Herb Garden History

Report to the president on the plan to create a medicinal herb garden

Secured a site and constructing infrastructure to create a medicinal herb garden

Formed a working team to create a medicinal herb garden

History will remember this day for different reasons, but on this day, the first meeting to create an herbal garden was held at the College of Pharmacy.

Led by Professor Jeong Ki-won, who was in charge of the practice, eight students from the College of Pharmacy gathered together and decided to form a small group to create and manage the herbal garden. The fact that there was an empty lot next to the science museum and at the back of the school was known, but the fact that an herb garden would be created there was unimaginable. However, a week later, it was established by enacting the Articles of Incorporation of three small groups, CHA Areum.

In the spirit of spring, the fruitful seeds of the medicinal herb garden have begun to sprout.

Herbal Garden Benchmark – Hanyang University Herbal Garden

It was our first time going to an herb garden, so we didn’t know where to start. As great entrepreneur left behind the famous quote above, we tried to follow his words as they were, but we did not even know enough to follow the words. So, we changed direction. ‘Sir, have you been there?’ We visited Hanyang University’s herbal garden to see what kind of herbal medicines were planted and learned how to manage them. Thanks to the professor in charge, some items may be provided by the visited herbal garden. We have learned from those who have tried it, so now it is our turn to try it ourselves.

Choosing land for herbal garden

Our ancestors have long maintained the beautiful tradition of taking a bath to calm their mind and body before an important event. We also followed that tradition and evenly compacted the herb garden site before sowing herbal medicine seedlings and vegetation.

After careful consideration of how many furrows there would be, where the roads would be made, and how the area would be divided, the division of the current medicinal herb garden area was completed. According to plan, we pulled out the weeds that had sprouted all winter, mixed the appropriate amount of compost, and tilled the land. As a result, we succeeded in turning the neglected wasteland into fertile soil.

Now is the time to sow.

Herbal garden planting and sowing

We planted seedlings on a well-cleared site and proceeded with sowing. Since we could not know which herbal medicine would be best suited to Pocheon’s climate, we decided to find an herbal medicine suitable for Pocheon’s environment by sowing as many herbal medicines as possible and then watching which ones survived.

A total of 63 species of herbal medicine were planted, but unfortunately, 16 species had to leave the herb garden as they were not suitable for Pocheon’s climatic conditions. Their empty space was reserved for other herbal medicines during the next additional planting.

Although it was very successful in terms of survival rate, it was also the first day of failure.

Herbal Garden Benchmark – National Arboretum

Lions are often referred to as the ‘king of beasts’, but even lions become just wet cats when they enter the water. We learned a lot at the Hanyang University Herb Garden, but through our last planting, we realized that Pocheon’s climate is unusual. It is also called (不恥下問); if you are lost, it is natural to ask an expert.

And so, we went to Gwangneung Arboretum. The National Arboretum, which has firmly withstood Pocheon’s harsh climate, was truly different and unique. Through the visit, we were able to see what plants grow well in Pocheon’s climate.

Medicinal Herb Health Checkup

Even though it may be a little inconvenient, it is necessary to get a health checkup that takes the up the whole day to prevent a small sickness from becoming a big disease. For our herbal garden, May 17th was that day.

Professor Jeong Ki-won, our attending physician, also rolled up his sleeves and checked the condition of various areas of the herb garden with us and re-raised the furrows where the soil had spilled. When the season passes and the season changes, we thin out the herbal medicines that need to be replaced.

After tidying up for a while, we were struck by the idea of creating a path for people to walk through the lush plants.

At the end of the meeting, it was decided to install palm mats.

Paving the Way

One of the driving forces that allowed the Romans to dominate the world was the smooth paved roads that extended in all directions from Rome. This is how the adage that all roads lead to Rome came about.

And so, we decided to pave the way with palm mats to help the herbal garden prosper. A large road was built to go around the herbal garden, and small roads were placed in between to make it easier to travel. We leveled the ground with a hoe, laid mats to create a path, and then secured them with stakes.

Now, it seems that herbal gardens can be more easily protected from foreigners such as weeds.

Getting the Water

CHA University has its back turned to Haeryongsan Mountain, 661 meters above sea level. But, since it is not close to a water source, we have experienced considerable difficulties in supplying life-giving water to the plants. Thankfully, the school installed water pipes for the students who were collecting water and hence, herbal medicines established in herbal gardens can now grow well in moist soil without worrying about water.

Summer of 2017, the shape of medicinal herbal garden are forming (creating herbal medicine signs, writing history and herbal medicine list, planting additional GRRC plants)

Opening ceremony

When a daughter gets married, fathers usually shed tears at the ceremony. It is because he feels proud as he has put an end to something, yet also a sense of loss as he has also left something.

We’d like to think that we shed sweat rather than tears, but we believe that we felt the same way when we cut the tape at the opening ceremony and proceeded with the internal tour. We think that showing off the fragrant rosemary and many other herbal medicines on the ground where there was nothing six months ago was enough to repay the sweat we shed.

We were very happy when the seeds we grew with sweat bloomed beautifully.