Georgia Magazine - July 2024 - 29

An intern leads a group session about the
fundamentals of planting seedlings at the
Ability Garden.
second accessible garden in Decatur and
have forged a partnership with the
Atlanta Botanical Garden to educate
caregivers about incorporating gardening
into an overall therapy plan at home.
" We want to bring unique
opportunities to people who often don't
have the ability to get out and enjoy
nature, " Cochran says. " These gardens
provide a safe, supportive environment
staffed by people trained to work with
those who have complex medical issues. "
Some of the gardening that patients
'By growing and nurturing
plants, we shift the focus. The
patients become the caregivers.'
- Rachel Cochran
In 2014, Rachel Cochran of Decatur enrolled in the
Denver-based Horticultural Therapy Institute to obtain a
certificate in horticultural therapy. There she met a fellow avid
gardener, Wendy Battaglia, who originally is from Liverpool,
England, and moved to Atlanta. A year later, the two put their
knowledge to work as part of an internship at Skyland Trail, an
Atlanta facility that offers residential and day programs for teens
and adults dealing with mental-health issues.
Battaglia moved on to a position as horticulture specialist
for the Shepherd Center, a private, rehabilitation hospital
specializing in spine and brain injuries in Atlanta. Cochran
found herself intimately connected to the world of disability
when her 12-year-old was hit by a car and suffered a traumatic
brain injury near the end of her internship in 2015. After a " long,
chaotic journey " of caring for her child, Cochran turned back to
horticulture as therapy.
" I needed something to pull myself out of the situation,
and I didn't want to lose my training, so I decided to start a
nonprofit, " she says.
In 2017, she and Battaglia co-founded the Trellis
Horticultural Therapy Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to
developing gardening strategies for patients. In seven years, the
organization has formed partnerships with metro Atlanta adult
day care centers, the Atlanta VA Medical Center, the Shepherd
Center and the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, where the Ability
Garden includes raised beds and a greenhouse that are
wheelchair-accessible.
The founders are expanding with the construction of a
do can be as basic as growing tomatoes
and herbs from seeds, or they might take
potted plants home to care for them. At
Callanwolde's Ability Garden, they learn
about organic approaches and healthy eating from raised beds
of potatoes, lettuces, cucumbers and zinnias. A greenhouse with
an indoor classroom keeps the program viable all year.
" By growing and nurturing plants, we shift the focus, "
Cochran says. " The patients become the caregivers. It's also
about cognitive stimulation and a little bit of physical exercise.
And it combats isolation, gives them a reason to get out of bed
and leave the house, and connects them to others who share
similar experiences. "
No matter a person's ability or mental state, gardening
provides a wealth of benefits, Cochran says.
" Science tells us that even 15 minutes in nature makes a
difference, " she says. " I love that it promotes lifelong learning;
I've been gardening 50 years, and every day is something new.
It's also about focusing the mind; your own thoughts seem to
take a back seat when you're focused on gardening. "
For Cochran, gardening also keeps her from being bored.
" If you have plants-even houseplants-there's always
something to do, " she says.
Both Cochran and Dorn acknowledge that not everyone is
into digging, weeding, watering and keeping up with the array
of garden-related tasks. Both offer alternatives that also reap
rewards: Cochran works with patients who have taken up plant
photography and painting; Dorn suggests taking a walk in a
public garden.
" Some folks say there's an innate human need for contact
with nature, " Dorn says. " Even a walk in a garden can bring
relaxation and de-stressing. It provides the mental relaxation
your brain needs. In fact, psychologists have established that
just looking at plants has a calming effect. Just notice the next
time you're in a doctor's office; there are a lot of photos of
plants! "
H.M. Cauley is a freelance writer from Atlanta.
For more information about the Trellis Horticultural Therapy
Alliance, visit trellishta.org.
www.georgiamagazine.org 29
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Georgia Magazine - July 2024

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