Therapeutic Horticulture Beyond the Growing Season

By Jeanne Carbone

As temperatures fall (finally) and days become shorter, the growing season slowly comes to a close. Rather than viewing it as an ending, think of what the garden continues to provide. Herbs are still bountiful and harvesting at this time of year provides flavoring for winter dishes or herbal teas. Rosemary, thyme, lemon verbena, marjoram, and lavender can all be harvested and tied in small bundles to dry. Hang the bundles in a dark pantry or corner. Once dried, strip the leaves from the stem and store in airtight containers. As you harvest, remember to enjoy the unique scent of each herb and remember the pleasure of growing something you can use year-round. Colorful flower petals provide a source for creative endeavors. As blooms fade, cut the flower heads and pull the petals off. Flowers that provide the best color include marigolds, zinnias, daisies, coneflower and phlox. Scatter them in a flat container or on newspaper to dry. Once dried, store in a container until ready to use. Sprinkled “flower confetti“ creates beautiful bookmarks or cards with a little glue and laminating or covering with clear contact paper. If there is a wedding in your future, consider using this confetti to welcome the couple instead of rice or paper confetti. Flower confetti also looks lovely scattered on a dining room table or in a decorative dish.

The Therapeutic Horticulture team at Missouri Botanical Garden has created a number of experiences for anyone to explore in the Adult Education class offerings at the Garden. The Journey to Well-being is an intentional walking program utilizing the beauty and peace of the Japanese Garden for personal introspection and a calming experience. TH and You gardening classes take your gardening interest to a deeper level by reminding the gardener to be mindful of the work and the connection to the earth that gardening can create. Our Nature Mandala class teaches you the practice of creating mandalas with natural materials to promote relaxation and deepen your connection to the natural world. We are also offering an Herb Drying Rack class to explore ways to preserve herbs and flowers for uses beyond the growing season. To learn more about our Adult Education classes, please visit us at https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ learn-discover/classes.aspx Therapeutic Horticulture has a place in anyone’s life and we encourage you to pursue offerings https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/learndiscover/adults/therapeutic-horticulture.aspx

Jeanne Carbone is the Supervisor of Therapeutic Horticulture at the Missouri Botanical Garden. She has a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Outdoor Education, and holds a certificate in Horticulture Therapy from Chicago Botanic Garden. She has been involved in this work for 10 years.