A Report on Herb Garden in Bhopal by Terry

This time last summer a hundred-year flood inundated the Sambhavna Herb Garden in Bhopal and the surrounding communities. Much of the garden infrastructure and many of the perennial plantings were damaged or destroyed. But thanks to the determination of gardeners Ratna, Mukesh, and Manmohan, and your generous response to our emergency funding appeal, everything has been rebuilt even better than before and the garden is looking forward to a productive season. On behalf of the Sambhavna staff, I am writing to thank you for your support, and to let you know what has been accomplished with your donations.

Anyone who has been a long term gardener or farmer knows that you have to have to work with nature to be successful. There are good years and bad years, times you can finesse the weather, and times when you are reminded of the awesome power of nature’s forces. We gardeners do not need empirical research to convince us that global warming is real, we see the subtle changes in the plants and the not-so-subtle impact of extreme weather and climate change first hand.

I was back home in the United States when I heard about the flood, and my heart sank when I saw the photographs. It had taken three years to build the garden to the point where we had more than 100 species of medicinal plants growing for the clinic. It wasn’t easy accumulating so many different plants there. While a few of the more common species were available from local plant nurseries, many of the medicinal plants are not commercially available, and some are considered weeds. In addition, we were working on a very limited budget. So we collected seeds whenever we went out walking in the forest, and people we met gave us seeds and cuttings. Thus gradually, in the traditional way of sharing between gardeners and farmers, hunters and gatherers, we had the start of a collection of living medicines.  All washed away in one day.

But deep in my heart I knew that it wasn’t all lost. I knew some of the plants would survive. And I knew that Mukesh, Manmohan and Ratna were there to see it through. While the wall was being rebuilt they planted things that cows and goats wouldn’t eat so they didn’t lose a whole production season. Eventually, they rebuilt the little tea house in the corner of the garden using clay roofing tiles left over from the clinic construction, and extra flooring slates for benches. They began the herbal landscaping around the clinic buildings on higher ground, especially around the cantina where the cooks can now harvest fresh herbs for healthy seasonal foods and herbal teas. They built a wonderful protected shade house for propagating the plants that were lost and expanding the collection. And they had enough money left over to purchase a small ‘walk-behind’ tractor (like a rototiller) to help with some of the heavier work around the garden. I am so proud of them.

And so, like gardeners everywhere, they till the soil once again, and plant their seeds, and hope. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, and all of the wonderful, supportive staff at the Sambhavna Clinic, the garden grows again to give hope to the people of Bhopal .

I have attached a few photographs so you can see what has been accomplished. Hopefully these will appear on the website in the near future, click on 'Newsletters' and look for the 2007 issue.

To make a donation to the Sambhavna Clinic and Medicinal Herb Garden please visit our website at www.bhopal.org

Thanks Again!

Terry

Terry Allan returned to the US last summer after 3 years volunteering at Sambhavna. She is looking for a place to grow herbs and working part time for an organic seed company.