Therapeutic horticulture helps people to improve their wellbeing by gardening and around 500 groups across Scotland are connected by a charity called Trellis.
Emma Martindale is the Training and Standards Officer at Trellis and has qualifications in Ecology, Social Work and Horticulture. She also runs Nature on the Mind, which helps people improve wellbeing through gardening and provides a wildlife-friendly garden care and consultancy service.
Emma said “I enjoy the variety that comes with working as a Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner, being guided by the needs of individuals, the seasons, and what is growing that week. Everyone can benefit from time outdoors, in gardens, and connecting with plants, even indoors, and it is a privilege to be able to support dedicated staff in teaching, charities, care homes and hospitals, who see the difference in people they are working with.
I am currently running groups for children with additional support needs. At times they struggle with the traditional classroom environment, but thrive outdoors where they can move their bodies, connect with nature and wildlife, and feel the restorative benefits of outdoor spaces. My hope is that more and more people who do not have equal access to nature and gardens can experience these benefits, and high quality Therapeutic Horticulture will be available to everyone".