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The Andechs Herbal Garden
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The Andechs Herbal Garden was planted early in 2003 on the monastic farmlands, right next to the large parking lot. This was done in collaboration with the Herrsching firm Steierl Pharma GmbH, a producer of natural medicines. The Andechs Herbal Garden is intended for teaching schools, non-medical practitioners, pharmacists, and physicians about herbs and medicinal plants, some of which have been used over many centuries for herbal remedies, homeopathy, as well as popular medicine. A majority of the plants in this garden have been taken from the Andechs Pharmacy List with medications stemming from the Benedictine monastery in Andechs - ”…obligatory for a pharmacist”. This historical pharmaceutics document from the mid 15th century provides the most comprehensive overview of the medical treasure of the late middle ages, and it belongs to a collection of medical manuscripts with descriptions of illnesses, prescriptions, and instructions on how to pick herbs, etc. |
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The idea for the Andechs Herbal Garden comes from one depicted in the layout of the Saint Gallens abbey. This perfect plan of the early middle age abbey contains fenced in areas with herbs, medicinal plants, and gardens with fruit trees, including an area also set aside for water or a fountain. Covering an area of 1,400 m2, the herbal garden is attended to with the help of workers from the IWL workshops for the disabled in Machtlfing. The woodwork was done with assistance from the JVA Rothenfeld prison, Andechs. Such added thoughtful and educational use of the joint project demonstrates the strong social commitment of both parties. The gardens have 12 beds lined with wooden planks from the larch trees of the monastery’s own forests. These beds are surrounded by a picket fence of domestic spruce joining a hedge of bushes, also used for medicinal purposes. A scattered fruit orchard complements the garden. Both the hedge and the trees have a supplementary ecological purpose, because in future they will become the new habitat for many insects and birds. |
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The plants are all identified with signs placed in the beds. A color guide referencing each of the organs is used to indicate the areas of application of the medicinal herbs. All the garden paths are handicap-friendly and designed for wheel chair use. The herbal garden is intended to be cared for organically – without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides – in line with the organic farming guidelines and the involvement of workshops for the disabled. Traditional Monastery Garden The traditional monastery garden within the monastery walls continues to be cultivated by a monk. Even today, vegetables, herbs, and fruit are grown here for the monks. This area of the monastery is closed to the public. |
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A plea to all those visiting the Andechs Herbal Garden:
Please do not remove any plants or foliage from the beds!
A layman should seek the professional advice of a physician, pharmacist, or non-medical practitioner before using any medicinal plant. Homeopathy also utilizes poisonous plants, which will be specifically pointed out during a tour of the herbal garden. Such plants are marked clearly with an orange-colored triangular sign with a black border. Please be aware of the inherent dangers before any such usage.
The Andechs Herbal Garden is open to the general public and admission is free. It is only closed for a short interval in the winter months when plant growth is dormant.
On request, a guided tour (length: approx. 1 hour) for max. 30 people can be offered.
Reservations: Steierl Pharma Herrsching
Tel. +49 - (0)8152 - 93220
Fax: +49 - (0)8152 - 932240
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