hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.
To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body,
but the soul.
Institutionalized orphans spend alarming amount of time indoors, with little or no physical activity. BLOOM’s sensory gardens will stimulate the 5 basic senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and sound, while also providing the children with an opportunity to be outdoors and physically active.
Gardens make kids strong.
The sensory gardens improve physical fitness, health, mood and cognition. Gardening and plant care help children develop gross and fine motor skills. Time outdoors, breathing fresh air, and being exposed to sunlight are extremely beneficial to the children’s overall physical health.
Gardens regulate emotions.
Sensory gardens have many therapeutic benefits. They help children develop important life skills including emotional regulation and self-reliance. As children spend time in the garden, waiting patiently for a seed to sprout and a flower to bloom, they gain an understanding of time and develop the attributes of patience and persistence.
Gardens stimulate the senses.
A sensory garden creates an opportunity for the orphan children to experience textures, tastes and sounds they may otherwise not be exposed to, such as a beautiful birdsong, a velvety rose petal, a jagged rock, moist dirt, tiny seeds and large shading trees. This type of sensory stimulation is critical to healthy brain development.
Gardens benefit kids with disabilities.
Sensory gardens are particularly beneficial to children with sensory processing issues, such as autism and other disabilities. For this reason, there has been a growing trend to include sensory gardens in schools and children’s hospitals. It has also been shown to help with anxiety, fidgeting and attention disorders such as ADHD. Studies show that sensory gardens teach non-verbal children how to participate in a cooperative effort and it helps develop their non-verbal communication skills. BLOOM creates spaces that are accessible to children with all kinds of disabilities, including those who are in wheelchairs.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of orphans.
Plant the seeds of love!
To learn about BLOOM’s Magical PlayGarden Campaign, please click here.
Read through our selected links for further information:
Articles:
- Can Gardening Help Troubled Minds Heal?
- Petal Power: Why Is Gardening So Good for Our Mental Health?
- Gardening is the best medicine for the mind.
- Horticulture Therapy: Using Flowers and Plants To Help Autistic Children
- Gardening Therapy Helps Children Grow
Clinical Research Publications:
- Horticultural therapy: the ‘healing garden’ and gardening in rehabilitation measures at Danderyd Hospital Rehabilitation Clinic, Sweden
- Gardening as therapy for children with behavioral disorders.
- The Garden of Hope: Horticultural Therapy with Traumatized Children
- Horticultural Therapy Program for the Improvement of Attention and Sociality in Children with Intellectual Disabilities
- Horticulture therapy interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Creation and evaluation of a manual for group treatmentG