Showing posts with label Emma Crosby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emma Crosby. Show all posts

Monday, August 18, 2014

Gardening as Therapy: Why Nature is Good for the Soul



Written by Garden Glamour reader and Contributing Writer, Emma Crosby.
Although we’re certainly living in an age of technological developments and scientific advances, life for many is still incredibly difficult and stressful; financial worries, employment problems, health issues and personal problems are all common and can lead to isolation, depression and loneliness. Worse still, it was recently reported that despite wanting to work, eighty per cent of people with mental illness and substance abuse problems are unemployed – a statistic that is both sad and worrying.
Dealing with such problems successfully can be incredibly difficult, but international mental health charity MIND have conducted a study which researched the effects of interacting with nature and other people and the results are astoundingly positive. Officially titled ‘ecotherapy,’ the study reports that the process of spending time with other people out of doors, either gardening, crafting or helping with conservation can help to ease both physical and mental health issues.
The use of horticulture as treatment is certainly not a new thing, however; the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) have reported this method of treatment being used in ancient times, and also mention the fact that it was both popular and successful in treating injured veterans following the second world war. Centuries later, the great outdoors continues to be a favored method in helping patients with mental illness and substance abuse, and one of the main advantages is how easy it is to incorporate it into other treatment programs.
Get involved with conservation
With the environment being such a huge current concern, one of the best ways to get outside and get involved with nature is to join a local conservation program; whether you’re interested in helping to clean up beaches, repopulate wooded areas and forests or help to protect rare species of flora and fauna, The Nature Conservancy can put you in touch with a huge variety of projects which will get you out and about. Covering all fifty states, they aim to connect individuals with the most suitable ventures in their area; not only are the ecology benefits obviously huge, but time spent outdoors with like-minded people is proven to be advantageous to mental health.
Explore the possibilities in your own garden
The popularity of gardening and horticulture has exploded over the last few years, with more people than ever before growing their own fruit, vegetables and flowers; from tiny urban gardens on balconies and rooftops to ordinary back yards and acres of space, everyone is getting in on the act.
If you’ve never attempted to grow anything before, don’t let that put you off; start small with something simple such as tomatoes, strawberries or some bee-friendly annuals such as cosmos, Californian poppies and the beginners favorite -- the humble sunflower -- and just enjoy being outside and connecting with nature. A good garden centre is the best place to start; you’ll find staff are always keen to help aspiring gardeners and total novices, and will point you in the right direction of everything you’ll need to get growing.
Practice outdoor arts and crafts
Horticulture and nature aren’t the only natural treatments that have been used in healing mental health issues, arts and crafts have also been well documented as having a thoroughly positive effect on people who might be suffering with anxieties and other problems; so it makes sense then that taking part in outdoor crafts groups and attending arts festivals would be doubly positive experiences.  Learning a new skill can be absorbing and interesting, and can easily be combined with a natural setting by simply taking your project outdoors; cross-stitch, crochet and knitting are all really portable crafts, and can be picked up as easily in the local park or nature reserve as they can on the couch – surround yourself with fragrant flowers and leafy green trees, and lose yourself in the great outdoors.
Join a Community Garden program
If you don’t have the space or the inclination to begin gardening on your own, there’s always the option of joining a local community garden project; one space tended by several people, this kind of project combines sowing and growing with interaction with others, and the benefits include fresh produce to take home, an increased sense of community in the neighborhood and a renewed connection with the natural world. Becoming involved in a group gardening project can be an incredibly positive move; as well as being entitled to a percentage of the fruit, vegetables or flowers, there are also the environmental benefits to consider, and the social contact – mixing with other keen gardeners not only helps to build new friendships, but also means you can add to your horticulture skills by learning from those more experienced than you.
True garden glamour…


Friday, June 27, 2014

Gardening as Therapy - submitted by Garden Glamour's First Contributing Writer

Therapy Garden at Merwick: photo courtesy Design for Generations, LLC

Gardening as Therapy 
Written and contributed by Garden Glamour reader -- and writer, Emma Noble.
Emma first wrote to me in May asking to write a guest blog post after her research led her to Garden Glamour.  Emma explained she is a business and finance writer and that after working for several medium-sized businesses, motherhood saw her switch to freelance writing on those topics – as well as her interests in transportation and conservation.
Lucky for us.
I think Emma’s piece on Gardening as Therapy is engaging, informative and peppered with helpful tips on creating healthy, sustainable, beneficial gardens.  Hope you agree.  Looking forward to your feedback for Emma and me. 
Gardening as Therapy
That gardening is good for you seems an intuitive truth, and one embraced at Garden Glamour
What can be more restful and invigorating than picking fresh corn from your beautiful yet productive 'three sisters' bed, or reaching only so far as your window box for a handful of herbs to pep up a salad or make a cup of tea. Add to this the physical element of gardening, as well as the joy of being outdoors and appreciating the world around us, and you have a satisfying combination. 
The health benefits of gardening are well recognized, and include long-term health improvements through moderate exercise and increased levels of vitamin D from being outdoors.
Gardening is an inherently social activity - garden lovers like nothing more than swapping tips with others, debating the weather and the likely successes of new plants. The sense of community - real or virtual through web forums and discussion groups, can contribute significantly to mental well-being and happiness.
Add to this the benefit of growing your own vegetables and fruit, should you choose to, and the local, fresh and organic crops that can be produced in even the smallest of areas are an added bonus to physical health.
Gardening is an endeavor requiring long term commitment and therefore it lends itself to lifestyle changes over years and decades rather than the short bursts of activity associated with attending a gym - meaning you end with gradual changes made in a sustainable way towards better mental and physical well being.
What is therapeutic horticulture?
In addition to the everyday benefits of gardening as a relaxing and energizing hobby, there lies the branch (excuse the pun) of therapeutic horticulture.  

According to the American Horticulture Therapy Association, treatment with horticulture therapy has existed in one form or another since the 19th century, although its use broadened following the end of World War II, when it moved away from the realm of treating mental health issues exclusively and was used to support returning war veterans. This form of therapy is now used in a variety of community, rehabilitative and vocational settings, and can help in both physical rehabilitation and in supporting the cognitive development of individuals struggling with memory loss, problems with socialization or other issues.   
Healing Gardens at Kimball Medical Center: photo courtesy of Design for Generations, LLC.
This therapy is also used in social and charitable organizations across the world, helping those who are isolated through physical or mental disability or social exclusion.
What makes a garden therapeutic?
Here at Garden Glamour, we are all for beautiful, relaxing, well designed outdoor spaces. A therapeutic garden is a specifically designed space, and will depend on the purposes and visitors for whom it is intended. Gardens may be designed with access, rehabilitation or healing in mind, and include a focus on sensory planting, for color, fragrance and to attract life into the garden. Therapy can be as simple as individuals spending time outdoors and appreciating the beauty of nature, building strength for rehabilitation through the gentle exercise of gardening, or specific talking therapies carried out in the outdoor environment to improve comfort and make participants feel more at ease with the conversation. Although many therapeutic gardens are specifically designed, such spaces do not in fact depend on elaborate garden design or architecture, but can be created more simply to suit the individual needs of gardeners and their families.
How to get started?
If you're a complete beginner, a great place to start is through reading for inspiration, either online resources or print texts that will help with step by step details and design ideas.
Further ideas and advice can be found through talking to fellow gardeners - friends and neighbors will know what will flourish depending on your local weather and soil conditions, and can be a great source of inspiration and ideas. 
Local gardening supply stores such as Mecox, can also help when planning your garden, both with necessary products, including specialist planting and design ideas, and words of wisdom. Alternatively you can contact local Master Gardeners, state cooperative extensions, Garden Clubs, or the American Horticultural Society www.ahs.org
And of course, don't forget to look through the Garden Glamour archive for ideas too.

Further ideas and advice can be found through talking to fellow gardeners - friends and neighbors will know what will flourish depending on your local weather and soil conditions, and can be a great source of inspiration and ideas. Alternatively try the wealth of internet resources for ideas and planning tools.
Kudos, Emma!  
Many thanks.  Looking forward to your next Guest Blog post.