By Patti Spezzaferro
“You may think that you are nurturing the garden,
but of course,
it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.”Jenny Uglow
Hope everyone had a wonderful July free of PRS commitments and ready to start the month of August with renewed energy and focus. I spent the last six weeks in Toronto, Canada, taking care of my 87-year-old mother. I felt so lucky to spend this time with her because my mom is suffering from Dementia and our time together is very precious to me.
We spent our days working in her beautiful garden filled with hydrangeas, roses, cone flowers, Japanese anemones and hostas. A symphony of color punctuated with wonderful butterflies made us smile with gratitude and wonder. Time stood still in the garden as we planted, pulled weeds and hand watered. Every 7 pm after dinner, we would sit in the garden naming our favorite flowers marveling at their beauty. It reminded me that living in the present and tending to the garden nurtures our soul like nothing else can.
Alzheimer’s dementia is a terrible disease with symptoms that include reduced memory and intellectual functions, visual impairments, loss of language skills, difficulty with logic and decision making, and much more. According to The Alzheimer’s Society, “exercising in the garden helps develop appetite, boosts energy levels and promotes a better night’s sleep.” Dementia patients who spend time gardening also benefit from lower levels of agitation, aggression, and mood swings. Direct sunlight increases bone density, improves cognitive skills, improves social interactions, and increases brain volume and gray matter.
For all of us who love gardening, there is nothing like the careful work of planning, planting and caring for a garden where creativity and the tactile experience of being near to nature is not only good for our well-being, but in fact will help soothe the symptoms connected with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Garden therapy is at the top of the list when thinking of self-care in our advancing years so off to the garden I go for there is no better way to self-nurture than being in the garden.
Keeping you in the know:
Come join us at our monthly board meeting Tuesday, August 10th at 7 pm where the Board will be planning the last four months of 2021. Foothill College Horticulture Program Director, Frank Niccoli, will talk on Good Bugs and Bad Bugs on Thursday August 12th at 2 pm Zoom meeting and we are excited to have Master Rosarian, Joe Truscott, speaking on Climbing Roses at our Monthly Membership Meeting Tuesday, August 17th at 7:30 pm. Zoom invite to follow.
Peninsula Rose Society welcomes your comments or suggestions sent to me at [email protected]. That’s it now. Take good care, and don’t forget to take time to smell the roses.