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t a glance, the 10-hectare garden looks just like any other park. But those with a bit of knowledge about herbal plants may find the garden a haven.

The garden — called Kampoeng Djamoe Organik, meaning Organic Herb Village — is home to some 650 kinds of medicinal, cosmetic and aromatic plants from across the country.

Inside, plants are identified by their popular and Latin names, along with some of their benefits.

The presence of Dedi Sopiandi, supervisor of the herbal farm in the Cikarang industrial area, West Java, and owned by cosmetic and herbal expert Martha Tilaar, as our guide was very valuable.

He was more than enthusiastic to share his knowledge on the benefits of the plants and the process used to dry them.

Dedi said the area used to be very infertile, because a number of residents used to take the topsoil to make red brick.

“It’s easy to make a farm in a fertile area in Bogor, but cultivating the land here is a challenge I am willing to take,” he said, adding that the farm used fertilizer from organic waste to reclaim its richness.

Conditions in the area have improved, as seen by the various green trees and plants, but the dry soil in many parts of the area shows the remaining work to be done, especially in the dry season.

Shoe flowers (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) that are often used as decorative plants around housing complexes are an asset in the farm. Extract from its big red flowers can be used as an ingredient to make skin-whitening products.

“A kilogram of dry shoe flowers can be valued at Rp 200,000 [US$21]. We have to harvest them before 9 a.m. in order to get them in the cleanest condition,” he said, adding the flower should not be washed prior to the drying process.

Other aromatic plants that have been planted in the farm include champaca, cananga, rose, jasmine and bulletwood (Mimusops elengi).

Dedi also stopped to show a one-and-half meter evergreen tree called Jati Belanda (Guazoma umifolia), whose leaves are beneficial to reduce obesity and fruits can be used to treat diarrhea.

There are many other plants that we may have ignored that might have benefits for our health and beauty. Beluntas, also known as Indian camphorweed, can be used to take care of body odor and vaginal discharge.

Dedi said that a mix of Keji beling (Strobilanthes crispus) leaves, cat’s whiskers leaves, turmeric rhizomes and chamberbitter leaves can treat kidney stones. Keji beling can destroy the stones, while cat’s whiskers possess a diuretic action.
The turmeric will fasten heal wounds and the chamberbitter will ease the pain.

“A recipe of herbal medicine rarely contains of one kind of plant. It is usually a mix of several plants. We should also remember that herbs are not an instant cure,” he said.

The farm also provides a facility to sort and wash freshly harvested plants. There is an oven that can produce dry leaves while retaining their green color and a sundry area for natural drying.  

The aromas of various herbs infiltrated our noses approached a tall glass cupboard with numerous shelves that contained dry herbs. There, we saw the dry forms of various plants, such as sappanwood, bean sprouts and the leaves of saga manis, or crab’s eye.

Kampoeng Djamu Organik also caters meetings and gives various workshops and training programs for students, farmers and herbal drink sellers. The farm received a Green Leadership Award from the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards this year.

Martha Tilaar, the 75-year-old founder and chairwoman of Martha Tilaar Group, which specializes in spa, cosmetic and herbal products, said she established the farm in 1998 with a mission.

“My grandmother gave me a message that I still hold to this date. She said if you make use of a plant for business, then you should replant it for the sake of nature.”