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Gardening for health: Serge Hill welcomes Greener Practice
The scientific evidence is now clear that nurturing plants can in turn nurture us – as gardeners have always known. Harnessing this knowledge in general practice not only helps patients live healthier, more fulfilled lives, it also benefits nature and saves money.
Healing and the transformative power of nature were themes of a recent talk by Greener Practice Director Dr. Honey Smith, at the Serge Hill Project in Hertfordshire. Dr Smith was among a line-up of speakers at an event centred on gardening for health. Drawing on the classic 1911 children’s novel, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Dr Smith illustrated the patient’s journey to better health and well-being through gardening.
The event brought together like-minded people from a range of organisations, including the RHS, Sunnyside Rural Trust, Thrive, the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), Greener Practice and others, to share insights and experiences. It was chaired by Serge Hill Project co-founder Sue Stuart-Smith. Discussion focussed on how to raise awareness among health care professionals of the benefits of gardening, and ways to secure funding for it to become more widely adopted as a therapeutic tool.
Dr Smith said, ‘It was a fantastic event in the beautiful setting of Serge Hill, and wonderful to hear so many stories of hope and inspiration from engagement with plants. Just as Mary in The Secret Garden brings back to life a neglected garden, restoring her own happiness and well-being in the process, gardening can be life-changing for patients, for example those with depression or anxiety.
Greener Practice offers support and resources to help GPs with green social prescribing and our members often find it easier than they imagine to get started.’
The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health was founded by Tom and Sue Stuart-Smith. The project draws on Sue’s work as a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of the bestselling book, The Well Gardened Mind, which investigates the power of gardening to transform lives, as well as Tom’s horticultural experience as an internationally renowned landscape architect.