Experiencing nature and growing plants brings many benefits to health and wellbeing. We have designed and built age and dementia friendly gardens at two community centres in Worthing. We run evidence-based programmes of therapeutic gardening there, which we call Garden Clubs, for people with support needs, including people living with dementia. 

These spaces are designed to support good health in the users but we take account of their limitations. We have tailored the gardens so that older people, people with dementia, those with disabilities, in recovery, with mental health or behavioural challenges can feel the restorative power of nature, start or carry on gardening. Access to a well-designed garden increases wellbeing and provides both stimulation and relaxation in a reassuring environment. Our programmes are designed to achieve specific theraputic goals according to need. These can be physical, like promoting activity or fine motor movements, and we focus on stimulating mind, memory, emotional wellbeing and social interaction.

We believe that places and people should sustain each other and so our gardens are also earth and wildlife friendly.