Growing a healing garden at UWI

The HSU recently initiated a student Health & Wellness Programme to complement the range of medical and mental health services available to the students, staff and faculty. All our services are free to students at UWI.

The Health and Wellness Programme is an initiative to promote the holistic health of the campus community. According to the research data, the presence of plants in the home and workplace significantly contributes to overall physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

In fact, multiple studies have reported stress reduction as a perceived benefit of contact with nature. It is clear that contact with nature has been shown to have a profound positive effect on various aspects of physical and mental health. Some researchers have identified specific relationships between contact with nature to decrease anxiety and alleviate depression.

At HSU, we are interested in fostering a healthier clinical environment by creating a healing garden with an assortment of herbs, medicinal plants and flowers, in front of the medical clinic. In July 2016, the HSU Therapeutic Garden Project received the support and commitment from Wilma Charles, president, Eastern Horticultural Club and its membership to “grow a healing garden at HSU”.

A healing garden is an age-old practice that promotes the purposeful interaction between people and the use of plants to improve social, emotional, psychological and physical well-being.

The term healing gardens is most often applied to green spaces in healthcare settings that are designed specifically to improve health outcomes.

What makes a garden therapeutic? Whereas a therapeutic garden is a plant-dominated environment designed for specific groups with special needs to facilitate interaction with the healing properties of nature. A healing garden is specifically designed to address the diversity of applications, and population with multiple needs within healthcare facilities.

Basically, a healing garden will incorporate features which include a sensory-oriented plant selection focused on colour, texture, fragrance, sound and will be accessible for everyone. The HSU healing garden will promote: • Stress reduction • Improved moods • An overall sense of wellbeing • Healthy lifestyles by shaping diet and exercise preferences The goal of the Healing Garden Project is to create a place of refuge and promote a sense of wellbeing among the UWI campus community.

The garden will be an open and welcoming space that encourages students to enjoy the restorative power of nature while studying on the planned picnic tables and benches. The HSU has involved a few student groups in the planting phase of the garden and its maintenance.

By utilizing the expertise and technical support from the Eastern Horticulture Club membership, HSU will be creating an outdoor space where students will take part in organic growing, learn about environmental sustainability, and create a stronger connection to the soil and soul of gardening.

As the Healing Garden Project moves forward into the final phase, we would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the support and donations received from several sponsors including:
• Coastal Dynamics Limited

• Republic Bank Ltd.

• The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries(Horticultural Services Division)

• Penta Paints Caribbean Limited • Lionel Seucharan, Tropi Mulch Ltd.

• Francis Jones, Outdoor Concepts – Decorative Pots
• Plants Phase 1&2 - members of the Eastern Horticultural Club
• Charmaine O’Brien - Delpesh
• Dr Hollis Charles
• Prof Emeritus Clement Imbert
• Dr Trevor Townsend
• Thomas Wallace – Wooden Bench
• Kerwyn’s Exotic Plants & Landscaping
• Kevon & Lisa - Livon’s Plant Shop
Please help us grow our HSU Healing Garden and contact the Eastern Horticulture Club to make a donation.

For further information contact the Eastern horticultural Club at 357-5033, 764-9125 or 720-2698 or easternhorticulturalclub@ hotmail.com. The club meets on the first Saturday of every month (except public holidays) at 3 pm at Moreton Hall, Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, Cochrane Street, Tunapuna.