Medicinal Garden

Medicinal Garden. Welcome to the pharmacy of 1761. The medicinal garden at Historic Bethabara Park is the oldest European medicinal herb garden in the United States. The garden was laid out in October 1756 for Doctor Kalberlan, who was among the first settlers to establish Bethabara. The garden's design was modeled after a Medieval abbey schematic and had 64 plants chosen for their healing properties. , Much like we use over-the-counter medicines today, the Moravians used simple home remedies made from the plants they grew or collected themselves. The focus was not cures for diseases, but wellness and prevention based on the commonly held belief that food was medicine and medicine was food. Plants from the medical garden were used differently. They were collected by the physician, who compounded them into medicines using traditional recipes. These medicines were obtained directly from the physician or apothecary, along with careful instruction on their use, much like our modern pescription medications. , Today, this garden is a living history exhibit and seed source, and is no longer used for making medicines. Modern research has shown a few of these plants do contain active chemicals with significant medicinal value, while others contain toxic compounds that are harmful or even fatal. Other plants are harmless but nutritious, and continue to be used today as food flavorings. Pease do not ingest the plants! , Community Garden , The Bethabara Community Garden is the oldest known community garden in the United States. , When the Moravians arrived in November 1753, they laid out the site of the garden directly behind the Wagner cabin for convenience and protection. By spring, lettuce, beans, sweet peas, cucumbers, and more were growing in the garden, which served as their primary source of sustenance. , In the early 1990s the Community Garden was reconstructed using colonial maps and records of the garden, as well as the archeological findings of John Clauser. Today the garden continues its legacy as a community garden. , Interested in a plot? Call the Visitor Center at 336-924-8191 for more information. , Pollinator Garden , Unlike the Medicinal Garden and the Community Garden, the Pollinator Garden is not a historic garden that would have been found here in the 1760s. , In the colonial period, these gardens were not necessary because there were healthy populations of native pollinators. Christian Reuter, Bethabara's forester and surveyor, created meticulous lists of native species of flora and fauna in the Wachovia region. Moravians were conscientious about their climate and habitat, and many of their diary entries made note of weather conditions and the environment. , Native pollinator populations have drastically diminished in the United States due to climate change, widespread use of herbicides and pesticides, and the destruction of habitats. Monarch butterflies are one of the most at-risk pollinators. This garden serves as a Monarch Waystation, which plays a vital role in their continued survival. It is in this way that the pollinator garden at Bethabara reflects the Moravian tradition and ways of studying and supporting the environment. , [Captions clockwise from left)] , . The Hortus Medicus, or medicinal garden, 1761. , . The first Moravians lived off pumpkins when they arrived in the fall of 1753. , . See if you can spot a Monarch butterfly in the gardens