Global Medicine Garden
A New Garden within the Gardens
Global Medicine Garden was officially opened on September 9, 2021.
It sits within railings on the South-West side of the Tropical Ravine, and five years after we got the go-ahead from the Council it houses over 160 species of plants that at some point have been used for their medicinal properties. Incidentally, this is the very spot where Daniel Ferguson planted his rows of herbs during his tenure as Curator from 1836 to 1864.
The garden follows a geographical plan: discrete areas represent Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. From foxglove and lungwort to fig, sweet-joe-pye, dahlia, agapanthus, ginkgo, blue gum and pittosporum, the planting represents folk remedies and indigenous cures inclusive of plants from the realms of herbalism, homeopathy and complementary therapy, as well as modern medicine and cutting-edge pharmaceutical research.
The garden has become a popular attraction for people: local residents, gardeners, tourists and tour groups. As well as labouring to create the beds (providing drainage, soil improvement and path making), the Friends group make the plant labels, plant the garden and carry out the weekly maintenance in order to achieve a balance between tidiness, clarity and safety.
It is true to say that out of a neglected area with no real purpose after it was cleared of heavy machinery involved in restoration of the Tropical Ravine we have created a place that fascinates visitors. We have increased the biodiversity of the gardens, and manage the garden as sustainably as we can.
The development of the garden in 2019
