This is paw paw season. The fruit is native to the US and grows wild in the eastern half of the country. It can be found along river banks and other areas in the wild. However, it is becoming more common. The paw paw fruit is being grown commercially and can be found in some famers markets. It has a tropical mango-like flavor and can be used in a variety of ways, from fruit smoothies, pies, ice cream to even beer.. The good news is that you can grow this fruit in your garden. The paw paw tree (Asimina triloba) is a small tree that prefers well-drained soil. It has large leaves and fruit and is considered an understory tree. It has few pests that bother the tree so it can be considered a low maintenance tree. It is best to buy container grown trees because the plant does not transplant well as a bare root methods. This is a tree to grow in your yard. Because the fruit ripens quickly, it has a short shelf life. Growing the fruit in your yard makes it easy to harvest and eat when it ripens. The season is typically from Sept. to Oct. The paw paw fruit will definitely help create conversation and it should be a tree to consider adding to the garden.
There is a great article on horticultural therapy by Anne Marie Chaker in today’s Wall Street Journal. The article, “When Treatment Involves Dirty Fingernails”, describes several hospital based programs around the country and offers information from Roger Ulrich, Ph.D. As the article indicates – “The path to better health may wind through the garden.” The article can be found at – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304620304575165831058222608.html?mod=djemLifeStyle_h
Everyone has a garden story to tell. Start to mention an interest in gardening and it seems that people will share their adventures in nature. For example, I was on a flight back from San Diego and had the pleasure of sitting next to a woman who had several garden stories to tell. She and her husband live outside of Houston on a one acre parcel and have a passion for growing fruit trees. The winter was not very kind because a frost threatened their grapefruit trees. They had to pick all of the fruit, before it ripened, or it ruined by the frost. I relate this story mainly because this gardener was even more concerned with how she and her husband will be able to maintain their fruit trees as they get older. They are currently in the 50’s and want to continue to live in their home for the rest of their lives. One of their concerns is how they will be able to work in their garden and care for their fruit trees and vegetable garden. Watering, pruning, weeding and all of the things that they need to do to help the garden thrive. There is a lot to consider when we talk about aging-in-place, especially as it relates to the garden and yard in general. There is a growing need to help people adapt their yards to become age friendly outdoor environments. This will require an assessment of the yard to help people to continue to fully use their yard. In the case of the woman from Houston, installing a drip irrigation system; applying mulch to control weeds and retain moisture; planting disease resistant varieties of fruit trees; are a few of the ways people can help make it easier to create age appropriate gardens. It may also be possible to share the work with neighbors in exchange for a share of some of the produce when it ripens. Gardeners want to keep working in their garden and we need to find ways to help make it easier for everyone.
The Mid-Atlantic Horticultural Therapy Network of the American Horticultural Therapy Association was an exhibitor at the 2010 Philadelphia Flower Show for the first time. The Show is the largest indoor flower show in the world with attendance of over 250,000 people. The horticultural therapy exhibit presented many of the ways in which HT is presented to the various populations served. There were raised planters, adaptive tools, sensory plants and many other aspects of the profession for people to experience. Comments offered by many of the people stopping by the exhibit were extremely encouraging. People talked about how they were positively affected by their involvement with horticultural therapy while they were in hospital and other instances. They talked about how it had positively impacted family members in a variety of settings. The exhibit even received several awards for display and presentation. You can read more about horticultural therapy exhibit and the Flower Show at: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20100228_Flower_Show_ticket_is_passport_to_world.html?viewAll=y
There are special collectors for all kinds of items, such as rare coins, subway tokens, Pez dispensers and cow creamers. Well, it should come as no surprise that there are people who collect the seeds from plants. And, there are seed exchanges that you can join too swap the seeds that you have collected. This is a great hobby for the gardener who would like to grow an unusual variety of tomato or other vegetables and perennials. These plants are not the ones you would typically find in plant catalogs. They are special seeds that have been traded to the seed exchanges. There is typically a fee to join a seed exchange. This may be just the gift to give for an avid gardener for Valentine’s Day, a birthday or other special occasion. It is a perfect gift for elders in a senior community who have a garden and would like to grow special plants this year. Today’s edition of the Wall Street Journal contains an article on the subject – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704820904575055181332462128.html?mod=djemLifeStyle_h
One of the ways to extend the summer season is to take cuttings of the annuals in your garden. Look around the garden and see what plants are doing good. One of the favorites to use for cuttings are Coleus because they are very easy to root. They are great for use as indoor plants because they are multi-colored and have a range of leaf shapes. This is a great activity for a horticultural therapist, activity professional or others working with older adults looking for a fall project that can last throughout the winter months. Be sure to take the cuttings from smaller stems and be sure to do it before the first frost. (They are considered a tender perennial, however, they are treated mostly as an annual). An easy way to get the plants to establish a root system is to place the cuttings in water and be sure to change the water frequently. Once they have set out roots, the Coleus cuttings can be transferred to a pot. It would be good to plant one per pot, so they have a chance to grow full and balanced. Plant them in a light weight, sterilized, quick drainning potting soil mixture. (Decorating pots can be another activty). Be sure to place the newly potted plants in a south facing window sill. Keep the soil moist and be sure to not let it get soggy. A little liquid fertilizer once a month can be helpful (be sure to follow direction carefully and not over fertilize). These plants will be great for starting new plants for your garden next season. So, get your garden clippers and get started!
Various programs are are being developed to help Veterans connect with nature. A program in the United Kingdom, “‘Gardening Leave”, utilizes nature as a vehicle for various therapeutic modalities. The gardens that have been created provide structure, routine and exercise for former military persons. The Gardening Leave web site indicates that “using the ethos of horticultural therapy, veterans will benefit from improving their social skills by engaging them in conversation and improve their personal skills such as appearance, health and fitness” – www.gardeningleave.org In the US, the VA Hospitals have been utilizing the benefits of horticultural therapy through a variety of programs. There are green houses where veterans can participate in activities. Raised planters allow many of the veterans with disabilities to participate in a wide range of garden related events. Some VA Hospitals have plant nurseries where the Veterans can grow many of the plants that are installed within the community. Horticultural Therapists have been developing these and other horticulture programs that provide healing for the Veterans and their family members. Programs include activities for Veterans with Alzheimer’s disease, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), and other illnesses. The horticulture programs are used to help those individuals who are in need of job training or who may be homeless. There is a great need to focus more attention on this subject in order to increase the number of programs in VA communities.
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal, by Raymund Flandez, explores the benefits of employers offering space to start vegetable gardens. The garden is compared to the water cooler where employees gather and share stories. Only, this water cooler is more productive, giving back fresh vegetables for someones time. “The garden is a nice benefit, saving them on their food bills” according to Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, owner of Twisted Limb Paperworks. The article explains that “employer-sponsored gardens can be a cheap and easy way to boost workers’ morale, relate better to certain customers and expand a company’s health and wellness program.” This reinforces what we currently know. Gardening is good for us because we get exercise, we are out in the sunshine and we are socializing with others. To read more of the article, go to – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125055110227438411.html?mod=djemSB
Visiting London, I came across a demonstration community garden in St. James Park. The garden has been created to teach people how easy it is to start a garden of their own. The garden is a beautiful and exciting example of how people can garden in small spaces and in urban conditions. During the second World War, England had a program, like the U.S., that encouraged families to grow their own food. It was called ‘Dig for Victory’. Seventy years later, the National Trust has created a grow-your-own food campaign. It is called ‘Food Glorious Food’ and information can be obtained at www.foodgloriousfood.org.uk The city of London is serious about encouraging people to start their own gardens. They have been creating public vegetable gardens on some of London’s famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace. Additional information on the community garden food programs can be found at the Big Lunch web site – www.thebiglunch.com
Contact with plants is directly beneficial to patients recovering from surgery in hospitals. Research conducted by the researchers Seong-Hyun Park and Richard H. Mattson at the Department of Horticulture, Recreation and Forestry at Kansas State University indicates that contact with nature helps to reduce stress, increase positive mood and provide distraction from pain. “Patients with plants in their rooms had significantly fewer intakes of pain medication, more positive physiological responses (lower blood pressure and heart rate), less pain, anxiety, and fatigue, and better overall positive and higher satisfaction with their recovery rooms than their counterparts in the control group without plants in their rooms.” So, is you want to help speed the recovery of a patients who have had surgery, bring them a potted plant. The study suggest that potted plants offer the most benefits because they will last longer than cut flowers. Nursing staff have indicated that patients care for their plants by watering and pruning them as well as moving them to better light. The patients with plants in their rooms said that the plants were the most positive part of their room.
Recent Case Studies
Contact Information
Design For Generations, LLC
Jack Carman F.A.S.L.A.
92 Tallowood Drive
Medford NJ 08055
Voice – 609-953-5881
Fax – 609-953-1625
jack@designforgenerations.com
www.designforgenerations.com
