Eclipta Herb Sanctuary

Nestled on a 0.7-acre plot in Northeast Baltimore City, our sanctuary is a vibrant, living ecosystem home to over 100 species of medicinal plants—and growing. This space is dedicated to ecological education, conservation, and community healing. Here, we honor both land and lineage by cultivating a space where people can gather, learn, and reconnect with the sentient living world.

A Living Classroom

Our sanctuary is more than a garden—it's a biodiverse learning space where traditional knowledge meets urban resilience. We offer:

• Earth skills workshops
• Herbal plant walks
• Habitat restoration 
• Community gatherings and collaborations

We work with a blend of native, naturalized, and non-native medicinal species, and pride ourselves on being one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Baltimore. Our focus is on habitat restoration that addresses soil health, climate change, and the cultivation of flood- and drought-tolerant plants.

"Plant extinctions are occurring at a rate unmatched in geological history, leaving ecosystems incomplete & impoverished." — Botanic Gardens Conservation International

Plants as Kin

We see plants not as resources, but as kin—living relatives with whom we share lineage. Our cultivation efforts center on the opportunity to apprentice directly with the plants: to learn their language, witness their growth cycles, and to once again immerse our senses in their ecosystems. 

This is especially important in urban environments, where access to healthy green space and ancestral plant knowledge has been disrupted. We believe that conservation of medicinal plants is an essential part of healing damaged ecosystems, and that the root causes of ecological collapse are deeply linked to our disconnection from land-based cycles & medicinal plant practices.

"The land knows you, even when you are lost." — Robin Wall Kimmerer

When the land is sick, we are sick. And when the land heals, we heal.
Herbalism is the people’s medicine—our first medicine. But we risk losing it if we forget the ecosystems it comes from. This disconnection has led to deep cultural disorientation and a severing from an essential birthright.

Soil = Soul.

Circular Systems & Earth-Centered Practices

Our sanctuary follows Traditional Ecological Knowledge and permaculture principles, where nothing is wasted—everything is cycled back into the land.

When we inherited this property, we also inherited a fallen Ash tree. Instead of discarding it, we gave it a respectful burial through Hugelkultur, a regenerative practice that returns organic matter to the earth while feeding the garden over many years. We also transformed parts of the tree into a kitchen table and bookshelves—keeping the spirit of the Ash alive in our home.

We also:

• Compost all food scraps using a Jora Composter
• Recycle old brush into bedding or burn it for ash
• Divert bagged leaves from landfills to enrich our soil
• Partner with neighbors to receive chicken manure
• Supplement with soil from Hollins Organic as needed
• Next step: rainwater catchment.