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I suspect that most of the readers of this fall newsletter are as tired of the hot and humid weather as those of us who maintain the Wilmot Botanical Gardens. The excessive rainfall in August and now continuing into September has presented a major challenge to accomplish even the most…
By the time you read this we will have just started our therapeutic horticulture programming for the fall. This semester we will be working with three groups of UF students with stress, anxiety, loneliness, and/or depression, individuals with Parkinson’s and their care partners, young adults with developmental disabilities, patients from…
How can relaxation, self-esteem, and well-being be maintained or enhanced in aging populations to maximize quality of life? The good news is there is enough empirical evidence to support the test of the hypothesis that engaging in nature-based activities can provide positive psychological and physical benefits to elder populations. The…
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Wilmot Botanical Gardens is pleased to announce the release of the 2024 Fall Plant Sale pre-order! We are offering a nice variety of azaleas, native rhododendrons, grasses, shrubs, trees and camellias for pre-order. We look forward to receiving your order soon! We will accept pre-orders NOW, August 30th, through October…
Mrs. Wilmot & Roy James Jr. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Wilmot Botanical Gardens (1954-2024) and it is also the 10th anniversary of the opening of our greenhouse. Figure 1 was taken of Mrs. Wilmot and her son, Roy James, Jr., both of whom are standing beside…
Forest bathing and gardening are suspected of facilitating exposure to environmental volatile organic compounds of biogenic origin and/or the soil microbiome, which may potentially contribute to the therapeutic health benefits of such activities. However, available empirical evidence relating to the underlying putative therapeutic agents’ identity and mode of action is…
Thanks to a grant we received from the LoveIVLawrence Foundation in 2020 and again in 2021, we were able to launch a therapeutic horticulture program specifically for students at the University of Florida who struggle with stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. I described this program in a previous…
Over the past year I have been part of a team that has created and launched the Therapeutic Horticulture Activity Database (THAD), a great resource for horticultural therapists, allied professionals, and anyone interested in exploring activities that use horticulture in therapeutic ways. The THAD was spearheaded by Lesley Fleming,…
There is an enormous body of anecdotal commentary that engaging in activities with plants and gardening provides a number of psychological health and well-being benefits, such as less stress, anxiety, depressive symptomatology, and greater positive affect. If true, then where, and how do many of the ballyhooed well-being benefits actually…
