The Well Gardened Mind

Federal Twist is set on a ridge above the Delaware River in western New Jersey. It is a naturalistic garden that has loose boundaries and integrates closely with the natural world that surrounds it. It has no utilitarian or leisure uses (no play areas, swimming pools, or outdoor dining) and the site is not an obvious choice for a garden (heavy clay soil, poorly drained: quick death for any plants not ecologically suited to it). The physical garden, its plants and its features, is of course an appealing and pleasant place to be but Federal Twist's real charm and significance lie in its intangible aspects: its changing qualities and views, the moods and emotions it evokes, and its distinctive character and sense of place. This book charts the author's journey in making such a garden. How he made a conscious decision not to "improve the land", planted large, competitive plants into rough grass, experimented with seeding to develop sustainable plant communities. And how he worked with light to provoke certain moods and allowed the energy of the place, chance, and randomness to have its say. Part experimental horticulturist and part philosopher, James Golden has written an important book for naturalistic and ecological gardeners and anyone interested in exploring the relationship between gardens, nature, and ourselves.

An exciting and refreshing call to arms, The Planthunter is a new generation of gardening book for a new generation of gardener that encourages readers to fall in love with the natural world by falling in love with plants.

Widely accepted treatment methods using horticulture as a therapeutic modality Through the years, horticultural therapy (HT) has evolved from its use only by volunteer gardeners to become a recognized and respected therapeutic modality conducted by trained, registered professionals. Horticultural Therapy Methods: Making Connections in Health Care, Human Service, and Community Programs details the basics of the growing, time-proven practice of therapy through gardening. Experienced practitioners and educators discuss horticultural therapy theory, application, and the impressive positive impact it has on clients. Beginners are educated on key issues and given the tools needed to effectively treat clients. Horticultural therapy uses widely accepted treatment methods in a calming, creative program framework. Horticultural Therapy Methods challenges pre-conceived notions of the value of this treatment by describing the processes, techniques for practice, and the rationale for their use. This manual not only can be used as a reference and a guide for students but can also be used by educators and those conducting horticultural therapy to help construct effective treatment programs. Health care and human service professionals will find this resource a powerful ally in the therapy, treatment, and education of inmates, residents, patients, trainees, and students. Horticultural Therapy Methods is a clear helpful manual that explains: the types of programs, settings, and goals the process of treatment planning developing sessions—including activity or task selections to meet treatment objectives motivation and behavior management techniques documentation guidelines three types of HT programs resources for HT activity ideas practical approaches for mental health Horticultural Therapy Methods is a valuable addition to the literature and is crucial for all levels of horticultural therapists, occupational therapists, therapeutic recreational specialists, social workers, special educators, community horticulture leaders, horticulturists, mental health professionals of all types, and students.

A timeless gardening classic by Christopher Lloyd, one of Britain's most highly respected plantsmen, updated for the 21st century. With a new foreword by Anna Pavord. This is a classic work by a gardener who combines a passionate love of his subject with a critical intelligence and a good helping of wit. THE WELL-TEMPERED GARDEN is packed with the sort of information keen gardeners crave - from planting, weeding and the pleasures of propagation to annuals, water lilies and vegetables. Hailed as a masterpiece when it was first published, THE WELL-TEMPERED GARDEN is as fresh, enlightening and necessary for gardeners in the 21st century as it was when it first appeared more than 40 years ago.

The instant New York Times bestseller | A Washington Post Notable Book | One of NPR's Best Books of the Year “Expert storytelling . . . [Pollan] masterfully elevates a series of big questions about drugs, plants and humans that are likely to leave readers thinking in new ways.” —New York Times Book Review From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Pollan, a radical challenge to how we think about drugs, and an exploration into the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants—and the equally powerful taboos. Of all the things humans rely on plants for—sustenance, beauty, medicine, fragrance, flavor, fiber—surely the most curious is our use of them to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities of our mental experience. Take coffee and tea: People around the world rely on caffeine to sharpen their minds. But we do not usually think of caffeine as a drug, or our daily use as an addiction, because it is legal and socially acceptable. So, then, what is a “drug”? And why, for example, is making tea from the leaves of a tea plant acceptable, but making tea from a seed head of an opium poppy a federal crime? In This Is Your Mind on Plants, Michael Pollan dives deep into three plant drugs—opium, caffeine, and mescaline—and throws the fundamental strangeness, and arbitrariness, of our thinking about them into sharp relief. Exploring and participating in the cultures that have grown up around these drugs while consuming (or, in the case of caffeine, trying not to consume) them, Pollan reckons with the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants. Why do we go to such great lengths to seek these shifts in consciousness, and then why do we fence that universal desire with laws and customs and fraught feelings? In this unique blend of history, science, and memoir, as well as participatory journalism, Pollan examines and experiences these plants from several very different angles and contexts, and shines a fresh light on a subject that is all too often treated reductively—as a drug, whether licit or illicit. But that is one of the least interesting things you can say about these plants, Pollan shows, for when we take them into our bodies and let them change our minds, we are engaging with nature in one of the most profound ways we can. Based in part on an essay published almost twenty-five years ago, this groundbreaking and singular consideration of psychoactive plants, and our attraction to them through time, holds up a mirror to our fundamental human needs and aspirations, the operations of our minds, and our entanglement with the natural world.

Discover the joys and health-giving benefits of nurturing a garden We have long been aware of the positive effects of spending time in nature and how it can be a powerful antidote to the stresses of modern life. Science now tells us that cultivating a green space of our own can be restorative and even transformative for our physical and mental well-being, with a proven ability to reduce depression and anxiety, boost our happiness levels and provide a feeling of balance and calm. Gardening for Mind, Body and Soul will help you: Explore which plants release scents to help uplift and soothe. Discover the ways gardening can boost physical and mental well-being, and promote feelings of balance and calm. Learn about birdsong and how it can boost happiness and creativity. Experience the wonders of growing plants from seeds, and how it teaches us to slow down and appreciate the simple things.

Why do so many people love gardening? What does your garden say about you? What is guerrilla gardening? The Psychology of Gardening delves into the huge benefits that gardening can have on our health and emotional well-being, and how this could impact on the entire public health of a country. It also explores what our gardens can tell us about our personalities, how we can link gardening to mindfulness and restoration, and what motivates someone to become a professional gardener. With gardening being an ever popular pastime, The Psychology of Gardening provides a fascinating insight into our relationships with our gardens.

The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy is a comprehensive guide to the theories that horticultural therapists use as a foundation for their practice and provides wide-ranging illustrative models of programming. This book aims to enhance understanding and provide insight into the profession for both new and experienced practitioners. It is directed to students in the field, along with health care and human service professionals, to successfully develop and manage horticultural therapy programming. The book is organized into four sections: an overview of the horticultural therapy profession, theories supporting horticultural therapy use, models for programs, and tools for the therapist. Areas of focus include: Overview of the profession, including the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to practice Discussion of related people-plant endeavors and theories supporting horticultural therapy Issues within the profession of horticultural therapy, including employment models, professionalism and ethics, and credentials Characteristics and implementation of therapeutic, vocational, and wellness program models Accommodations and adaptive techniques to best serve the needs of all participants Strategies for assessment and documentation for horticultural therapy intervention Issues for managing programs including how horticultural therapy programs collaborate with other disciplines, determining program costs and budget, managing staff and growing spaces, and conducting program evaluations Horticultural therapy serves the needs of the whole individual when practitioners have a broad and deep comprehension of the theories, techniques, and strategies for effective program development and management. The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy provides relevant and current information on the field with the intent to inspire best practices and creative, effective programs.