A warm early fall evening is the perfect time to experience the garden. In fact, this can be one of the best times to spend time outside re-connecting with nature. The sound of the crickets, a cool breeze, the fragrance of the herbs, a dew settling on the leaves of the plants are just a few of the pleasure that await. St. Francis Country House celebrated the opening of their garden this week. The garden was completed on Monday and dedicated on Tuesday. In just three days, they have held six events in the garden, including a marketing meeting, luncheon for the residents and a garden party this evening. They are wasting little time taking full advantage of all the garden has to offer. There was music playing in the background. Refreshments and appetizers made it more special. The temperatures was in the low 70’s. There were a few clouds in the sky and the moon was beginning to shine. The landscape lighting along the walking paths added a mystical quality to the garden. Families were visiting with the grand children. It was the perfect evening. This is an excellent example of how the garden is used to its full potential. The Therapeutic Garden has been programmed throughout the day for a variety of activities. People would rather spend time outside and if you provide the appropriate setting – “they will come.”
We know that our interactions with nature can lead to positive results. And public gardens are often discussed as being healing spaces. This thinking has been validated in a recent research study at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, FL. Dr. Ruth G. McCaffrey at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University conducted the research project “The Effect of Public Garden Visitation on Mild Depression in the Elderly.” The results of the study led to the development of a booklet and program called “A Stroll for Well-Being: Garden Walks at the Morikami”. The booklet contains 12 themed guided imagery walks as well as blank pages for journaling. The booklet, in combination with the involvement of a trained therapist, can elevate the use of the healing garden to a higher level. Gardens in senior retirement communities, as well as public gardens, can make great use of this activity. The link to the study is at: http://www.morikami.org/index.php?submenu=gardens_IMLS&src=gendocs&ref=IMLS&category=Gardens
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
Little events can present us with strong messages. I was touring a community garden at Medford Leas, a continuing care retirement community in southern New Jersey, with a friend who is a nurse at a PA hospital. It was Saturday morning and the August heat was creeping towards the 90’s. There were a few people working in their gardens tending to their community garden plots. The month of August can be a tough time in the garden. We either have too little rain or too much. This is the year of a lot of rain, all through June and July. And, as a result, the weeds are out of control. Plugging away was one gentleman diligently pulling weeds that were threatening the health of the tomatoes, peppers and other plants in this 20′ x 20′ space. We struck up a conversation with this gentleman. It is always good to talk and share stories. You can learn something new. However, this time, it was not about how best to ‘naturally’ keep bugs from eating the vegetables or other gardening hints. It was, instead, a reminder why gardening is good for all of us. We were surprised to learn that this gardener was 90 years of age. He did not look a day over 80, for sure. His youthful appearance and activities were that of a person who is in very good shape. His working in the garden reinforces all of the things we have been talking about. Gardening is great exercise and keeps us in shape. We remain socially connected when we are involved in activities with other people. Natural absorption of vitamin D, balancing our circadian rhythms, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress and many other positive aspects of gardening remind us that we need to get outside and play in the soil as often as possible. I could use the help of this young gardener in my own community garden!
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.
Our bodies natural rhythms are connected to the cycles of night and day. For centuries people have been able to to balance these natural rhythms by spending time outside. With the advent of the light bulb, we have been able to spend more time indoors and staying up late into the night. However, for people who are not able to get outside this can be disruptive to the natural processes of the body, including the absorption of vitamin D. Sunlight is important for its ability to help the body create vitamin D. Vitamin D ‘works’ with the parathyroid hormone to balance calcium in the blood and in turn helps to build strong bones. The vitamin also helps regulate our immune system and maintain healthy cell growth. Residents of nursing homes and other senior residences, in many instances, do not have the ability to access the outdoor environment. Either it is too difficult for them to be able to get outside or there isn’t even a place where they can go outside. Creating safe accessible outdoor areas for older adults is very important for their health and well-being. The opportunity for older adults to be able to spend time in a garden is a natural way for the body to create vitamin D. Developing gardens that are fun and interesting is a way to encourage older adults to go outside. Gardens should be planned with activities and programs in mind. Activities such as gardening, bird watching, reading groups, bar-b-ques, and walking clubs are just a few of the elements of a garden that make people want to go outside. The goal is to get people to enjoy visiting the garden so that they will want to go outside often. This will help them get their daily dose of vitamin D – naturally!
Hospital Gardens are being used more and more for food for the patients and staff of the hospital. The garden at New Milford Hospital has a culinary healing garden. “The garden is especially healing, because it goes into the food that we feed people”, as indicated by Marydale DeBoer, New Milford Hospitals Vice President of External Affairs. The Dining Services Manager of the hospital, Kerry Gold, uses the fresh herbs and vegetables in the preparation of the meals. The chefs are able to walk out the kitchen doors and pick fresh sage, tarragon and other plants to use in making the dressings, sauces and other dishes. “You treat the whole person, it’s not just the technical piece” which is the concern of Brenda Warren, a member of the hospitals leadership team. The article on the hospitals healing gardens can be found at: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2303&dept_id=478843&newsid=20336300&PAG=461&rfi=9
Having talked about the need for a greater variety of ‘easy’ garden options for a number of years, it seems that new styles of container gardens are becoming more available. Businesses are beginning to realize that gardening should be easier and more accessible. This applies to people who are working and do not have a lot of time to spend in a garden. It also includes people who have only a balcony or patio to garden. It important for older adults who want to continue to garden and may not have the physical dexterity to work on the ground. And it is especially important for people with disabilities. An article in today’s Wall Street Journal, “For a Green Thumb, Just Add Water”, talks about the emerging products available for consumers. The author of the article, Gwendolyn Bounds, shows off her own gardening prowess with a variety of containers on her deck. The article talks about the container options that are available as well as how to get started. The more we can show people how easy it is to garden, the more we can get people to raise more of their own produce. To read the article, follow the attached link – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124520179044721607.html Two of the raised containers that were mentioned in the article include: Earth Solutions – ‘Farm in a Box -http://www.earthsolutions.com/Farm-in-a-Box-Mini_p_597.html and also Laminations – “EarthBox” -http://www.earthbox.com/ Other types of containers include raised planters, such as the ones used at Medford Leas CCRC in Medford, NJ. The liners came from Lowe’s and the frame was constructed by Medford Cedar Products. The three planters are 18″, 24″ and 30″ in height and allow a range of users to access the raised gardens easily.
The number one element that people request when designing a garden is water. This is just as important to most people than the specific plants that are selected or the paving materials to be used for a patio or walkway. Typically water is important because of the sound or white noise that is present in the back ground. The presence of water can come in the form of a fountain, pond, bird bath or other feature. During a lecture yesterday at the NJ American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, a question was raised about the importance of including a water feature in a garden. I was giving a talk on ‘Creating Affordable Therapeutic Gardens’ and one of the attendees wanted to know if a water feature should be considered within the garden. My answer was a resounding yes! A water feature is an attraction and will encourage a person to visit the outdoor garden space. The attached picture is from a recently completed courtyard and the water fountain is the number one attraction in the garden, so far. People like to sit by the water because it typically provides a soothing sound. This is an important consideration when selecting the kind of water feature to use. The water should provide a soft gentle sound and not sounds that are disruptive. A good example might be the sound of water as it falls upon the roof during a rainfall. This is a ‘natural’ sound and one that we are all familiar hearing. Or the sound could replicate a bubbling brook as the water cascades over the stones. What is interesting is that there is little research on what specific sounds are pleasant and what sounds are distracting. I would like to find a fountain manufacturer who would be interested in participating in a research study. I have talked with environmental psychologists who are interested in conducting the study. This would go a long way in moving beyond the anecdotal findings that we have to date.
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Design For Generations, LLC
Jack Carman F.A.S.L.A.
92 Tallowood Drive
Medford NJ 08055
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jack@designforgenerations.com
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