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What
makes a garden healing?
When restoration of the emotional, physical and spiritual well-being
of people occurs a positive outcome results—the key factor in
restoration is stress reduction. Research reveals stress reduction
occurs when people partake in movement and exercise, social
interaction, or when they experience a sense of personal control and
choice, or become distracted by nature. The garden’s role is to
provide a meaningful setting for these interactions to occur. A
well-designed, purposeful garden provides people with choices in how
they interact with the outdoor environment—perhaps it’s sitting
quietly on a bench observing wildlife, or maybe it is an exercise
focused activity, like strolling a path. The important factor is
reducing peoples’ stress.
Are all
gardens healing?
No, not every garden is designed with healing components. A healing
garden generally contains a plethora of plant material that evokes
the senses. Studies have shown that gardens predominately comprised
of hardscape, or those containing abstract art forms can actually
have detrimental consequences to the well-being of patients.
Evidence-based research supports the value of living plant material,
water, and soothing environmental features which all assist stress
reduction.
Why
should I hire a landscape architect that specializes in healing
garden design?
A registered landscape architect is qualified to design gardens and
outdoor environments. However, when it comes to specialized gardens
where the intent is improved health outcome, therapy and
rehabilitation, or environments designed specifically for people
with dementia, there are many subtle nuances that must be considered.
Hiring a landscape architect or designer with specialized education,
experience, and credentials for this kind of design increases the
likelihood of therapeutic outcomes to occur. For example, one of the
most critical elements of design in a dementia garden is the
hardscape component. A landscape architect/designer specializing in
this type of garden design will know the proper materials, width,
color, and texture recommended for pathways which increase safety
and the likelihood of use among Alzheimer’s patients.
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