Gardens for health & well being 

• Public health starts with accessible greenspace and active healthy lifestyles

•  Pre diabetes is a delicate stage requiring convenient, local solutions. GSD provides cost-effective salutogenic environmental design interventions. 

• Stress and depression can be effectively prevented and managed through landscape-led interventions.

"A 10% increase in greenspace buys an equivalent 5 years life expectancy"
Source: European Environment Agency 2012 .

• We take a whole of life course, community view of health. Traditional pathogenic healthcare, where we wait to treat the sick, is too expensive. Salutogenesis relies on preventative healthcare, through lifestyle changes. We will work with you to develop landscape and urban design interventions to change lifestyles and behaviours. 
  
  

• If you want to hear more Contact Us for information on environmental design solutions to common public health issues.  We provide policy advice and consult with DHBs, carehome managers, practitioners and funders to save operational costs 

"Salutogenic research is based on identifying wellness factors that maintain and promote health, rather than investigating factors that cause disease. A new paradigm that recognises that human health is significantly related to the designed environment is needed. A “salutogenic approach” to infrastructure development embedded at the core of a public health strategy focused on preventative care, changes the focus from risk factors and the treatment of disease to wellness factors and a more holistic understanding of healthy environments. A focus on health promotion by design can be used to inspire innovative design and infrastructure solutions that facilitate an active lifestyle and enable the successful management of physical, psychological and emotional stress in our daily lives." International Academy for Design & Health

Gardens for health and well-being can be created anywhere.

From post traumatic stress disorder in adults to autistic spectrum disorder in children, healing gardens improve health and well-being

Rehab gardens designed for adaptive gardening reduce anxiety, connect people with nature, and provide a better experience for users. 

Healing gardens are sensory gardens designed for a specific group and purpose. Sight, smell, sound and water calm  and rejuvenate patients and carers in wellness or rehab gardens.

"Gardening burns off calories, it makes joints supple and is fantastic exercise. Gardening as a physical activity has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of anxiety, depression and dementia," says Sir Richard.

dementia garden - rehab garden for healthcare setting

Case study: Spinal injured

Therapeutic horticulture benefits spinal patients. We work with physiotherapy and occupational therapy teams to develop cost effective, stimulating, accessible spinal rehab garden designs where patients are motivated to grow vegetables and flowers, de-stress, get some fresh air or just admire the view. Surfacing, sight lines, ramps and curves stimulate walker and wheelchair users to perfect new skills.

Low-cost and low maintenance designs for social and therapeutic rehab gardens make them accessible for most budgets. Low maintenance gardens designs need minimal upkeep and reduce maintenance costs. 

Case study: Stroke and dementia gardens

dementia sensory garden opens

We design rehab gardens for stroke and dementia patients. Certain edible plants are powerful triggers for deep memory. 

On picking a leaf and tasting fresh basil a woman said
" Oooh, I can see myself. I am in the cafe eating ciabatta. That must have been 20 years ago". 
Contact us for more information on how we can help you

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