For the past year and a half, I have been involved in the founding of the Florida Horticulture for Health Network (FLHHN). The mission of the network is to “support horticulture for health initiatives in Florida and beyond through networking, knowledge exchange, and capacity building. We believe that horticulture and nature…
Beginning gardeners are often convinced that they are only good at killing plants. Once upon a time they bought a pretty little plant in a fit of optimistic impulsiveness so they could have something beautiful, so they could feel accomplished and good at something. And then their plant died. They…
Many have suggested that digging in the dirt and gardening stir up the microbes that live there, which can influence how we feel. Therefore, part of the therapeutic benefits of gardening may indeed come from contact with some of the metabolic products or actual members of the soil microbiome (the…
Incorporating a water garden into your landscape provides many benefits including enhanced aesthetic appeal and interest generated by the colorful and unique aquatic plants which create a focal point in any garden. Likewise, inclusion of a waterfall feature provides the soothing sound of cascading water resulting in feelings of harmony…
Fig. 1 Labor Day is now behind us and at the gardens that means we must begin in earnest to prepare for our annual fall plant sale. This year the sale will take place on Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th. Our online pre-sale offerings will begin on September…
The use of nature and plants as a form of therapy is practiced all around the world. The term “horto-therapy” was first used by Richardson Wright in 1945 while the term “horticultural therapy” was introduced by Ruth Mosher in 1948 (Olszowy, 1978). Horticultural therapy as a profession is said to…
A garden visitor recently asked what plants hummingbirds like. Hummingbirds often visit our firebush, Amistad salvia, and hibiscus. Those can be found in our Lifestyle Track garden, located east of the greenhouse at Wilmot Botanical Gardens. About four years ago, we planted a pollinator garden on the east side of…
This is one of the most influential papers that I have seen in a long time on the topic of gardening and health by Yang and colleagues1. This study, published in June 2022, was conducted in Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic and aimed to determine whether engaging in outdoor gardening…
Early last fall I wrote about one of our new therapeutic horticulture programs at WBG; this one for UF students with stress and anxiety. We received a grant from the Love IV Lawrence Foundation that enabled us to create this program and based on reports on mental health concerns…
When the summer begins in Gainesville, many of our students go home for the summer break. The town empties out, and everything quiets down for a few months. But the garden is still growing and there are many tasks to accomplish. Thankfully, we have a good roster of volunteers, an…
