Some of our client gardeners enjoy the intricacies of plant growing, while others revel in more physically demanding activities such as digging.
The latter appeals to Reading client gardener Aaron who has recently completed a new path in the bee border.
The paving he has laid, with guidance from Thrive Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) Practitioners, has not only meant lengthy physical work for Aaron but also pushed him in other beneficial ways.
‘Aaron is rightly pleased with his work,’ said STH Practitioner Julia Smith who has been working with him. ‘He’s done a very nice job.
‘Due to lockdowns, it’s taken months to finally get to complete it, but Aaron has shown determination and resolve to get it done. More demanding tasks like this benefit Aaron’s physical health and also aid his cognitive skills, helping him to assess problems, make decisions to overcome them, boosting concentration and improving his ability to achieve goals.’
Aaron’s work is an illustration of how gardening is positive and satisfying on so many levels, providing a sense of purpose and achievement for many of our client gardeners that builds their self-esteem and confidence in other areas of life.