Frequently Asked Questions: Therapeutic Gardens

Are gardens good for you?

Spending time outside in a garden has been shown to positively affect a person’s emotions and improve their sense of well-being. Access to nature has been shown to balance circadian rhythms, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and increase absorption of Vitamin D naturally. The important message is that nature is beneficial to our overall health and well-being. We are all connected to nature and it is important to maintain that vital connection.

Aren’t all gardens therapeutic?

While all natural settings have the potential to heal, therapeutic gardens are designed to meet specific physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of certain patient populations. . Evidence-based studies guide the design of a garden based upon the best research that is available and show that therapeutic gardens improve patients’ quality of life and facilitate healing. Many times therapeutic gardens help to lower health care costs.

What are examples of therapeutic gardens?

Alzheimer’s gardens
Rehab gardens
Senior community gardens
Cancer patient therapeutic gardens
Meditation gardens
Residential gardens

What is an Alzheimer’s Garden?

Alzheimer’s Gardens, also known as dementia gardens and wander gardens, are customarily developed as part of senior residential communities and adult day care facilities. These gardens are specifically designed to meet the needs of individuals with memory impairment. Dementia gardens are enclosed spaces with smooth level pathways, non-glare surfaces, non-toxic and non-injurious plants, and familiar home-like features, such as wind chimes, birdbaths or a garden bench to sit on and enjoy the flowers. These garden features are very important because they have the potential to trigger positive emotions and memories from a person’s past. The smell of basil can elicit wonderful feelings of a family cooking Sunday dinner. Maybe fresh lavender placed in a bureau drawer will remind someone of a happy childhood. The use of familiar elements within a garden can have positive effects and help the person using the garden actively engage with the outdoor world around them.

Are healing gardens different?

‘“Healing gardens” are a type of therapeutic garden. Healing gardens are typically designed in partnership with specialized healthcare facilities, such as cancer centers, pediatric hospitals, and treatment centers for post traumatic stress disorders, to name a few.

What goes into designing a therapeutic garden?

Therapeutic gardens are ideally a collaborative effort. They are created by a team of healthcare professionals, caregivers and if appropriate, the patients or residents themselves, all lead by an experienced licensed landscape architect.

For more information, visit our website.

Do you find yourself asking...

"How do I update my garden?"

"Why aren't people using the garden?"

"Is my garden really therapeutic?"

"How can I get more hummingbirds and butterflies into the garden?"

"How do I maintain the garden?"

If you find yourself asking these questions -- you are in need of a professional evaluation of your garden. Let’s meet to review and create a plan to revitalize your existing garden.

For more information on how to make your garden work for you, email us at jcarman1@comcast.net or visit the contact page.

February 2008 Newsletter

NATIVE PLANTS

One of the aspects of gardens that is being discussed more and more is the idea of using native plants in the landscape. This falls under the heading of LEED, Sustainable Sites and other “green” concepts. Whatever the reason, people are more aware of the benefits of including native plants. These plants offer a better success rate because they are acclimated to the area and typically require less water that exotics (non-natives). There needs to be regional data bases that are a resource for the consumer. One site worth visiting is www.for-wild.org which promotes the use of natives in the landscape.

PLANT MORE TREES

A study conducted and published in Georgia Urban Forestry “Shady-Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities, Healthy People”, (2004) indicates that shoppers will stay longer in plazas that have trees. Well, it should not be too much of a stretch to include parks, patios and even our own yard. We know that trees offer protection from the sun, are up to 10 degrees cooler underneath the canopy, increase property values and purify the air we breathe. Adding trees to the landscape might just help increase socialization by making people stop and visit a little while longer.

DEADHEAD

Deadheading is the gardening practice of removing spent flowers and seedpods. This is done for aesthetic reasons—keeping the dead flowers from detracting from the garden. Deadheading can also stimulate some plants to keep blooming longer, such as Stella de Oro daylilies, Knock-out shrub roses. Remember to leave the foliage and just remove the flowers. However, some plants, like Coneflowers, that retain their spent flowers are attractive to birds and butterflies as a food source. Prune wisely.

COUNTING BIRDS

The 11th annual bird census takes place between February 15 thru the 18th this year. You can participate by going to www.birdsource.org/gbbc for more information. The web site contains a checklist of species.

GARDEN AIDS

Ergonomic comfort grips are a help to any gardener who is affected by arthritis or limited hand strength. The grips are neoprene pads that offer additional gripping support. They can be used on rakes, wheel barrow handles and other gardening tools. They are available from Gardener’s Supply at 1-888-833-1412 or www.gardeners.com.

TAKE NOTES

A note pad is not a bad thing to carry along as you travel about. It can be useful to remind you of a particular ornamental trees and shrubs we may want to add to our garden. Redbud, Fragrant Spice Viburnum, Magnolia and Cherry are just a few examples of some of the early blooming plants. These trees are great because they have a fragrance that will welcome you into the yard.

HABITAT

Creating a bird friendly environment in your yard will help attract these winged friends to stay longer. Some general guidelines include eliminating pesticides, making sure that cats are not attacking the birds along with creating the right mix of food, water, shelter and a place to build a nest in your yard. This involves incorporating feeders, birdhouses, birdbaths and plants. Evergreen and deciduous trees provide a place where birds can perch, sleep for the night, hide from predators and escape bad weather. The National Audubon Society’s publication “The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds” offers helpful information.

FEB 2nd

Ground Hog Day marks the middle of winter. After Feb. 2nd we are half way to spring. The significance of the day is not so much whether the ground hog sees his shadow, he is actually waking up to find a mate. The date marks six more weeks of winter. Take heart - March 20th is not that far away!

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
-- Margaret Atwood

Green is great in 2008!

"Walking to Maintain and Improve Health: How the Integration of Sidewalks and Walking Paths in Senior Communities Promotes Successful Aging"

People walk throughout their lives and the ability of older adults to walk in safe, secure environments should be a natural part of the aging process. It is essential for the health and well-being of seniors that walking remains an essential component of their daily lives. Providing access to walking paths, nature trails, and neighbor­hood sidewalks should be mandatory in maintaining independence and the ability to age in place. The integration of sidewalks throughout a community helps people stay healthy, socially connected, and maintain control of their lives.

(This article appears in Seniors Housing Care Journal, Vol. 15, No. 1, 2007)

Friends Village at Woodstown

“Friends Village and Woodstown features a therapeutic garden designed by renouned landscape architect, Jack Carmen. The garden features an area for cultivating vegetables, raised planters to make gardening more accessible, a water fountain, walking paths, benches and flowering plants.”

Read more about how this not-for-profit retirement community takes advantage of its therapeutic garden to provide quality care.