Garden of Today
Forms and materials change in the Garden of Today. Curving walls and walks of wire-cut brick contrast with the old brick of the Garden of Yesterday and rectilinear forms of the Garden of Tomorrow. The Garden of Today, representing herb garden trends from the second half of the 20th century, is divided into theme gardens that emphasize the uses of plant products and the relationships between plants. A single herb may have several uses but is categorized here by its most common use. Some woody plants have herbal uses and are included for shade and visual interest.
Culinary Garden
Most people today associate herbs with culinary uses. Herbs impart distinctive flavors to foods and beverages because they contain essential oils. Fresh herbs can provide flavor during the summer, and dried herbs are convenient for winter use. The time for harvesting depends on which part of the plant contains the essential oils: the flower, leaves, seeds, stems or roots.
Children’s and Cutting Garden
The cutting garden is maintained to accommodate group activities and educational programs. It provides fresh and dried materials in quantity for culinary, dye and fragrance uses, and for making herbal wreaths and dried arrangements.
Our children’s garden is home to our summer Gantz Garden sprouts program. Here children learn to garden in a commutunal setting by planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting their produce.
Dye Garden
Many plants contain pigments capable of imparting color to natural fibers such as cotton, wool, linen and silk. Colors obtained from plants vary but are most often yellow, orange, green and brown. Fewer plants produce blue and red dye pigments. Natural dyes often produce subtle rather than intense color. Depending on the plant, the pigment may be in the flower, leaves, fruit or roots. The plant is boiled to extract the pigment into a solution. A mordant material that combines with the natural pigment to form an insoluble color may be used to make colors more permanent.
Fragrance Garden
The fragrance garden appeals to the senses of sight and smell. Some essential oils in herbs provide delightful fragrances. Such fragrances are used in perfumes, colognes, bath oils and potpourri. Many herbs grown for their fragrance are ornamental and attract bees and butterflies.
Knot Garden
Low-growing plants capable of withstanding frequent pruning are well-suited for herbal knot gardens. Plants with different colors of foliage are used to produce geometric patterns with mulch materials of varying colors and textures.
Medicinal Garden
Historically, the first uses of herbs were medicinal. Many plants are able to affect human physiology because of the unique chemicals they contain. In many cases, a small amount of these active ingredients is effective, and a larger amount may be dangerous. This garden contains herbs with histories of medicinal uses. It is important to remember that self-medication with plants can be very dangerous.
Taxonomic Garden
A taxonomic garden groups plants in the same botanical family. Herbs represent many botanical families. Some families have one representative in this garden because they have few members that are herbs. Others, such as the mint family, include many herbs. Not all families that include herbs or all herb members are included.
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