October 2023 Fellow's update: Josephine Spring

Josephine Spring (CF 2014) has written a chapter drawing on her fellowship in a book which has now been published. The book is titled Cultivated Therapeutic Landscapes, Gardening for Prevention, Restoration and Equity. It is published by Routledge and the editors are Pauline Marsh and Alison Williams. Josephine's chapter focuses on creating a therapeutic garden for people with Huntington’s Disease and other neurological conditions.

Chapters in the book discuss differing outcomes in public and therapeutic gardening. The book tackles topics such as nutrition, urban food growing, gardening, nature, biodiversity and cultivating fruits and vegetables. Healing gardens are discussed as opportunities to help patients with their physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing. The social interaction of gardening in community settings is found to be more beneficial than gardening in domestic settings, enhancing a sense of community and reducing anxiety and depression. Green social prescribing in gardens and green areas in the UK is addressed in the book.