Take deep breaths, slow down and leave your “to do” list behind. Experience the therapeutic benefits of horticulture while you think ahead with hope to the garden season. Would you like to learn about Square Foot Gardening? Come join New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill on April 20 at 10:30 am to explore this amazing approach to gardening. This unique way to garden will help you grow more in less space, costs less than traditional row planting and make gardening more accessible in many ways.
The class, led by Deborah Krause, will include an overview of the therapeutic benefits and power of horticulture and gardening to understand why and how it can be used personally, and for people of all ages and abilities. We will discuss the difference between therapeutic horticulture and horticultural therapy. You will learn about benefits including increased relaxation, decreased anxiety, stress relief, sensory stimulation, hope, improved cognitive abilities, engagement in life, connectedness, and physical exercise. It will be clear how plants and the natural world give you support and a sense of well-being when life gets overwhelmingly busy or stressful. We will spend approximately 40 minutes delving into this.
You will spend approximately 80 minutes learning about the Square-Foot Gardening method, with roots in Mel Bartholomew’s Square Foot Gardening Book. The beauty of this gardening method is how simple it is. Garden spaces are divided into grids that have individual 1’ x1’ squares. Each square is planted with a designated number of plants, depending on the plants you choose. We will learn the basics including design, planting guides, raised beds, supports, soil mix, crops and maintenance. Once your own square foot garden is established, there is minimal physical work each year, which is particularly helpful as we age. You can easily adapt each square-foot planter or structure to a width, length, depth, and height that is comfortable. It is joyous and therapeutic to grow your own food, herbs, and flowers. You will leave with a planting plan to help you with your garden. $85 NEBG members, $100 nonmembers. Register at www.nebg.org
