A website from UGA Cooperative Extension

by Laura Vaccaro, Fulton County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer trainee

This article is part of Garden Buzz, a series from Appen Media and the North Fulton Master Gardeners, where rotating columnists explore horticulture topics like herbs, insects, and wildlife conservation. Find all Garden Buzz articles here.

Whether caring for a houseplant, arranging flowers or pruning rose bushes to prepare them for the coming spring, numerous studies have shown that gardening is healthy for the body, mind and spirit. 

An abundance of scientific research correlates gardening with improved physical fitness, reduced cortisol levels, a greater sense of well-being and stronger connection with community.  

Two women planting seeds and arranging flower bouquets
Two women planting seeds and arranging flower bouquets. TRELLIS HORTICULTURAL THERAPY ALLIANCE/PROVIDED

In her article, “The Spiritual Practice of Gardening,” Gretchen Champoux, a psychotherapist and ordained minister, points out that gardening requires the same traits as many spiritual practices do, such as patience, attentiveness, diligence and self-control, and in turn, helps us to cultivate qualities that draw us closer to the divine, like mindfulness, creativity and curiosity. 

Whether people are suffering loss, illness, victimization from a violent crime, or a history of childhood abuse, in my work as a trauma therapist I have observed that they often feel alone and disconnected from themselves and the world around them. It’s no wonder that the calm greenery of a garden can be so healing!

The garden as a place of refuge

Traumatic events cause people to feel vulnerable and unsafe in the world, and the garden can provide a place of “refuge,” where one can begin to experience safety. Spending time in a garden naturally brings about a sense of belonging to the natural world and develops the ability to feel “grounded” from within. In this place of stillness and beauty surrounded by nature, there is nothing to prove. The plants are wonderful companions who don’t judge or criticize us. They can help us to gain trust in our environment and begin to find our inner strength again.

Gardening restores our ability to live in the present moment

Traumatic events can keep our nervous system locked in states of fight, flight and freeze responses. Experiencing events that we are unprepared for overwhelms our nervous system and makes it impossible to enjoy life. Gardening tasks require our focused attention and naturally bring us into the present moment. Engaging in moderate physical exercise in the tranquility of surrounding nature stimulates the senses and calms the mind. Activities like planting seeds, raking leaves, weeding, admiring the beauty of flowers and harvesting vegetables brings our attention to the present. Enjoying the fruits of one’s labor is deeply satisfying and produces a sense of well-being.

The resilience of plants heals despair and inspires us to live

Caring for a plant allows us to nurture something when we feel incapable of nurturing ourselves. It gives us hope, especially when we see the growth that we have helped to create. Plants want to live, and their resilience is inspiring. My mom recently shared with me that after her divorce, she didn’t know how to keep living, and sometimes didn’t want to. However, one spring morning while standing out in her garden, the sight of emerging daffodils touched something deep within her, and a small voice inside whispered, “if they can come back, so can I.” 

Proud man with his flower arrangement.
A proud man with his flower arrangement. TRELLIS HORTICULTURAL THERAPY ALLIANCE/PROVIDED

Horticulture therapy is a time-proven practice with therapeutic benefits that are well-documented. Below are three horticulture therapy programs that work with specific populations in our area. 

  • Trellis Horticultural Therapy Alliance in Decatur uses the power of gardening and nature to enrich the lives of people living with disabilities. Primarily, they serve adults 18 years and older diagnosed with spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. However they also provide services for war veterans and the incarcerated.  
  • Hillside Horticultural Therapy program is located in Atlanta. They work with children and adolescents, ages 11-17 who struggle with mental health challenges, and are unable to function in regular home/community settings.  Activities such as planting gardens, making compost, raising butterflies and feeding birds benefit students’ physical, emotional, intellectual and social development.  
  • A.G. Rhodes offers horticulture therapy to seniors and has centers in Atlanta, Marietta and Wesley Woods. Their website describes the numerous therapeutic benefits that gardening activities provide to older adults. These benefits include increased opportunities for sensory stimulation, help with reaching, standing and balancing and improved cognitive functioning. In addition, group gardening helps seniors to combat isolation and depression.

Happy Gardening!


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About the Author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Master Gardener intern Laura Vaccaro, a native New Yorker who discovered a passion for gardening four years ago when she moved to Roswell with her husband and bought a home. She enjoys flower and vegetable gardening, meditating, cycling and travel. Laura looks forward to volunteering with the Fulton County UGA Extension service. In addition, Laura is a licensed psychotherapist and recently became a Kripalu Mindfulness Outdoor Guide.

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