Pumpkin season

November 13, 2024

The leaves are turning, making for some amazing displays of colour across the site and the falling leaves are reminding us that winter is on the way.

Winter vegetables are being planted out, beds cleared and mulched with our own compost. We continue to harvest chillies and chard and save the seed from the last of the climbing beans. The star of the show, however, has been the pumpkin and we hosted our annual pumpkin carving and painting day for both staff and patients on Halloween supported ably by our volunteers, recreational therapists and made possible by the DMRC Benevolent Fund who generously funded the purchase of the pumpkins.

The garden volunteers have finished for the winter season, and we thank them for all of their hard work and support throughout the year.

Pumpkin Carving

This activity ticks so many boxes for its therapeutic applications: manual dexterity and grip strength to cut, carve and scoop out the flesh or grip a paintbrush. Standing tolerance and balance if completed in standing. The ability to focus, concentrate, attend to detail, sequence and decision make. Finally, the opportunity for creative expression so valuable for mindfulness, relaxation and our mental health. It also became a very social activity as most of the sessions were held in small groups offering a chance to interact and share ideas.

Dividing plants

We have had a greater number of perennial plants this year which has provided the opportunity to produce more plants through division. A useful activity for learning a different method for propagating plants and is always a surprise for patients to realise how forceful you can be when dividing larger, denser clumps. This in turn enables work on upper limb strength and range of movement in addition to providing a stock of extra plants.

Garden volunteers and staff

13/11/2024

Trolleys of pumpkins

13/11/2024

Pumpkin decorating

13/11/2024

Completed designs

13/11/2024

SHARE THIS POST