Let's Celebrate The Therapy Garden!

There’s no doubt that gardening can have a very beneficial effect on our mental and physical well-being. But what about those gardens totally dedicated to this process? Annabelle Padwick highlights some leaders in the field...

- Annabelle Padwick

Throughout history we have always reached back to nature in times of crisis, feeling the soil, breathing in the air and growing our own food. The reason why is something I am investigating in detail for future writing, but for now… did you know that there are some incredible organisations alongside my own across the UK which provide gardening therapy all year round – teaching people how to grow their own food, giving support to those in need and helping rebuild lives?

Unfortunately, I can’t mention every single charity and social enterprise, otherwise, it would need its own book, but I wanted to highlight a few that are doing fantastic work and I’m sure would appreciate your support, especially as they had to close during the pandemic. Many have open days throughout the year when you can take a visit, see the beautiful gardens for yourself and sometimes even grab a slice of cake. Perhaps they might be able to help someone you know, inspire you to give volunteering a go or simply provide you with some new plant ideas.

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH THRIVE

Firstly, there’s the national gardening charity, Thrive, of which I am a very proud ambassador. Since, 1979, the trained teams have been helping to improve people’s physical and psychological health, communication and thinking skills. Beautiful gardens situated in Reading, London and Birmingham have become a sanctuary for many, a place to make friends and gain their own qualifications. Not only does Thrive support those in need, it also provides, in my opinion, the best social and therapeutic horticulture (STH) practical and online training available. I have done a number of their courses, which include how to set up a STH practice and how to support particular people’s needs.