Gardening therapy proves a tonic for residents
The two
acres of wooded grounds in which Fernhill House is set not only provide a
secluded calm environment in which to live – they also offer ample opportunity
for relaxation, hobbies and propagating delicious home grown vegetables.
Award
winning chef Chris Williams, an erstwhile Masterchef contestant who has worked
with Marco Pierre White and Heston Blumenthal, is the driving force behind
Fernhill’s kitchen garden.
An
immense fan of organic food – indeed he used to run an organic café staffed by
people with autism and learning difficulties – he uses the fruits (and
vegetables) of his labour in his mouth-watering recipes at every opportunity.
And residents are invited to join him at planting, watering, harvesting,
cooking and, of course, eating time.
The
secure sensory garden – whose tranquillity and beauty was admired by the public
at large during a recent Open Gardens event – provides a haven for all
residents who are encouraged to indulge in their hobby if they have green-fingered
leanings.
And when
the weather is more traditionally British there is also an indoor potting shed near
a very realistic indoor faux lawn and just next door to a ‘real’ pub and
vintage style shop!
Maintenance
manager David Smith runs ad hoc, weather dependent, gardening sessions, with
activities run by other staff if residents have a sudden urge to plunge their
hands into a flowerpot, as happened when Margaret Archer joined nurse Caroline
Blackmore for a spot of potting up in the sensory garden recently.
Fernhill
House manager Peta Mandleberg, a registered nurse who has worked in the care
sector for many years, explained: “We have an ethos of fun here at Fernhill
House. We want to ensure all our residents live their lives to the full and
provide a wide, and often quite unexpected, range of activities, many of which
are not standard care home fare. Gardening is obviously a well known and loved retirement
activity – but we also have events such as cocktail gatherings, gym sessions
and regular concerts.”