The Well-Being Collective at the University Libraries is excited to share the progress of our community garden!

This season, we have been busy caring for our shared living corner, a space where knowledge, nature, care, and well-being come together. Designed with edible, medicinal, and pollinator-friendly plantings, the Bookworm's Garden is an invitation to a true sensory experience, connecting the body and mind while nurturing and supporting the environment.

Here, we are learning about herbs, flowers, and native plants as they thrive side by side, while sustaining butterflies, bees, and birds, right in our backyard. The result is a small but vibrant ecosystem that embodies the heart of mindfulness: awareness, reciprocity, and growth.

Current Selections

Edible Plants: strawberries, Everglades tomatoes, kale, beets, basils, lemon balm, lavender, mint, rosemary

Medicinal and Herbal Plants: Havana skullcap, St. John’s wort, lemon balm, lavender, mint, yellowtop, rosemary

Pollinator favorites: blue porterweed, spotted beebalm, yellowtop, lavender

Image: Bees and Pollen, from the series Seen at the Garden.

Mural at the Sustainability Garden

Left: A symbol of sweetness and renewal, strawberries bring edible joy to the garden, while their delicate blossoms attract pollinators in early spring; Right: A Florida native, the Everglades tomato is known for thriving in heat and humidity. These tiny, flavorful fruits remind us of resilience and the beauty of local adaptation.
Thai basil and purple basil (with a hint of mint!). A classic culinary herb, basil’s fragrant leaves add flavor and freshness to food, and are a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The mint is cooling, aromatic, refreshing, and revitalizing. Its leaves are cherished in teas and culinary dishes, and its fragrance serves as an invitation to pollinators.
Monarch caterpillar

The Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) is a striking native wildflower with soft pink bracts and speckled blooms. Loved by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, it is a fragrant link between the herbal and the wild.

The Yellowtop (Flaveria linearis) is a cheerful Florida native with golden clusters that attract butterflies. Low-maintenance and resilient, a sunny, bright touch in our landscape.

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Traditionally used to support emotional well-being, St. John’s wort is used in various systems of medicine, and is symbolic of light and healing.

A native wildflower that blooms almost year-round, blue porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) is a nectar source for bees and butterflies, including Monarchs. Its deep blue flowers embody quiet resilience.

This Florida native herb, the Havana Skullcap, bears small, delicate blue flowers and is known for its gentle, calming properties. A favorite of native pollinators.
Left: Beautiful kale thriving through the seasons. Its ruffled leaves are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. Right: A powerful herb, lemon balm’s scented leaves are used in teas and remedies to ease stress, uplift mood, and support restful sleep.
Beloved for its calming scent, lavender soothes the senses. Its violet blooms attract bees and butterflies, offering both beauty and balance.

November 2025

Guess which root vegetable is growing underneath this beautiful soil!

Resources

Atlas of Florida Plants
Florida Native Plant Society
Florida Wildflower Foundation
Florida Horticulture for Health Network
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

The Bookworm’s Garden rests beside the John C. Gifford Arboretum, where we bear witness to nature’s most beautiful transformations.

Learn about the Arboretum
Parmentiera Cereifera - Candle tree - Endemic to Central Panama

Stay tuned for more updates!

Learn about the Well-Being Collective
Connect with the Mindfulness and Well-Being Programs
Learn about our partner Green U
For questions about the Bookworm's Garden
CREATED BY
The Well-Being Collective at the University of Miami Libraries

Credits:

The Well-Being Collective at the University of Miami Libraries. All rights reserved.