Community Herb and Flower Garden
Enhancing Our Community
One Seed At A Time
Cincinnati Birth Center is strategically located in Walnut Hills, a historically Black community at the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio, surrounded by Corryville, Avondale, and Evanston. These neighborhoods face some of the highest infant mortality rates for Black babies nationwide. Just blocks from our center in Corryville, the infant mortality rate reaches 41 per 1,000 births, primarily due to premature births caused by elevated stress levels.
We believe that re-establishing a healthy connection with nature can improve health outcomes for historically marginalized people.
For the past four years, we have been building a welcoming, nurturing indoor & outdoor environment for our birth clients & the greater community. We have installed a Cut Flower Garden, & a Maternal Support Herb Garden, & are designing a Reflection Garden around the birth center. The guiding principles for these three environments are to promote & model environmental sustainability, to favor native plants that have co-evolved with the local bees, birds & butterflies, to provide multi-sensory spaces for quiet reflection, & to grow using regenerative practices.
When we converted the empty lot into a Cut Flower Garden, not only did we see a great reduction in littering along the street, we noticed it softened the neighborhood. As neighbors walk their dogs they stop to smell the flowers. People sit on the bench to read the newspaper. Children bike past, stopping briefly to pick flowers to bring home to their mothers. Neighborhood children have asked to participate in the garden by watering & planting seeds. By the street sidewalk is a luscious bed of lavender scabiosa flowers sown by the kids.
Additionally, we have noticed a profound decrease in sidewalk substance abuse, sex work, & community violence.
Our next step is to finish the Rest and Reflection garden and grow herbs to support healthy pregnancies, postpartum care, and breastfeeding. We’re growing herbs for a nourishing pregnancy tea, postpartum baths, mood support, and galactagogue herbs to promote healthy milk supply. These products are available for purchase at our birth center and as gifts to donors.
Our community grapples with significant health challenges, including limited access to fresh foods in what are commonly known as 'food deserts.' To address this issue, we grow iron-rich organic foods and herbs for improving iron levels during pregnancy.
By supporting the Safer Birth Foundation, you're contributing to the economic and social well-being of our community. Together, we can make a profound impact on maternal and infant health outcomes in Cincinnati's underserved neighborhoods.
Learn More About The Herbs We’re Growing And How They Can Benefit Expecting Moms
Volunteer to Work in Our Garden
Whether you are boosting your high school or college community service hours or would like to simply lend a helping hand we thank you so much for considering volunteering at our neighborhood community garden!