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Gardens for Healing
Humans have long known the healing power of nature. A walk in the woods or spot on the beach watching the waves crash on the shore melts the stress away. And less stress means better health. In recent years, hospitals, assisted living centers, Alzheimer’s care and mental health facilities have begun to recognize this healing power. They’ve begun to install “healing gardens” as a way to help residents, staff and family members relieve stress, and to use as therapy tools to provide for positive outcomes of patient stays. In fact, horticultural therapy is now a recognized career path for care-givers such as nurses, physical therapists and assisted living staff.
While we’ve always considered our gardens a place for our clients to rest and recharge, we also recognize that all healing gardens are not alike. There are specific needs of the various users of these gardens. So when designing a garden for an Alzheimer’s care facility, for instance, it is absolutely critical to design it correctly.
In 2003, the Chicago Botanic Garden was on the cutting edge of horticulture as therapy and as such created a program for designers, therapists and architects. Bruce was one of the first in the nation to be certified in Health Care Garden Design. Since then, we have been honored to design and install gardens for Rochester General Hospital, Cherry Ridge Assisted Living Center and others, adding to our previous installations at Crestwood Children’s Center, Kirkhaven Nursing home and a very special sensory garden called Sharon’s Sensory Garden , in Mendon Ponds Park.
Horticultural therapy and gardens for healing are going to be an important part of our society as it progresses. And we’re going to be there every step of the way.