Everyone has a private wellbeing thermometer on site , and people mark where they are on the scale when they arrive and again when they leave . They ' ve usually gone up , which gives us a good gauge of their progress , even when people are less chatty and engaged . It helps us assess whether the programme is working for someone but , also , if we notice someone crash on the scale , it acts as an instigator for us to proactively contact them and try to encourage them to talk . It might be a trigger that prompts deeper conversations , or it might just be a light chat about a bad day .
‘ Looking at water is incredibly soothing . It doesn ' t matter whether it ' s the sea , a river , a lake , the local duck pond or a fountain in a city square .’
Within the groups , there ' s a lot of laughter , but we also have quite a lot of tears , which is an indication of how relaxed and safe people feel in this environment .
How can people benefit from gardening in their everyday lives ?
To start with , they could simply walk out of their front door and head to the nearest green space . If that ' s too much or there ' s no green space nearby , they could order a house plant online . Nurturing that plant could be the first step to nurturing themselves . You don ' t need to start with a big commitment to make a difference .
I work with people who have complex post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) and sometimes just staring at a tree is helpful to them in that particular moment . Something people could try is sitting in a green space with their back leaning against a tree . Focus on how amazing the tree is , quietly pulling water and nutrients from the ground , tens of feet into the air , with no fuss . It is just there , getting on with it , as it has done for hundreds of years , possibly . It is has seen troubles like ours before – and seen them pass . Recognising this and being reassured by it can be very helpful and grounding for people in a difficult or stressful moment .
As people ' s confidence grows , they could join a local countryside walking group or get involved with a nearby community garden . If they have their own outside space , they could just chuck a packet of wildflower seeds outside and watch them grow . There ' s a surprising amount of joy in just observing wildflowers .
If they can ' t get to green space , I ' d say get to water . Looking at water is incredibly soothing . It doesn ' t matter whether it ' s the sea , a river , a lake , the local duck pond or a fountain in a city square . Just take a moment to reconnect with nature – and yourself .
Find out more
For information on horticultural therapy at the Eden Project , scan the QR code or click the link below .
https :// www . edenproject . com / horticulturaltherapy-in-the-outer-estate
Watch the video
See the Vounder Garden and hear more about horticultural therapy at Eden by watching the beautiful video made by With Love Project via the link below or by scanning the QR code .
https :// vimeo . com / withloveproject / vounder
Volume 38 ( 2 ) • April 2023
11