Taking the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture course (online) during May-July enabled me to see the “hidden” structures in gardens. Of course, the structure is always in clear view, but I haven’t attended to those details until now.
My interest has landed on restorative gardens, the characteristics in healing gardens and the therapeutic power of beauty. Here’s what holding my attention this month:
Four phases of interaction in nature (addressed in Johan Ottosson’s doctoral thesis, The Importance of Nature in Coping):
- Phase I – Inert objects
- Phase II – Plants and greenery
- Phase I + II – Nature
- Phase III – Animals
- Phase IV – People
Eight characteristics of a restorative garden (Grahn, 1991) (Stigsdotter 2015):
- Serene
- Wild
- Rich in species
- Space
- The common
- The pleasure garden
- Festive
- Culture
creative meander 