Project Grow

Flower & Herb is a Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) project. We believe in nature as therapy and growing for community and health.

Social and therapeutic horticulture is the process of using plants and gardens to improve physical and mental health, as well as communication and thinking skills. STH is more than a community garden project, it is therapeutic intervention, with specific outcomes and goals for people with a defined need.  

We run therapeutic sessions for people with defined needs, social events for the community and we design and run STH projects for other organisations to increase wellbeing at work or in community spaces. 

Social and therapeutic horticulture (STH) can benefit people in a number of ways:

• It can be part of a person’s rehabilitation process, to help them recover after an illness or a difficult time in their lives.
• It can help people recover from a wide range of conditions.
• It can help people to learn new skills.
• It can improve mental health through a sense of purpose and achievement.
• It can help slow down the deterioration seen when someone has a degenerative illness.
• It can bring the opportunity to connect with others – reducing feelings of isolation or exclusion.
• It can help build confidence and esteem building.
• It allows people to reconnect with nature bringing about tranquillity, peace and even spiritual connection.
• It can integrate and build community spirit in the form of food cultivation.

We work with organisations and charities setup for people with defined needs and bring nature to them. Our trained STH practitioners can bring all tools and equipment needed to grow, however as we expand we need more equipment to help reduce joint strain and other physical stress, that is lightweight and easier to handle.

Equipment we need includes:-

• Ergonomic weeding tools
• Ergonomic pruning shears
• Bear Paws Cultivator Claw
• Lightweight watering cans
• Equipment and tools for sowing seeds
• Ergonomic add-on handles for spades, rakes, brooms and more
• Long-handed weeding and root removal tools
• Rolling seats, kneelers and kneeling pads
• Garden carts for easy moving of equipment
• Aprons and gloves

Our events:-

We also run FREE social events for our community in Gloucestershire such as seed, pot and plant swaps, talks and workshops promoting the many proven benefits of gardening, growing, giving and being out in nature.