Working in harmony with nature is part of the wisdom taught here. In summertime Lilleoru gardens resemble paradise on Earth. Gardening began as early as 1993 here and has been a natural part of Lilleoru activities from the beginning. Today, the significantly expanded garden includes a vegetable garden with greenhouses and an orchard, a herb garden and a beauty garden.
Permaculture garden
Plant cultivation in Lilleoru has been organic since the beginning. All horticulture is based on observation and the wisdom of local natural systems and the recycling of matter. In 2010, we organized the first permaculture training in Estonia under the guidance of Albert Bates, a world-renowned permaculture teacher. Since then, under the leadership of our head gardener Anne-Ly Naukas, the secrets of close-to-nature gardening have been gradually revealed and the knowledge gained has been passed on to many interested parties. Every growing season we organize regular community gardening days that are open for everybody.
Herb garden
Herbs and medicinal plants are cultivated around the Ishwara temple on the 23 petals of the Flower of Life. They are used for making exclusive invigorating tea blends according to the recipes created by Ingvar Villido Ishwarananda. You can buy them in our shop. Under Ingvar’s guidance, Lilleoru tea masters have learned to maintain and consciously use the power of plants. The seeds and seedlings are placed in the soil according to the rhythm of nature and are harvested at a time when the active ingredients are in just the right balance. The herbs are carefully dried to preserve their healing properties, and tea blends are weighed and packaged with the utmost precision. Maret Makko, a well-known Estonian herbalist, pharmacist and a student of Ingvar, has been sharing plant wisdom to the public for many years.
Forest and beekeeping
A large part of our territory is a forest, which we treat as part of our sanctuary. In 2018, Bernd Neugebauer, a top expert in sustainable forestry and natural restoration, visited Lilleoru. Based on his expertise and knowledge from indigenous peoples, we are currently taking steps to learn more about the local forest community and improve its ecological health.
Beekeeping has been practiced in Lilleoru for several decades. Today, honey is collected from hives placed in natural energy points in the forest. The sensitively chosen locations affect the bee family and the effect is also recorded in the honey that obtains special qualities. For example, you can buy kinds of Ishwarananda’s Honey that support happiness, mental health, reduce anxiety, increase stability and so on.
