Volume 2, Issue 2 April 28, 2017

From the Director's Desk:

Thoughts of a Weed Puller

On February 24, 2017, another milestone was reached at the Wilmot Gardens, the dedication and official opening of the Chapman Healing Garden. Also, on this same date, the Richard C. Christensen Memorial located within the healing garden was dedicated before a large and enthusiastic audience of family and friends. Interestingly, these two events occurred 65 years after the Wilmot Memorial ...

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Chapman Healing Garden

South entry of Chapman Healing Garden.

Eastern facing view from the Richard Christensen, M.D. Memorial.

Both of the water features offer a variety of lush aquatic plant life.

The camellia is the state flower of Alabama.

Diehl Receives Champions

for Change Award

On April 12, 2017, in coordination with UF Campus Earth Day, Elizabeth (Leah) Diehl, the director of the Therapeutic Horticulture Program at the Greenhouse at Wilmot Gardens, was awarded the 2017 Champions for Change Award for the category of Health and Well-Being. The Champions for Change Awards program is an annual collaboration between …

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Human Health and Plants Research: Horticultural Therapy, Dementia and Mental Health

A new study on horticultural therapy (HT) and mental health published in the journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health in 2017, isn’t a traditional singular study, but a systematic evaluation of many studies published on the topic between 1992 and 2015. Scouring the scientific literature, the authors found 14 of 25 research studies retrieved on horticultural therapy and ...

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Under the Glass:

News from the Greenhouse

Late winter and early spring are a wonderful time in the greenhouse. First, the temperature inside is warm and a bit balmy, even though the weather on the other side of the glass may be cold and windy. Second, things are really growing in the greenhouse - everyday there appears a new flower, a new seedling, or something that you're sure wasn't there the day before. Right now we are busting at the seems with delicious herbs, colorful coleus and caladiums, amazing ...

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What's in bloom?

The new Chapman Healing Garden features several aquatic

plant varieties, such as the enchanting day blooming water lilies.

Volunteer Spotlight: John Brunner

After retiring from 22 years of service in the United States Navy, John Brunner settled in Gainesville where he attended the University of Florida as a Post Graduate student in the College of Education. Brunner’s experiences in the Navy taught him the importance of being part of a community ...

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