Our desire is to create an environment that will offer a safe, nurturing place to benefit at risk youth, individuals with disabilities and students of all ages through healing of the body, mind and soul. Our first stage of development will utilize Horticultural therapy. Our plan is to construct a hydro-ponic garden, where individuals can take part in planting and caring for the garden. Plus, they will enjoy the fruits of their labor at time of harvest. Learning how to grow fresh organic fruits and vegetables in a small country or urban area. The therapeutic benefits of gardens have been documented since ancient times. Horticultural therapy techniques are employed to assist participants to learn new skills or regain those that are lost. Horticultural therapy helps improve memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills and socialization. It not only rehabilitates the body by strengthening muscles and improving coordination, balance and endurance but it also helps the mind by exercising independence, problem solving, following directions and working together as a group toward a goal. The American Horticultural Therapy Assocation writes: “A therapeutic garden is a plan-dominated environment purposefully designed to facilitate interaction with the healing elements of nature. Interactions can be passive or active.”
Our garden will be organic utilizing non-gmo seeds, planted in gardens of rock and clay. Individuals will have the opportunity to feed the fish which will be swimming under our gardens. These fish provide the necessary nutrients for the growing garden and as the water is pumped from the fish to our planters, the plants and rocks provide a natural filter and the water is carried back to the fish. Our heart in this first stage is to create a safe space for individuals to come, be nurtured and encouraged to grow individually and collectively.
