Therapeutic Garden Grants

Ellen C. Wells

The National Garden Bureau is once again teaming up with American Meadows and Sakata Seed America to provide $5,000 in grant money for three well-deserving Therapeutic Gardens in North America. If the funds weren’t enough, Corona Tools is participating in the grant process by generously providing a set of gardening tools to each of the winning gardens.

National Garden Bureau has been offering this program since 2014, and to date, has given more than $45,000 to support the growth of therapeutic gardens. It’s part of the organization’s mission, after all, to inspire, educate and motivate gardeners and non-gardeners alike.

Are you or someone you know involved with therapeutic gardens and interested in what it takes to receive this generous grant money? Here are the criteria for the garden:

1. It has a defined therapeutic program, with a Registered Horticulture Therapist on-staff or serving as an advisor and uses the garden to achieve outlined goals for the participants. Examples include occupational, physical, vocational or rehabilitation therapy taking place in a garden setting with significant people and plant interaction.

2. It’s used for job training, skill building, food growing, socialization skills, improved quality of life, environmental education or any other positive outcome that can be gained by working in nature.

3. It involves a significant number of gardeners, clients, patients, visitors or students on a monthly basis.

4. It has been in existence for at least one year.

To apply, applicants meeting the criteria above should complete an application form, provide necessary photos and submit all to the NGB office by July 1. And the public gets to vote on the ranking of the three finalists! The top vote-getter will receive $3,000, and second and third place will receive $1,000 each.

For more information about this project or National Garden Bureau, www.ngb.org. GP