News & Milestones
Under the Glass: News from the Greenhouse
Nov 7th, 2019
Happy (hot) Fall! This has been an extremely extended summer season for us Floridians, and also for our plants. The greenhouse is just starting to cool down and I can […]
From the Director’s Desk: Thoughts of a Weed Puller
Nov 7th, 2019
Volunteers continue to play a major role in the maintenance and enhancement of the Wilmot Botanical Gardens. I am reminded of this fact each fall when classes resume at UF […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Meredith Schoppe
Nov 7th, 2019
Meredith Schoppe originally became interested in volunteering in the Therapeutic Horticulture Program at Wilmot Botanical Gardens during her junior year of studies at the University of Florida. As an undergraduate […]
Human Health & Plants Research: Urban Nature Experiences Lower Physiological Indicators of Stress
Nov 7th, 2019
There is increasing evidence that both an active or passive nature experience (NE) can reduce psychological stress (PS), and provide other psychosocial therapeutic benefits. Yet how best to define and […]
Human Health & Plants Research: Can Gardening Improve Your Cognitive Functions and Memory?
Aug 30th, 2019
The therapeutic benefits of gardening on cognition have been suggested in several studies across a range of populations including the elderly and those displaying cognitive impairments. Given that gardening appears […]
Under the Glass: News from the Greenhouse
Aug 30th, 2019
It’s been a pretty quiet summer at the therapeutic horticulture greenhouse – because of the uncomfortable heat and humidity we take a summer hiatus from therapeutic horticulture activities. Most of […]
From the Director’s Desk: Thoughts of a Weed Puller
Aug 30th, 2019
Excitement is building on the UF campus as we begin the new academic year. Some ongoing as well as new initiatives to enhance the Wilmot Botanical Gardens will also commence […]
Human Health and Plants Research: Might Residential Greenness During Childhood Lower Risk of Psychiatric Disorders?
Jun 4th, 2019
Researchers in Denmark wanted to know if the amount of greenery surrounding residences from the time of birth to age ten would influence the relative risk of the onset of […]
From the Director’s Desk: Thoughts of a Weed Puller
Jun 4th, 2019
The 2018-2019 academic year at UF will have drawn to a close by the time you receive this newsletter. What follows is a brief report describing many of the activities […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Sydney Byers
Feb 18th, 2019
Sydney Byers is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida currently studying psychology on the pre-med educational track. On course to graduate in December, Sydney has been an active volunteer in the […]
Human Health & Plants Research: Lifestyle, Gardening, and Dementia
Feb 18th, 2019
Dementia has been estimated to afflict about six million in the United States in 2018 and is projected to increase to 14 million by 2050. Worldwide, the economic cost of […]
From the Director’s Desk: Thoughts of a Weed Puller
Feb 18th, 2019
In our May 2018 quarterly newsletter I announced that the University of Florida had made arrangements to acquire approximately 680 camellias from the former Gordy family garden located a short […]
Under the Glass: News from the Greenhouse
Feb 18th, 2019
Greetings from the Greenhouse! Our spring programming is off to a great start, and we are happy to welcome a new group to the therapeutic horticulture program. This semester we […]
Human Health & Plants Research: Horticultural Therapy and Middle-aged Women’s Depression, Anxiety and Self-Identity
Nov 8th, 2018
There is a growing awareness that middle-aged women disproportionately experience depression and anxiety. In South Korea, the occurrence of patients with depression increased by 12 percent from 2011 to 2015, […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Kathleen Violet Grey
Nov 8th, 2018
In 2014, Kathleen Violet Grey and her husband, Michael Hitchcock, were visiting the UF Health Cancer Center for an appointment when they noticed an advertisement for a cancer patient program […]
Under the Glass: News from the Greenhouse
Nov 8th, 2018
The cool weather is rolling into town and the greenhouse is finally becoming a pleasant place to work! Our extended summer has tested the tenacity of both people and plants, […]
From the Director’s Desk: Thoughts of a Weed Puller
Nov 8th, 2018
What is in a name? Over the past 66 years the Wilmot Gardens has been in existence, it has gone through several name changes. When it was planned originally in […]
ASD Program Update: Two Participants Pass the Certified Horticulture Professional Exam
Aug 1st, 2018
Wilmot Gardens is proud to announce that two young scholars who completed the first cycle of the of ASD Job Skills Training Program at Wilmot Gardens, Amy Puccio and Eric […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Monica Marrocco
Aug 1st, 2018
In the summer of 2017, Monica Marrocco, then a sophomore at the University of Florida, was asked by a friend what she wanted to do with her life. Like many […]
Human Health & Plants Research:
Can Plants Help Reduce Stress of Children in Elementary School?
Aug 1st, 2018
Suppose engaging in activities with plants for less than one hour once a week could reduce stress and stress hormone levels in troubled elementary school children. It would be utterly […]
From the Director’s Desk:
Thoughts of a Weed Puller
Aug 1st, 2018
Most of my past messages have addressed activities and events within the gardens, largely after the fact. In this quarterly newsletter, I will draw your attention to a very severe […]
From the Director’s Desk: Thoughts of a Weed Puller
May 1st, 2018
In this issue of our quarterly newsletter, I am pleased to share with you some very exciting news. Arrangements have now been completed for the University of Florida to acquire […]
Under the Glass: News from the Greenhouse
May 1st, 2018
Our spring plant sale was a tremendous success and I have to credit that in large part to the outstanding work our many program groups contributed. Each of our therapeutic […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Erin Alvarez
May 1st, 2018
Native Floridian Erin Alvarez comes from a multi-generational family of gardeners. She describes her relationship with nature as starting “at birth” and has been gardening with her family for as […]
Human Health & Plants Research:
Horticultural Therapy and Schizophrenia
May 1st, 2018
A newly published study in 2018 reported that horticultural therapy (HT) resulted in improvement of the psychopathological status of patients with chronic schizophrenia. A total of 28 schizophrenia patients were […]