“We’re focused on building the medicinal gardens up to its fullest potential, maintaining it, making it a destination spot on campus,” said Abby Talmadge, a junior biology major and the project’s publicity manager. “We also want to reach out to the community and educate them on the medicinal use of plants, as well as be of aid to other community projects.”
A medicinal garden is a garden filled with plants used not for aesthetic value, but for medicinal purposes.
Brandon Gibson, a junior biology major and one of the project’s co-presidents, said he hopes the garden will become a go-to spot for students on campus.
“It’s gonna be one of those locations on campus that you’re gonna wanna visit, that you’re gonna be proud of to show off as well, and I’m just looking forward to making that happen,” Gibson said.
So far the club consists mainly of students enrolled in Alan Jones’ Biology 217 course, but members say they hope to expand the club’s membership.
“Our biggest focus is just to grow the club so we can keep the garden thriving,” said Ana Amaya, a senior biology major and one of the club’s co-presidents.
Along with expanding their membership, Talmadge said they want to expand people’s knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses.
“We think it is important, especially as a research and medical institution here at UNC, that people know that medicinal herbs are important,” Talmadge said. “It’s the basis for, you know, pharmacology. All the compounds come from natural compounds somewhere at some point, we make compounds, but you know, they are from plants originally.”
