Exploring emotional wellbeing & health through the garden

Join us for this in person course at the Walled Garden Nursery in Mells where we will be running a nine week course to share our learning, inspiration and ideas around well-being. Each week we will explore the theory around emotional wellbeing and use nature based activities and therapeutic horticulture to put those ideas into practice.

The Walled Garden Nursery is a ½ acre site within an ancient walled garden that works with local community groups to develop programmes that improves the health and well being of those that are isolated and lonely.

We are running this face to face course on a Monday morning starting April 12th in collaboration with the NHS Relational Recovery Network. Each week will have a short amount of theory on a new topic to build up your wellbeing toolkit, followed by a good amount of time to get your hands dirty in our lovely garden. There will also be an opportunity for reflection at the end of the session.

The course will look at mindfulness, ways to regulate emotions, ways of managing distress and learning interpersonal skills. We then use mindful gardening to help with some practical skills and support different types of learning styles. If you enjoy working with us in the garden you may want to join us as volunteer after the course.

This is the perfect course for anyone who had found a garden to be a source of comfort, no experience necessary. The course is held outdoors, adhering to the latest social distancing guidelines, so come prepared for all weathers. Details will be emailed out to everyone prior to the course.

We hope that by the end of the course we have:

• encouraged you to communicate with others • encouraged team working and co-operation • helped you develop a knowledge of different plants and seeds and their different needs • improve your physical fitness • increased your self-confidence and self esteem • promoted relaxation and mindfulness through soft focus, repetitive tasks • encouraged creativity through planting plans and selecting plants • promoted self-management and responsibility by encouraging you to feel confident in your ongoing care of plants

Tutor biographies

Kitty Moorsom is a Mental Health Nurse, with a specialist interest in how we can use nature based activities and creativity to nurture our emotional wellbeing and heal from difficult and traumatic life experiences.

Emily Bradley has previously worked as an Occupational therapist, is RHS trained, and has developed a specialism in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture through Thrive.  Emily supports participants with a wide range of needs and has been working with Walled Garden Nursery since 2019 to establish targeted programmes that connect people to the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening