Gardens

Programs

The KU Medical Center Botanic Gardens offer programs that connect plants to health, learning and community. Each program area reflects a core pillar of our mission.

Food is Medicine

Collage of 4 images clockwise from upper left, bee keeps and hives,2 people standing in a vegetable garden, group of people harvesting potatoes, a person in a hat holding a bunch of carrots that have been pulled out of the garden.

The gardens support Food is Medicine efforts by growing fresh produce, connecting learners to the food system and increasing food literacy. Through partnerships with Culinary Medicine and nutrition programs, we help translate healthy eating into hands-on experience.

Key Activities:

Growing and harvesting nutrient-dense produce
Supporting Culinary Medicine education
Demonstrating sustainable food systems
Hosting food-focused workshops

Nature as Preventative Care

collage of 3 images beginning in the top left and going clockwise: group of employees examining a truck load of supplies for bee hives, 2 tables of health care workers assembling planters with herbs, a group of students enjoying the sensory garden Access to nature is access to health. The gardens provide spaces for restoration, movement and stress reduction, which support mental, emotional and physical well-being.

Key Activities:

Wellness tours and workshops
Therapeutic horticulture concepts
Outdoor engagement spaces
Stress-reducing garden environments

Education and Workforce Development

collage of 4 photos, beginning in the upper left and going clockwise: Eric Towe is standing near a truck bed of materials for bee hives and explaining a process to a group of students, beekeepers harvesting honey, 3 people on the rooftop garden and 3 people in a vegetable garden The gardens serve as a training ground for future professionals while supporting lifelong learning. Through experiential learning and real-world application, the gardens cultivate knowledge, leadership and workforce readiness for the next generation.

Key Activities:

Student internships and experiential learning
High school workforce programs (ProX)
Interdisciplinary education
Skill-building through hands-on gardening

Access and Student Support

collage of 4 images beginning in the upper left and going clockwise: 4 bins of cabbage and 2 bins of potatoes, the thrive garden sign posted outside of the thrive garden, a harvest of vegetables on a table including eggplant, tomatoes, beans, display of vegetables on a table in the thrive food pantry

The gardens expand access to fresh food, learning and green space, helping create a more supportive campus environment. By making nutritious food and meaningful learning experiences more accessible, the gardens help foster a healthier, more connected campus community.

Key Activities:

Produce donations to the student food pantry
Inclusive programming opportunities
Food access initiatives
Student engagement

Community and Workplace Wellness

collage of 4 images beginning in upper right and going clockwise: employees enjoying the gardens during an employee appreciation event, group of 6 showing their harvest from a vegetable garden, crowd of employees and students enjoying the gardens at a well-being fair, landscaping crew planting tulips to improve the grounds on the medical center's Kansas City campus

The gardens bring people together through shared experiences that promote health and connection. These programs strengthen community ties, encourage well-being, and create shared moments that root campus culture in health, purpose and belonging.

Key Activities:

Volunteer events
Staff wellness programs
Campus celebrations
Community partnerships