Gardening therapy is blooming at new plot

SCHEME HELPS CANCER PATIENTS RECOVERY WITH HORTICULTURE

-  KATIE TIMMS

A SCHEME which helps cancer patients recover through weekly gardening sessions has marked a year of therapeutic growth since moving to a new base on Dartmoor.

The community-based gardening therapy group, Blooming Well, began in 2022 to help patients with a cancer diagnosis to promote wellbeing and aid their recovery. The Mustard Tree provides the programme free of charge, including all equipment required, and refreshments are provided.

After a successful pilot with a small group of patients, the programme has now opened up for others to apply to take part. The programme is held at Sheepstor village on the edge of Dartmoor and takes place over a six-week period as a two-hour session.

Each course is tailored to the interests of all participants and a range of different gardening topics are discussed throughout.

“The benefits of gardening are now well-established,” said Annie Charles, project coordinator.

“It improves physical activity levels, lifts mood, boosts self-confidence, improves sense of wellbeing, helps re-focus attention when overwhelmed and decreases levels of stress and anxiety. However, there is very little evidence about the benefits to cancer patients, so this seemed a unique opportunity to find out more.”