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The National Gardens Scheme commissioned The King’s Fund to write an independent report on the benefits of gardens and gardening on health.
The report has three aims:
- to collate and summarise the evidence on the impact of gardens on wellbeing across the life-course, from childhood through family life and into older age
- to demonstrate the important place gardening interventions have in the wider health and care system with a focus on four specific areas: social prescribing; community gardens; dementia care; end-of-life care
- to make the case for the further integration of gardens and health into mainstream health policy and practice.
The report includes a ‘menu’ of recommendations that aims to encourage the NHS, government departments, national bodies, local government, health and wellbeing boards and clinical commissioning groups to make more of the diverse health benefits of gardening in support of their priorities.
Comments
Hi Caroline,
That's a really lovely idea! If you're looking for some organisations to support you in getting this idea off the ground, this report was commissioned by the National Gardens Scheme, so they could be a good place to start: https://www.ngs.org.uk/. Also, the RHS has created a series of 'feel-good gardens' which could be a handy point of reference (https://www.woodblocx.co.uk/blog/the-new-health-and-wellbeing-garden-at…, http://press.rhs.org.uk/RHS-Gardens/Press-releases/New-Wellbeing-Garden…) so if may be worth getting in touch with someone there. Finally, we did some work on enhancing healthy environments (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/enhancing-healing-environment) which was picked up by the Association for Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester (https://www.worcester.ac.uk/about/academic-schools/school-of-allied-hea…), which may also be of interest. I do hope this is helpful! Best wishes, Becca (Digital Communications Assistant)
We have a large part of garden space where we would love to provide/offer opportunities for people to participate in the joy of being outside, growing, harvesting and all that is involved in outdoor activities for well being
Dear Ed, I found this article whilst researching a project that I am working on which involves designing for hospitals using biophilic design for well- being and mental health benefits. I wondered if we could talk about this a bit more. I would be most grateful for your input and experience. Many thanks Sue
ll entitled to live a life of dignity. Just my thoughts, thanks. Rachel. #
Apart from working with people with disabilities and gardening, we supported a number of large scale gardening schemes in NHS hospitals involving people with mental health problems and learning disabilities. There were many passionate advocates of gardening for health in the widest sense, some in the NHS and others in social care and the third sector, but we operated from the point of view of common sense rather than any objective research evidence.
It's great to have that evidence now, and it's not too late to promote gardening and horticulture for all the benefits that they undoubtedly provide! The current take on gardening and social prescribing is a particularly welcome approach.
Ed Macalister-Smith, CEO retd
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