Nurturing Nature: A Guide to Gardening for Special Needs

Learn how to start a garden, encourage growth and get great results—for both individuals and their plants! Vulnerable populations, such as the neurodiverse or physically challenged, are at an elevated risk of suffering from isolation and stress-related illnesses. Gardening is a good answer, as it has been proven to be especially beneficial to physical, cognitive and emotional health. This book shows how the uninitiated can begin gardening: from the smallest pot of flowers to a large, flourishing plot of land. The guide outlines why gardening is critical to everyone’s health and provides step-by-step instructions on how to go about creating a garden. Specific activities, ways to adapt tasks to accommodate special needs, and benefits gained from the activities are reviewed. Finally, recent findings on the health benefits of gardening are reviewed. This book gives you all the information and resources you need to get started.