to look to the horizon and feel a profound sense of something I cannot name. This book was a joy.
This book brought to mind what I expect Wintering by Katherine May to be like (on my list!)... This book is an ode to gardens, to the power and medicine of plants, but it also deals with themes of healing, of reflection, of joy and grief. I felt very calm and quiet when reading the author's passages, which follow a lovely routine of plant description, use, and then delves into the changing seasons and all the elements that come with that. It felt like as the land was changing, the author described changes in herself, her family, and the plant world around her. I appreciated the historical elements she provided for Orkney and Viking, religious, and other yearly traditions. The author describes this dream purchase of a home and all the work involved in setting up in their new homestead. To me, the author was also describing her own rebirth in tune with the seasons of Orkney.
Whether you are a botanophile, you love the sea, the description of forlorn places, you like armchair travel, or you like meaningful memoir, I would say this book is for you. It inspired me to go back through my photos of Skara Brae, to remember what it felt like to walk an empty Scottish beach and draw my name in the sand, to look to the horizon and feel a profound sense of something I cannot name. This book was a joy.
May 26, 2026
I loved All Wild Mothers, the author’s previous book, so I jumped at the chance of reading this one, and I wasn’t disappointed.
This book starts with Victoria moving to Orkney with her husband and son. The couple are apprehensive about the move, as it’s such a massive step for them. However, they also feel excitement, as they are able to purchase their own home, something that they thought wasn’t possible.
Then, Victoria describes how she transformed the garden into an apothecary garden…
I loved this book. I liked how it was split into four parts, indicating the changing seasons and what may happen in your garden. The Apothecary by the Sea is part garden almanack, memoir, and herbal grimoire; however, plants are at the forefront.
After reading this book, here are the two things that resonated with me the most:
1. All life begins in the dark, and
2. We are a part of nature – we should live with it, rather than try to control it.
I definitely recommend this book.
This book starts with Victoria moving to Orkney with her husband and son. The couple are apprehensive about the move, as it’s such a massive step for them. However, they also feel excitement, as they are able to purchase their own home, something that they thought wasn’t possible.
Then, Victoria describes how she transformed the garden into an apothecary garden…
I loved this book. I liked how it was split into four parts, indicating the changing seasons and what may happen in your garden. The Apothecary by the Sea is part garden almanack, memoir, and herbal grimoire; however, plants are at the forefront.
After reading this book, here are the two things that resonated with me the most:
1. All life begins in the dark, and
2. We are a part of nature – we should live with it, rather than try to control it.
I definitely recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book, on paper, is the perfect book for me. The author goes into detail about her creation of an apothecary garden. She talks you through her year of moving and how she created her garden, she gives information through out on how to do this, she is kind and compassionate and gives you information about what to do with the plants once they are grown, she gives thought to the books you can read so you can continue in your development with personal research. I am literally sat in my garden after having gone through it taking note of the existing plants that have grown through randomness and have so many plants that I have not planted but have appeared in my garden it’s like a miracle and this book has been an inspiration and a great help. The drawings that are throughout the book are beautiful, her descriptions of her personal life a generous and honest. I should have loved this book and yet it has been a chore to read and has annoyed me. I’ve thought why. I think there is a sense of melancholy around the narrative, and even the drawing. At times, unbelievably briefly, she talks about palliative care. It’s so brief I wouldn’t even say it’s triggering but as my partner’s father moves into palliative care I wonder if this is what I am picking up. She talks about avoiding meditation due to the difficulties of coping with thoughts, where gardening is helpful. I just wonder if that’s what I’m noticing. Each part of that exploration of emotions and thoughts a meditation that pokes my own wound. I think it is a very profound and moving book, I would recommend if you are interested in developing an apothecary garden or in reading about a family who take a gamble and move to a remote environment where they reimagine their lives. I think even whilst it annoys me it was an important book for me to read. I think it is something that I will re read, so should probably score it a 5 ⭐️ but right now it feels a 3⭐️ so on reflection I’m giving it 4 ⭐️ and will change if appropriate. Maybe next spring my life will be different and I will re read this and see if I can just read it as a practical, through the year guide. I don’t think this is a criticism, rather my own experience of the book at this time of my life.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for my consideration, this is all my own rambling, honest and personal opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for my consideration, this is all my own rambling, honest and personal opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After the intense years of motherhood and caregiving, Victoria Bennett and her family relocate five hundred miles north to the rugged landscape of Orkney. Facing a season of deep personal change, she finds her footing by transforming a scrappy backyard into a thriving apothecary garden by the sea. As she nurtures a biodiverse sanctuary filled with wildflowers and herbs, she draws inspiration from local folklore and wild nature to craft traditional teas and tinctures. Through the cycle of a year, from the perpetual summer light to the long island winters, Victoria discovers that while she was busy reclaiming her garden, the wild landscape was helping her reclaim herself. She eventually finds a profound sense of belonging at the edge of the world, finally calling this unfamiliar place home.
I absolutely loved this book; the writing is engaging, informative and deeply poetic. Victoria Bennett manages to mix botany, apothecary knowledge and her own personal journey in a way that ensures you are never overwhelmed by dry facts. Instead, the narrative remains consistently captivating. I particularly loved the black and white drawings throughout the book, which beautifully illustrate the author’s thoughts and views.
The book feels very much like a memoir, carrying a touch of nostalgia and sadness at times as Victoria reflects on the seasons of life and change. Before reading this, I knew very little about Orkney and I found the discovery of its landscape truly wonderful.
Following Victoria as she questioned and rediscovered herself prompted a bit of introspection about my own life as well. It also served as a great source of inspiration for my own garden. My garden is currently quite bare as I have been postponing my planting plans, but this book has helped me identify my aim and some species I’d like to introduce. Like the author, wildlife is at the heart of my garden and I found myself reflected in many sections of her story.
The book even includes a practical guide to understanding the apothecary craft, featuring different ointments, planting suggestions and recipes. Although I reviewed a digital version, I am definitely going to buy a physical copy; the cover is stunning, and I want to be able to dive back into the information as I start my own apothecary garden and begin making my own teas.
I absolutely loved this book; the writing is engaging, informative and deeply poetic. Victoria Bennett manages to mix botany, apothecary knowledge and her own personal journey in a way that ensures you are never overwhelmed by dry facts. Instead, the narrative remains consistently captivating. I particularly loved the black and white drawings throughout the book, which beautifully illustrate the author’s thoughts and views.
The book feels very much like a memoir, carrying a touch of nostalgia and sadness at times as Victoria reflects on the seasons of life and change. Before reading this, I knew very little about Orkney and I found the discovery of its landscape truly wonderful.
Following Victoria as she questioned and rediscovered herself prompted a bit of introspection about my own life as well. It also served as a great source of inspiration for my own garden. My garden is currently quite bare as I have been postponing my planting plans, but this book has helped me identify my aim and some species I’d like to introduce. Like the author, wildlife is at the heart of my garden and I found myself reflected in many sections of her story.
The book even includes a practical guide to understanding the apothecary craft, featuring different ointments, planting suggestions and recipes. Although I reviewed a digital version, I am definitely going to buy a physical copy; the cover is stunning, and I want to be able to dive back into the information as I start my own apothecary garden and begin making my own teas.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 (but a high 4)
In three words: Lyrical, practical, quiet
Quote:
Would I personally reread this?: Yes - especially if I were to visit Orkney. I would also absolutely revisit the included recipes and the additional suggested reading!
The good:
- Part memoir, part practical gardening guide - this is a beautiful blend of the author’s reflections during a shifting time in her life and botanical facts and tips around apothecary gardens. There’s a patchwork of field-guide style plant descriptions, personal stories from Bennett’s life, more structured gardening advice, recipes to use the yield of such gardens, and illustrations. Given the slow pace of the personal stories themselves, I really appreciated the added interest of the different sections.
- The writing itself is lovely. Lyrical, evocative, and capable of making the reader really feel like they’re in this community. You get vivid descriptions of the island landscape interspersed with potentially dry historic facts - yet it all feels cohesive and pulled together by the beautiful writing.
- The art in the book adds to the story as well and helps further immerse readers in the wild world of the author. I only wish that there was a bit more art around the plants themselves!
- The entire book just feels so infused with love and care. It reads as so sincere and is a perfect antidote if you need a break from a cynical reading streak.
The not as great (or neutral):
- For me, the book slowed down just a bit too much around the middle. At times, it felt like we were going in circles around the same idea or sentiment for slightly too long - although the writing is so lovely that this is a small quibble.
- This isn’t a detractor for this book at all, but there were sections that I feel just a little too young to feel the full weight of. I’d like to revisit this book in ten years!
In three words: Lyrical, practical, quiet
Quote:
‘These are the stories of the sea and earth. Nothing is ever truly gone, all energy moving towards chaos. We transform. We slip through. We change. We begin again.’
Would I personally reread this?: Yes - especially if I were to visit Orkney. I would also absolutely revisit the included recipes and the additional suggested reading!
The good:
- Part memoir, part practical gardening guide - this is a beautiful blend of the author’s reflections during a shifting time in her life and botanical facts and tips around apothecary gardens. There’s a patchwork of field-guide style plant descriptions, personal stories from Bennett’s life, more structured gardening advice, recipes to use the yield of such gardens, and illustrations. Given the slow pace of the personal stories themselves, I really appreciated the added interest of the different sections.
- The writing itself is lovely. Lyrical, evocative, and capable of making the reader really feel like they’re in this community. You get vivid descriptions of the island landscape interspersed with potentially dry historic facts - yet it all feels cohesive and pulled together by the beautiful writing.
- The art in the book adds to the story as well and helps further immerse readers in the wild world of the author. I only wish that there was a bit more art around the plants themselves!
- The entire book just feels so infused with love and care. It reads as so sincere and is a perfect antidote if you need a break from a cynical reading streak.
The not as great (or neutral):
- For me, the book slowed down just a bit too much around the middle. At times, it felt like we were going in circles around the same idea or sentiment for slightly too long - although the writing is so lovely that this is a small quibble.
- This isn’t a detractor for this book at all, but there were sections that I feel just a little too young to feel the full weight of. I’d like to revisit this book in ten years!
May 10, 2026
The Apothecary by the Sea
by Victoria Bennett
The Apothecary by the Sea is a beautiful and thoughtful memoir about starting over, healing, and finding peace through nature. Victoria Bennett shares her move with her family to the remote Orkney Islands in Scotland, where she creates a garden filled with herbs and medicinal plants while also trying to rebuild her own sense of purpose and happiness.
The book is not fast-paced or full of dramatic twists. Instead, it focuses on personal growth, family life with her husband and son as a big part of the story, the changing seasons, and the calming rhythm of island living. Bennett honestly shares her struggles with grief, illness, loneliness, and change, which makes her story feel very real and relatable.
One of the strongest parts of the book is how the setting almost becomes a character itself. The sea, storms, plants, and landscape all reflect the emotions she is going through. As the story moves forward, you can clearly see her becoming stronger, more settled, and more connected to both the island and herself.
Gardeners and people who enjoy herbs, plants, and nature will especially appreciate the detailed descriptions of growing and caring for a garden in such a rugged environment. The gardening aspects add warmth and beauty throughout the story.
The ending is quiet but satisfying, showing that healing is not instant but happens slowly over time. Overall, this is a warm, calming, and inspiring read for anyone who enjoys nature writing, gardening, herbal traditions, or personal stories about finding hope and belonging.
Thank you, #NetGalley , #JohnRhodes author, and #RoundelHouse publisher, for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#TriumphandTragedy
#JohnRhodes
#RoundelHouse
http://patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
by Victoria Bennett
The Apothecary by the Sea is a beautiful and thoughtful memoir about starting over, healing, and finding peace through nature. Victoria Bennett shares her move with her family to the remote Orkney Islands in Scotland, where she creates a garden filled with herbs and medicinal plants while also trying to rebuild her own sense of purpose and happiness.
The book is not fast-paced or full of dramatic twists. Instead, it focuses on personal growth, family life with her husband and son as a big part of the story, the changing seasons, and the calming rhythm of island living. Bennett honestly shares her struggles with grief, illness, loneliness, and change, which makes her story feel very real and relatable.
One of the strongest parts of the book is how the setting almost becomes a character itself. The sea, storms, plants, and landscape all reflect the emotions she is going through. As the story moves forward, you can clearly see her becoming stronger, more settled, and more connected to both the island and herself.
Gardeners and people who enjoy herbs, plants, and nature will especially appreciate the detailed descriptions of growing and caring for a garden in such a rugged environment. The gardening aspects add warmth and beauty throughout the story.
The ending is quiet but satisfying, showing that healing is not instant but happens slowly over time. Overall, this is a warm, calming, and inspiring read for anyone who enjoys nature writing, gardening, herbal traditions, or personal stories about finding hope and belonging.
Thank you, #NetGalley , #JohnRhodes author, and #RoundelHouse publisher, for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#TriumphandTragedy
#JohnRhodes
#RoundelHouse
http://patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
With the years of early motherhood and elderly caregiving over, Victoria faces a time of change. She and her family decide to take a leap, moving five hundred miles north of everything they know to the northern Scottish islands of Orkney, where the winters are long and the summer a perpetual light.
Uprooted and in an unfamiliar landscape, Victoria instinctively returns to the work of growing, setting out to transform her scrappy backyard into an abundant apothecary garden by the sea, inspired by Orkney’s folklore, ancient landscapes and wild nature.
There's something spellbinding about this book, both the writing and the transformative effect of Orkney on Victoria, who, when we first meet her, is taking a huge leap into the unknown as she and her husband buy their first house on an island that they barely know. She is trying to find meaning in her life after grief and loss. Initially she hides from the neighbours, afraid she will be shunned as an outsider. But gradually she starts to reach out, with a nearby resident allowing her to take over his derelict garden.
Orkney (the inhabitants always refer to it as Orkney, never the Orkneys or the Orkney Islands) has a wealth of plants which can be used for healing. Many of them are classed as weeds. Each chapter features one or more with its history and application, and a charming illustration.
The mention of bladderwrack, which used to be hung by the door to predict storms, took me back to childhood and a memory of how I used to do exactly that. I would take a small piece from Tinside in Plymouth and hang it outside my bedroom window.
This book is published on 30 April. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital advance copy.
Uprooted and in an unfamiliar landscape, Victoria instinctively returns to the work of growing, setting out to transform her scrappy backyard into an abundant apothecary garden by the sea, inspired by Orkney’s folklore, ancient landscapes and wild nature.
There's something spellbinding about this book, both the writing and the transformative effect of Orkney on Victoria, who, when we first meet her, is taking a huge leap into the unknown as she and her husband buy their first house on an island that they barely know. She is trying to find meaning in her life after grief and loss. Initially she hides from the neighbours, afraid she will be shunned as an outsider. But gradually she starts to reach out, with a nearby resident allowing her to take over his derelict garden.
Orkney (the inhabitants always refer to it as Orkney, never the Orkneys or the Orkney Islands) has a wealth of plants which can be used for healing. Many of them are classed as weeds. Each chapter features one or more with its history and application, and a charming illustration.
The mention of bladderwrack, which used to be hung by the door to predict storms, took me back to childhood and a memory of how I used to do exactly that. I would take a small piece from Tinside in Plymouth and hang it outside my bedroom window.
This book is published on 30 April. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital advance copy.
Read
March 18, 2026the apothecary by the sea: a year in an orkney garden by victoria bennett 🌿🌊🏴
“I would not want the wild to stop growing - why, then, should I want that for myself?”
no rating - memoir
As someone who has never been to Orkney, let alone Scotland, let alone Europe for that matter, I definitely was not the obvious target audience for this book. However, this story resonated deeply with me. I found Victoria’s blend of the different plants and botanicals’ history, uses, and habitat, alongside her family’s first year on the archipelago of Orkney (had to look this one up and refer to geography basics 😅), to be a powerful reflection of what it means to let nature call most of the shots.
Acceptance, reflection, courage, and determination fueled Victoria and made this an inspiring read. I don’t anticipate having my own apothecary anytime soon, but I do think this book is a wonderful reference and how-to guide for those who are.
What really stuck with me was how grounded the book feels. It does not romanticize the lifestyle too much. There is effort, uncertainty, and a lot of learning along the way, which made it all the more meaningful. Even as someone with zero experience in herbalism or remote island living, I found myself appreciating the slower pace and the intention behind everything Victoria describes. It is the kind of book that gently nudges you to pay more attention to your surroundings, your routines, and maybe even to what you actually need.
I may not be opening an apothecary anytime soon, but I will definitely be looking at plants a little differently from now on.
Many, many thanks to Elliott & Thompson for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
“I would not want the wild to stop growing - why, then, should I want that for myself?”
no rating - memoir
As someone who has never been to Orkney, let alone Scotland, let alone Europe for that matter, I definitely was not the obvious target audience for this book. However, this story resonated deeply with me. I found Victoria’s blend of the different plants and botanicals’ history, uses, and habitat, alongside her family’s first year on the archipelago of Orkney (had to look this one up and refer to geography basics 😅), to be a powerful reflection of what it means to let nature call most of the shots.
Acceptance, reflection, courage, and determination fueled Victoria and made this an inspiring read. I don’t anticipate having my own apothecary anytime soon, but I do think this book is a wonderful reference and how-to guide for those who are.
What really stuck with me was how grounded the book feels. It does not romanticize the lifestyle too much. There is effort, uncertainty, and a lot of learning along the way, which made it all the more meaningful. Even as someone with zero experience in herbalism or remote island living, I found myself appreciating the slower pace and the intention behind everything Victoria describes. It is the kind of book that gently nudges you to pay more attention to your surroundings, your routines, and maybe even to what you actually need.
I may not be opening an apothecary anytime soon, but I will definitely be looking at plants a little differently from now on.
Many, many thanks to Elliott & Thompson for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have been looking forward to reading this book so much and it didn’t disappoint. Victoria writes so eloquently about her life on Orkney, a place that I would love to visit and even more so since reading The Apothecary by the Sea.
This is a book full of history and geography and botany, each has its place and they are woven together seamlessly. Learning from the nature that surrounds her and putting that knowledge into something tangible Victoria shows what can be possible in a rugged and remote part of the world.
I loved the writing style and feel that I have learnt so much from this book. Nature writing at its finest.
This is a book full of history and geography and botany, each has its place and they are woven together seamlessly. Learning from the nature that surrounds her and putting that knowledge into something tangible Victoria shows what can be possible in a rugged and remote part of the world.
I loved the writing style and feel that I have learnt so much from this book. Nature writing at its finest.
May 3, 2026
This book doesn’t fall neatly into a genre. It is about a garden, about a place and about the pain of moving on and putting down new roots (literally!). It evokes the wild beauty of Orkney, and the challenge of this kind of island community. I like the fact that it doesn’t sugar coat things. The author has a background as a poet and this shows in the lyrical language. For me - not a gardener - the information about the herbs and the charming illustrations bring the place to life even more. A fascinating book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A beautiful novel covering a year the author and her family lived in Orkney settling in and starting an apothecary garden. Lovely sorting and delicious drawings. Contains great anecdotes and practical advice on apothecary. Lovely reading. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
April 30, 2026
Not really what I was expecting from reading the synopsis. Not for me unfortunately. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews