Research on the Planning of Medicinal Botanical Gardens Based on the Theme of Science Popularization Education

Miaoneng ZHOU, Wenhui YE, Xiaoru CHEN

Huizhou Engineering Vocational College, Huizhou 516000, China

Abstract The functions of medicinal botanical gardens are introduced firstly, and then the application status and planning principles of medicinal botanical gardens based on the theme of science popularization education are analyzed. Moreover, a typical application case is analyzed and summarized. Constructing a scientific medicinal botanical garden is conducive to increasing people’s understanding of medicinal plants, and also meets the requirements of current national policies, thereby generating greater economic and social benefits.

Key words Medicinal botanical garden, Science popularization education, Planning

1 Introduction

Medicinal botanical gardens integrate science popularization, ornamental function and germplasm preservation. Under the background of rural revitalization, they have made a great contribution to the promotion and inheritance of traditional Chinese medicine cultural knowledge and the construction of urban ecological environment. In recent years, medicinal botanical gardens have also become a way of urban garden landscaping. In the process of implementing the rural revitalization strategy and building beautiful villages, research on the development and application of medicated edible plant industry can effectively promote the connection between poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.

2 Functions of medicinal botanical gardens

In Europe, the function of herb gardens in ancient monasteries is mainly used to collect and cultivate cash crops and medicinal plants. With the development of medicine and plant science during the Renaissance, part of these herb gardens developed into professional botanical gardens[1].

2.1 Ornamental functionThe roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds of plants are all ornamental. An ornamental plant with medicinal value has medicinal and ornamental properties. According to the ornamental parts, they are divided into three main types: flower-, leaf-, and fruit-viewing medicinal plants. The flower-viewing medicinal plants planted in Huizhou Engineering Vocational College include hibiscus, gardenia, rose, neem, osmanthus, ligustrum lucidum, crape myrtle, magnolia, magnolia, hibiscus, safflower and so forth. According to the color and height of different plants, the gorgeous flower colors and peculiar flower shapes of plants constitute a beautiful landscape on the campus. The main leaf-viewing medicinal plants areLoropetalumchinense,MetasequoiaglyptostroboidesHu & W. C. Cheng,Scheffleraoctophylla(Lour.) Harms,Pseudolarixamabilis(J.Nelson) Rehder,Codiaeumvariegatum(L.) A. Juss., and so on. The luxuriant leaves can be used to form a shady place in a garden. The leaves of leaf-viewing medicinal plants are brightly colored, which can create a certain visual impact when viewed from a distance. Fruit-viewing medicinal plants include five-color pepper, nightshade, sweet-scented osmanthus,etc.Different plants will open in different seasons, echoing the seasons[2].

2.2 Science popularization educationIn China, traditional Chinese medicine culture has a long history and is known as one of the top ten national quintessences in China. Not only does it have a profound impact on the Chinese people, but it also has a great significance to the world. Chinese herbal medicine, as a main component of traditional Chinese medicine culture, carries the important task of cultural inheritance[3]. In addition to setting up a culture corridor for science popularization and other commonly seen science popularization measures, science popularization can also be carried out as follows. For example, a large-scale multimedia platform can be set up in a garden to allow visitors to watch the video of the production of Chinese herbal medicine. After watching, visitors can click the "participate in production" applet, which can enhance the sense of participation and deepen memory; plant specimens of Chinese herbal medicine can be exhibited from time to time, and authoritative experts can be hired to give explanations.

2.3 Conservation of germplasm resourcesGermplasm resources are the material basis for the selection and breeding of new varieties. The collection and preservation of medicinal plant germplasm resources is the key and source to improve the quality of medicinal plants, and is a fundamental measure to ensure the sustainable development of medicinal plants. Establishing a seed bank and gene bank for medicinal plants according to the richness of the germplasm resources of medicinal plants in a region is the current general trend[4]. In this way, the seeds of some scarce or endangered medicinal plants can be preserved to a certain extent. Among them, the most primitive wild seeds are the basis for the development of new varieties, because they contain abundant genes and can provide more efficient genetic support for the continued survival and development of mankind.

3 Application status of medicinal botanical gardens based on the theme of science popularization education

3.1 Planting statusWith the strengthening of national policy support, the cultivation of medicinal plants has also received more and more attention. However, this type of park planning is in a preliminary stage in China, and there are certain problems. For instance, scattered planting and disorderly production lead to waste of resources; excessive reliance on pesticides leads to excessive pesticide residues; planting scale is single, and the resistance to pests and diseases is weak.

3.2 Status of application and processingThe separation and extraction technology of medicinal plants is backward, which is likely to cause chemical pollution and imperfect infrastructure construction; it is difficult to form a complete supply chain of products; there is a lack of open markets, low audiences, and blocked sales.

3.3 Tourism statusThere is a single tourist route in a medicinal botanical garden, and there is a lack of iconic signs; there is no obvious boundary between planning zones, and it is easy to blur the concept of first-timers[5].

4 Planning principles

4.1 Appropriate planting according to local conditionsDifferent plants have different requirements for their living environment, so it is necessary to plant suitable plants according to the topography, terrain, air humidity, soil, temperature and other environmental factors. The types of planting plants should be diversified, otherwise it is not conducive to the improvement of plant disease resistance, and they are easy to suffer from the erosion of diseases and insect pests.

4.2 Combination of beautification and cultureAccording to the appearance of plants, they can be planted in a suitable area, which can not only meet their living conditions, but also make them have ornamental value. It is also possible to design some gardens with cultural connotations. The ingenious combination of plants and gardens can not only satisfy the growth and development of plants and make them vivid and personified, but also stimulate people’s interest in vegetation to explore the culture behind plants.

4.3 Integration of function and formAccording to the nature, appearance, and morphological characteristics of different plants, an environmental form suitable for their own functional characteristics is planned, and the two are integrated with each other to construct a new ecological pattern.

5 Analysis of an application case——Xiangshan Yaowanggu

Yaowanggu is located in Subeikeng, the fourth group of Shikeng, Chengliangbei Village Committee, Luoyang Town, Boluo County, Huizhou City, Guangdong Province. It is the practice base for the publicity and education of Chinese medicine culture in Huizhou City. There is science corridor, southern medicine breeding greenhouse, southern medicine germplasm resource greenhouse, medicinal plant field resource preservation area, southern medicine specialty product area, accommodation service area, medicinal food experience hall,etc.On April 14, 2021, the author had the honor to go deep into Yaowangge to study. The person in charge of Yaowanggu explained the functional zoning of Yaowanggu, and put forward his own opinions and suggestions on the preservation of current seeds. Hundreds of kinds of plants are preserved in the greenhouse of Yaowanggu, which are mostly medicinal plants, scattered and distributed. There is an explanation corridor inside, which is conducive to visitors to learn while watching and plays a role in science popularization (Fig.1). At the same time, the pharmaceutical products in Yaowanggu are self-produced and self-sold, have a stable production structure chain, and have a stable audience group and a certain market. The relevant person in charge attaches great importance to the preservation of the seeds of medicinal plants and has rich preservation experience, but still faces great difficulties in the search and preservation of the seeds of medicinal plants. It takes a lot of manpower to find seeds of medicinal plants, but people with experience in finding seeds are generally older and lack young labor. Moreover, the location of medicinal plant seeds is too remote, and roads are difficult to find, so it is not easy to develop functional zones of tourist attractions. After years of hard work, Yaowanggu has become a protection center for the germplasm resources of southern medicine. At the same time, it is continuously developing the local Chinese medicine industry and realizing rural revitalization.

Fig.1 Functional zoning and science corridor of Yaowanggu

6 Suggestions of planning, design and application

It is hoped that the guidance, planning and design of medicinal botanical gardens can be carried out according to the needs of medicinal materials. For scarce herbal resources, it is necessary to pay attention to the preservation of the size of research and development, and conduct research without destroying their development. Wild medicinal materials can be guided by the law for their growth and development, so that they can be planted by specialists or families to provide the people with rich, diverse and practical medicinal materials. While advancing the improvement of the cultivation methods of medicinal plants, the sales path after produc-tion should be paid attention to[6]. In terms of science popularization, talents who are interested and familiar with medicinal plants can be introduced to popularize the characteristics, efficacy, and taboos of medicinal plants in a garden. Experts and scholars can also be invited to open short-term or long-term training courses, which can popularize the knowledge of medicinal plants, and also make people pay attention to the current situation and development of medicinal plants. It is believed that with the support, discovery, and protection of everyone and the support of national policies, the prospects for medicinal plants will be much broader.

7 Conclusions

With the improvement of people’s living standards, their requirements for quality of life are also increasing, and they pursue a healthier and longer life style, which is conducive to the survival and development of medicinal plants. Constructing a scientific medicinal botanical garden is conducive to increasing people’s understanding of medicinal plants, and it also meets the requirements of current national policies. Meanwhile, it can receive strong support and help from the state, thereby producing greater economic and social benefits.