Therapeutic Horticulture…cultivate wellness

Therapeutic Horticulture is a process of using plants and garden-based activities to promote physical, emotional and social wellbeing for people of all ages and abilities.

Growing Together Program

The Soil to Supper “Growing Together” Program provides garden-based activities that brings joy, builds social connections and grows fresh food.

The garden-based program is provided for aged care homes, in-home care and community organisations and guides and supports participants to follow gardening methods in a safe setting to enhance overall health and wellbeing. 

Program information here

Therapeutic Horticulture Training

We provide in-house training for staff to learn gardening methods and develop programs within aged care homes.

Please contact Cath for more information.

Contact Cath

Onsite Consultation

Our Onsite Consultation service guides and supports organisations to establish safe and practical garden areas to deliver gardening programs to residents and clients.

This service includes a review of your existing gardens and includes recommendations for new garden areas, updating existing gardens, growing fresh food onsite and other suggestions for a thriving garden suitable for all abilities.

Consultation information here

Testimonials

The benefits of Cath Manuel’s therapeutic gardening groups can be seen on the faces of our residents who attend her weekly sessions in our Memory Support Unit.

Living with dementia can make daily activities challenging and frustrating, so it is beautiful to watch the group laughing and interacting together, reminiscing about gardens they have tended to in the past. For many of them, the feel of the soil between their fingers has unlocked gardening skills that have remained hidden in recent years.

To have seedlings to care for and gardens to water has provided a purpose for them again. The feedback from staff and relatives has been incredibly positive

Find out more about our program at NoosaCare HERE.

Group Care Manager, NoosaCare Inc

Our residents are enjoying the weekly gardening group at The Club Palmwoods and look forward to Cath’s fun, interactive visits!

Sundale, Palmwoods

I look forward to Soil to Supper gardening sessions with Cath being outside in the garden helps my physical and mental wellbeing.

I enjoy sowing seeds, propagating, planting seedlings, watering, watching them grow, mulching, keeping the compost going. It’s all part of the cycle of life in the garden.

MB

Therapeutic Gardening Participant

Therapeutic gardening program a veritable lifesaver…

There is no doubt in my mind that Cath Manuel’s Therapeutic Gardening Program has been one of the most significant positive influences on my recovery from Major Depression and General Anxiety Disorder. From the initial planning session onward, Cath uses a collaborative approach to the creation of my weekly gardening sessions. Developing the program to meet my physical, mental and emotional needs appears to come natural to Cath.

My active involvement in planning ensures that I get the maximum benefit from every gardening session. Initially I was capable of limited input to this process however with Cath’s increasing knowledge of my needs and limitations, and using her horticultural knowledge and experience, she was able to draw on my gradually returning capabilities. Over time I was more confident and increasingly able to contribute to the planning process.

I value our weekly, two-and-a-half hour gardening sessions immensely and eagerly look forward to them. The program naturally varies from week to week, depending on the seasons, vagaries of the weather and tasks needing attention.

Being such a “hands-on” activity, gardening can be exhausting and satisfying both physically and mentally… and therein lies the reason why Cath’s Therapeutic Gardening Program has been, and still is, an absolute winner and a Godsend for me…A very big thank-you Cath.

Graeme

Therapeutic Gardening Participant

We support

Dementia Australia