An educational resource that's also open to the public, the RCHM Chinese Herb Garden sits inside the Botanic Garden of the University of Bristol. Created in 2000 by a partnership between the Botanic Garden and the RCHM, it aims to provide a comprehensive living collection of the herbal plants used in Chinese Medicine, as well as give visitors the chance to enjoy an environment akin to a Chinese pleasure garden. Based on the classical gardens of the Suzhou region of China, it uses rocks, symbolic planting and Chinese garden structures (including a striking circular moon gate) to compose views and encourage contemplation.
Comprising over 180 species, the RCHM Chinese Herb Garden's collection is used to teach Dispensary and Pharmacognosy to undergraduate students of Chinese Herbal Medicine in both the UK and Ireland, and by qualified herbalists as part of Continuing Professional Development. Also an important means of cultural exchange, the development of the Garden (the only one of its kind in Europe) has been enhanced by its affiliation with a number of university and botanic gardens in China. Another key function of the RCHM Chinese Herb Garden is to aid conservation. As an organisation we are very aware of the fact that some plants are threatened in the wild due to their popularity as ingredients in herbal medicine. The RCHM aims to help reduce the pressure on endangered herb species through using the Garden's collection to broaden understanding about possible alternatives.
What's in the garden?
The RCHM Chinese Herb Garden is divided into several distinct areas:
a teaching display of herbs grouped according to their use in Chinese Medicine
an Ethnopharmacology bed
the Peony Garden
the Camelia sinensis (tea plant) terrace
The Garden's outdoor displays are extended by a range of tender tropical plants grown in a series of glasshouses. Throughout, interpretation boards offer visitors contextual information on the philosophy and practice of Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Visiting the Botanic Garden
Accessible for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and with a café on site, Bristol's Botanic Garden is open to the public
Address
The University of Bristol Botanic Garden
The Holmes
Stoke Park Road
Bristol
BS8 1JB
Opening times
March to November – Daily, 10am to 4.30pm
December to February – Weekdays only, 10am to 4.30pm
(closed on Bank Holidays)
Contact
0117 428 2041