HSC Medicinal Plant Garden

Laupus Library proposed a Medicinal Herb Garden in the fall of 2022, which was brought to fruition in April 2023 through partnerships with Campus Grounds and the College of Nursing’s Holistic Health Organization (H2O). The raised beds were repurposed by Campus Grounds for the project, and Clayton King, one of the student members of H2O, put new facing and cedar edges on the beds. Faculty advisor Susan Lally, Laupus librarian Kerry Sewell, and student members of H2O planted the beds with a variety of perennial and annual plants in late April. Many of those plants are in full bloom or beginning to grow leaves.

The garden is designed to provide educational and research opportunities related to plants that have been used for medicinal purposes by both indigenous and non-indigenous populations that have arrived in North America with their medicinal herbs. Some of the plants in the beds include witch hazel, English lavender, bronze fennel, sunflowers, periwinkle, and American beautyberry. These, as well as the other native and non-native species in the beds, all have a rich history of use in traditional food and medicine, and which continue to be used around the world. Beneficially, the flowers of many of the plants in the garden will also provide food for pollinators on the health sciences campus.

The garden would not be possible without the involvement of H2O, whose members have taken on almost all the planting, weeding, watering, and upkeep throughout the year. Laupus Library is proud of the partnership with H2O and hopes to work with the organization to better promote the educational and research opportunities the garden can provide. The garden is available for viewing, located between Laupus Library and the student center.