Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
As expected, the daffodils are exploding at @annsplaceinc. The display adjacent to the back parking lot will be in full flower for the next few weeks and the other large expanse in the back should catch up next week. Come by for a visit, smell the flowers and watch our garden explode with life.
Juana is standing above the labyrinth at Ann’s Place where we have over 7,000 daffodils (Narcissus) about to burst out in bloom. At Ann’s Place, Danbury, CT, there are over 15,000 bulbs planted in a variety of spots. Starting next week it should be spectacular. Come and take a look and enjoy the beauty and […]
Last week I received a request from my publisher from a fellow named Scott requesting an autographed copy of my book, A Therapist’s Garden, as a gift. I agreed to contact Scott and discovered from him and a @gofundme account (whose page is reproduced here) that he is diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. He […]
Many of my clients at Ann’s Place miss out on the tapestry of the facility’s Winter garden. From the parking lot, the back yard and adjoining wetlands is lovely and peaceful. Walking around the property clockwise from the front door, the winterthur viburnum (Viburnum nudum) is still full of fruit, one of the last bushes […]
Two days ago the annual Summer Solstice celebration was held at @annsplaceinc. I delayed it for a day because of weather and we were rewarded with a near perfect day. Because of the day change I lost a few clients but the ones who came had a fabulous time. With this celebration, I chat with […]
Last week’s horticultural therapy class on hanging herb baskets at @annsplaceinc went exceeding well with 23 clients signed up both on-site and remotely. The remote option is great for some clients going though cancer treatments who have the will but not the physical strength to make the trek to our center. I am happy to […]
The morning is a rough one for Shannon. A water pipe just burst in the basement and a storage room filled with client records is awash with water. She is stoic in going through dozens of boxes but I can tell she needs a break. “Come on, Shannon. You need some horticultural therapy,” I say […]
When Covid hit nearly a year ago and Juana and I hunkered down, part of that exercise was to cancel my horticultural therapy classes at Ann’s Place. By early summer, however, I opened sessions that were socially distanced outside to a small number of clients. After the typical hiccups of any new setup, the classes […]
As tomorrow is the Fall equinox, I thought that a scavenger hunt at Ann’s Place would be a great way to celebrate the changing season. I have put together a slideshow with the rules and the objects that people should search for in the different gardens and around the exterior of Ann’s Place. My ‘Where’s […]
For the last decade, Ann’s Place has celebrated the summer solstice with a tour of the gardens, seasonal readings and a locally sourced supper or afternoon tea. Unfortunately, this has not been possible this year. This was a double disappointment for me as I had planned to open my gardens to the Ann’s Place clients […]