Contact: Melanie Swanson, Outback Coordinator, at as.outback@wwu.edu.

BELLINGHAM - Western Washington University's student-run public garden, the Outback, has recently added more than 50 new plants to its herb garden. 

Herb-garden coordinator Amanda Smith and other student volunteers have created new garden beds populated with plants focused on particular areas of the body, or with healing and calming qualities. 

One new bed contains calming herbs such as chamomile, skullcap and valerian. There is a flu- and cold-remedy bed with herbs such as echinacea, yarrow and elecampane, along with a culinary herb bed and a bed with herbs that emphasize women's health.

Each of the beds has a sign to inform people how the herbs have traditionally been used in herbal medicine. 

The Outback is a student-run project, which was recently recognized by the Associated Students as an official AS program.  The Outback has been a part of the Western campus for more than 35 years.  Produce from the Outback's market garden is sold to Fairhaven faculty and on Vendor's Row at the Viking Union and is donated to local food banks.  The Outback also includes the forest garden's fruit trees and community-garden plots where students are able to plant and harvest produce. 

For more information contact, Melanie Swanson, Outback Coordinator at as.outback@wwu.edu.