Chemistry has a broader base of knowledge than botany. I took those courses, including mid - upper level, as I briefly entertained my family's notion of medical school. And I complete chemical analyses on a regular basis. Botany has been touched on as a case by case basis, everything I've needed to learn for an investigation.
You haven't had the motivation to make potions work without magic, if they work for you. Why would you bother? I'm not going to simply follow recipes or limit myself to a trio of potions. Making versions of your potions is a good first step. But if I could get a real understanding of the science behind potions, the science and the magic, how it differs from pharmaceuticals and the options worlds like mine look into? There's a whole new set of possibilities.