The Physic Garden
Plant of the Week
Verbena Bonariensis has several medicinal uses including for sore throats, respiratory tract diseases such as asthma and whooping cough. It’s also a great late summer plant.
Raised bed design and Planting scheme
The purpose of a physic garden is growing plants for medicinal use. In the Saughton Park Physic Garden the central beds have been designed around parts of the body.
The plants grown in each bed are those which are beneficial for to a particular part of the body, or can be used to treat ailments or diseases affecting that part. For example, the Heart bed contains foxgloves which produce a substance called digitalin that can be used as a heart medication. The Oncology (Cancer) bed contains snowdrops whose active component galanthamine can be used in anti-cancer treatments.
Some of the plants have been donated, some have been grown by the Friends, and some have been bought. If we do need to buy plants we try to source them from Scotland if possible.
Latest Events
Friend Physic Garden Group volunteers
The Physic Garden Group meets weekly during the Spring through Autumn on alternate Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Activities include planting, pruning and harvesting leaves, flowers, berries and roots. This is a chance for us all to learn about the plants including which plants thrive and grow well together. By learning we can then change the plants if and when we need to.
Click here to volunteer in the Physic Garden.
Physic Garden Events
We hold practical hands-on events to demonstrate the medicinal uses of plants in health and healing. We also share information on the plants and their uses.
Click here to find out about upcoming events in the Physic Garden.
History of the Physic Garden
The Physic Garden began life as a Community Garden which was cared for by the Friends. We grew fruit and vegetables in two large raised beds. As part of the park Restoration Project, the Friends were asked to recreate the area as a Physic Garden. We jumped at the chance!
The Friends worked with a team of landscape architects to design the 17 raised beds that make up the Physic Garden today.
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