SABI Magazine SABI Magazine June July 2017 | Page 14

Therapeutic Gardens
Plant panaceas
Body, mind and soul
In Australia’s
healing gardens
G
ardens feed the body, mind and soul –
and the healing power of gardens and
gardening is, not surprisingly, taking off
formally as vital in many areas of therapy.
Joanne Aquilina, founder and
former CEO of Therapeutic
Gardens Australia and also CEO
at the LNA Master Landscapers’
Association recently chatted
to SABI magazine about her
innovative consulting firm’s focus
and profound work in the field of
healing gardens.
Joanne tells us that there is
excellent reason for the rise
of therapeutic gardens in the
healing spectrum.
“Some of the research to date
demonstrates that even simply
gazing at nature through a
window or taking a stroll through
nature can heal the speed of
recovery from surgery and
aid recovery times. It is likely
that the reason for this is that
interacting with nature boosts our
immune system. “
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“Therapeutic
gardens
have
positive impacts across a vast
range of conditions and the
goal is to allow for regular
interaction with nature to achieve
maximum
health
benefits,
physical and mental - and to
create an appropriate space to
conduct a range of therapies with
specific desired results unique to
the individual.”
Interestingly gardens as a
resource for health fell out of
favour in the 20th century,
in favour of drug-based and
surgical western medicine.
“The reality is that both of these
approaches can be beneficial
and work together hand in hand.
A holistic approach is probably
the most desirable approach.
Human beings need to interact
with nature and have evolved in
natural environments.”