The plants, medicines, and methods used to induce abortions have varied tremendously over our 200,000 history as a species. People have always used what is available to them; techniques developed within and alongside ecological and cultural conditions.
Comprised of plants with contraceptive and abortifacient potential, our gardens differ from one region to another depending on existing knowledge, climate, and local culture. They can be cultivated in a great variety of sites, from farms to fire escapes and can be planted anywhere in the world. We have found that when we grow our understanding of how these plants behave and interact with and within the ecosystem, we gain insight into how the plants may interact with our bodies.
Both as symbol and through function, the primary intention of our gardens is to assert that no power structure can fully prevent women from preventing or ending an unwanted pregnancy. Policies and beliefs about fertility, abortion and contraception change over time, but women continue to prevent and terminate their pregnancies. In todays political climate, and as always, women need knowledge about existing methods and the means to access them. By gathering women to rekindle the bonds that form around fertility, cultivation, and healing, the project contributes to healthier social conditions in which to bear and raise children. Through facilitating the planting and tending of our gardens, we aim to disseminate this lost knowledge of plant-based fertility management as well as modern contraception and abortion techniques in locations around the globe.