Note: This was my first visit to the bonkers-beauty that is Great Dixter House and Gardens in England. This would have to be my favourite section = the Sunken Garden

I’m a European-born Australian, of an age that the Romans would have poetically called viridus*. This adventure is about deep diving into the world of restorative environments in all its guises, I hope you’ll join me.

My background is teaching and landscape architecture, with a passion for restorative and therapeutic landscapes. This interest stems from a double masters in Landscapes Architecture (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - Alnarp and University of Melbourne), where I was introduced to Environmental Psychology, Nature-Based Therapies and Therapeutic Horticulture.

I am a garden volunteer at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Melbourne, helping to care for a space that provides respite and calm to staff, patients and their visitors.

My master theses allowed me to really explore the world of therapeutic landscapes. I hope to share more of what I have found over the years both during and since my studies - its a growing and exciting field.

Topics such as biodiversity, Forest Bathing, Therapeutic Horticulture, regenerative agriculture and many more will pop up in these pages…if you think I have missed something or want to share something yourself, please get in touch.

* Viridus = having green old age, between the age of forty-five and sixty. I like its link to Hildegard of Bingen’s viriditas, which was all about the magical energy and power of plants and the colour green, so I’ll take it. Plus it puts a positive word spin on the challenges of being peri/post menopausal.