Community members and students created a personal herb garden on Friday from 6 p.m.–8 p.m., BYU-Idaho Plant Shop DIY Workshop.
Each participant was given one pot and five to seven herbs to build their garden. Students were able to fill in blank plant labels to identify plants in their garden.
Wheelbarrows and large containers were filled with loose soil that students could add to pots to fill in their gardens.
The workshop was held in Room 275 of the Ezra Taft Benson Building and cost $14.99 + tax.
Sierra Brazell, plant shop manager and lab class TA, said all herbal plants used in the workshop were grown at BYU-I.
Some of the plants were grown in the school's greenhouse, and others were donated by other gardening classes on campus.
“We also have another class growing herbs for us, and they donated a lot of their own for this special DIY night,” Ms. Brazell said. “We were able to come together for this time. Around this time we were also selling herbs in plant stores, and we were growing herbs for that purpose.”
Students were able to create their own gardens by choosing from plants such as basil, coriander, dill, fennel, thyme, mint and chives.
“(plant shop) There are some varieties that you can’t find in stores, so it’s really cool to be able to see all the different things we have,” Brazell said. “We want to show people that there’s more to what you can get in the store than just the basics.”
The Plant Shop hosts two to three workshops per semester to engage students and community members with plants.
Jake Parson, a greenhouse worker and senior studying horticulture, helped with Friday's DIY workshop and said he was excited for students to break out of the winter weather and work with plants.
“It's very cathartic,” Parson said. “Working with plants, especially horticultural therapy, has many proven medical benefits, and plants reduce stress.”
Biomedical science student McCurdy Stallworthy and social work student Naomi Nichols joined the workshop after Stallworthy spotted an advertising sign on her way to class. did.
Stallworthy and Nichols had enjoyed growing plants before coming to school and were happy that the workshop was offered to help them maintain their connection with plants.
“I think[these workshops]are a lot of fun because they’re not just limited to horticulture majors,” Stallworthy said. “I love plants, flowers, and agriculture. Just because it's not my major doesn't mean I don't love doing it.”
Nichols also grew up working with plants in a home garden, so she found it difficult to come to Rexburg, where there are few places to interact with plants.
“I always had a backyard and thought of it as a growing garden, other than playing in it,” Nichols said. “It’s hard to come to Rexburg where we live in very high-density housing, especially in the winter when it’s hard to get outside, and it’s nice to have places within walking distance that give you a different environment than other parts of campus. I’m very happy.”
Alongside the workshops, the shop also offered out-of-hours shopping for people. This was the first time this kind of shopping was offered as shops are usually closed during the workshop.
“We want to show what these plants can do for people,” Brazell said. “We want kids to have fun and we want to make plants fun because a lot of people only know about the plants they eat or the plants they see outside. I want to show that there is a world out there and that there are so many fun things you can do with plants, even something as simple as planting an herb garden.”
Brazell and Persson also encouraged students who enjoy these workshops to join the Metus Topiaria Horticultural Society.
The association meets every Friday at 6pm and hosts numerous workshops throughout the semester.
“We do a whole gamut of things,” Brazell said. “During the workshop, people and he can have a little bit more time to talk one-on-one, so it can be a bit educational.Next week, the association will be making moss balls with small crocus bulbs in them for the students. We are planning to hold a workshop.”
Click here to learn more about the society.
Check out The Plant Shop’s Instagram for more information on upcoming workshops.
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