Gardens as Therapy
“Since I’ve learned to be silent, everything has come so much closer to me.”
Gardens can be grand and sprawling, paved and potted, secret, public, or as modest as a Boston Fern on the bedside table.
No matter what kind of garden you find yourself in, the benefits of greenery for the human psyche are profound.
Restore a sense of calm and connectedness with Botanica Editions’ Gardens As Therapy remedies; slow paced journeys through and beyond humanity’s veil and into the more-than-human world.
Places to Pause: Fitzroy Gardens as therapy
Ground yourself in Melbourne with a wander through Fitzroy Gardens, basking in the sights, sounds, smells and sensations of this iconic haven with our tailored garden remedy.
Alternatively, lean on this guided meditation to develop a routine sit spot practice in a place near you.
Sitting with one place throughout the seasons; attuning to its rhythms and moods, patterns and surprises, its subtle changes, is a great way to understand your own place in the world through the power of pause.
Trail Check-list
Before you start wandering, check that you have:
A field journal for capturing insights
Sturdy walking shoes and seasonal clothing. Warm and waterproof if you’re journeying on our Deep Winter trail; cool and sun-protective during a High Summer adventure.
A phone (or another device) to access this private web page
Earpods or headphones to listen to the Sit Spot practice [22 min]
OPTIONAL INVITATION:
Pack your Botanica Editions Essence and Timeless Journal to anchor your Fitzroy Garden insights and peace-state in a blissful, embodied memory pack, to call on anytime you need post this Trail.
Explore the Map
Our Gardens as Therapy: Sit Spot Suggestions is a mini field guide of our favourite places to pause in Fitzroy Gardens.
If a particular place is calling your name, by all means answer. But if you’re tight for time, we suggest heading for the park bench under the majestic Oak by the Conservatory (#5), or a private enclave by the Iris Pond (#3).
If Melbourne looks wintry and unpredictable, we suggest a quiet walk along the avenue of elms before making your way to the cover of the Bandstand (#7) with a birds eye view of the city skyline behind the treetops.
In the summer months, reverse the order and start beneath the shade of the Elm trees, meandering towards the cooling elixir of the ferngully and stream.
benefits @ home
There’s an increasing body of research to show the many benefits of forest and nature therapy – also referred to as forest bathing or Shinrin-Yoku – some of which are listed below. We invite you to craft an at-home experience to feel them for yourself.
Create your own measurement criteria around noticing the difference in something you would like to change.
Choose a place to sit in your garden. Sitting with a single indoor plant like an Aspidistra or Boston Fern is beautiful too.
Develop a daily Sit Spot routine for at least 30 days, ideally every day through one cycle of the season.
Reflect on, and write down, any differences.
Reported Forest and Nature bathing benefits:
Improved blood pressure, lower pulse rates, reduced stress hormone production and reduced anxiety.
Enhanced immunity, mood, sleep, vigour, focus and energy.
Sit Spot Practice
