Healing through horticulture and connecting with nature in our community gardens.

Spring has finally arrived, and with the sun shining brightly (here in London at least), we've been reflecting on the gardens at our therapeutic communities and the amazing things growing there.

At CHT, as with other therapeutic communities, we focus on building relationships with others, ourselves, and the world around us. One way we do this is through horticultural therapy, which uses gardening to support mental wellbeing.

At Highams Lodge, where this photo of bright daffodils was taken, horticultural therapy offers residents a hands-on, supported way to connect with living things. It creates a space where residents often find it easier to open up and work through their emotions, especially when face-to-face therapy feels difficult.

Over the past year, residents took part in weekly horticultural therapy sessions led by Leah, a therapist from Thrive. They planned and chose activities together, growing plenty of vegetables and herbs like yellow zucchini, garlic, hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions, red cabbage, artichokes, thyme, coriander, rosemary, and lavender.

The harvest became part of daily life in many ways. Residents added lavender and thyme to hair conditioners, brewed thyme tea to soothe winter colds, prepared zucchini salads together, stirred parsley into tabbouleh and fish dishes, and often shared warm cups of mint and sage tea while chatting in the kitchen.

One resident shared that,

‘’Engagement in the outside has led to me sitting in the garden with friends and using herbs in cooking and making herbal teas with sage and honey.''

Residents found that homegrown food costs less than supermarket produce, that organic growing is healthier, and that food tastes better when you know you’ve nurtured it yourself. This sparked a real sense of pride and accomplishment for many.

One resident said,

''I personally have found it so valuable. I had a garden, but I didn't garden. I'm actually working in this garden with a professional, and together we are working in harmony.'' 

Thanks to this programme, the garden has become a place of belonging and inclusion. By deciding together what to plant and when to harvest, the community has created a shared space where everyone can contribute, whether by raking leaves, weeding, mowing the lawn, or tending the flower beds.

The programme has had profound benefits on residents' wellbeing. One resident shared that gardening helped her reduce her anger. Another told us,

"[Having access to the programme] was the deciding factor for me deciding to come here, alongside the therapist. The outside space is really important to me and supports my recovery” 

As spring arrives and our gardens start to come alive again, residents and staff have also been taking time to pause and be present in nature, sharing photos of springtime in their communities. We are delighted to share some of these here.