Updated : July 2021
Plant Care Is Self Care Kits:
- Horticulture For Healing provides plants for each recipient to keep and learn how to care for. The plant is included in our Plant Care Is Self Care Kit. The care kits provide creative emotional and physical support resources that compliment the journey of those in professional clinical treatment, recovery and healing. Our Kits are intended for individuals marginalized by a patriarchal society, substance use, life hardships, racism and gender inequality.
Caring for plants goes hand in hand with self care. Not only do these two actions help the body heal physically and emotionally, they can also be used as support tools for people who are often belittled by society due to life circumstances by helping them to recognize their voice, feel the power of choice and gain autonomy. Many of the individuals that Horticulture For Healing supports come from a background of substance use and/or a prevalence of violence, sexual, and emotional abuse, and have had little to no room for experiencing the healing and empowering benefits of self care and plant care.
Horticulture For Healing meets recovering people in that space, moving past shame, guilt and hopelessness into a place where they can begin to own their life and claim the space that is so rightfully theirs.
What is Usually Included the Plant Care Is Self Care Kits?
Plant, clay pot and water tray
Issues of our latest mini magazines “zines” on plant care, self care, and intersectional feminism.
Plant care instructions
Plant spray bottle
Various illustrations from female artists
Blank Journal
Writing utensil
Calm The Chaos daily journal by Nicola Ries taggart
Eco friendly bag
Plant Care Is Self Care Discussion Workshops:
- After our partner receives the Plant Care Is Self Care kits, Horticulture For Healing will set dates for workshops. We specifically tailor and design each Plant Care Is Self Care workshop and kit for the specific center and participants at the center at no cost to the facility. Workshops are usually for a 4 month commitment meeting 1-2 times a month to start
- Workshops touch on topics that are inline with Horticulture For Healing foundations :
- The basics of claiming self care as a human right.
- What is radical self care?
- Learning how to care for your plant as a tool to care for your self.
- Plant care plans
- How to begin to step into your power and claim your space, beauty, and value through caring for your mind body and soul.
- Learning the value of a handwritten creative mini magazine “zine” in today’s digital world to tell your story and get your voice heard and how to make your own.
- At Horticulture For Healing’s core lies three foundations on which our Plant Care Is Self Care Kits and workshops are built: plant care, self care and intersectional feminism.
- Through these empowering foundations we provide support and resources for folks who are beginning to claim their beauty, value, space and power while in recovery at residential substance use treatment, survivor homes and transitional housing residencies throughout Florida and beyond.
- When transitioning into society participants will be able to take their new understanding and connections into the world. These can be used as tools in times of stress, strong emotional ups and downs, and the rollercoaster of life that is healing and recovery.
- In order for us to hold regular meetings and be reliable and available to the recipients of our care kits: if the facility doesn’t have the necessary resources available to have a virtual workshop – Horticulture For Healing is able to provide a laptop or tablet for the facility to ensure virtual meetings.
- Our intention is to be a source of support for LGTBQ+, cis women and girls of colour, non binary and intersex individuals who are in a time of recovery and healing. A major part of this project is to hold reoccurring workshops and be available 2 hours a week/bi-weekly-or monthly to hold discussion workshops for participants in the recovery facility about self care and taking care of plants. We have set aside time to be available for phone calls as well.
Hands on Plant Care Is Self Care Gardens
- Recently, our first partner provided us with an amazing opportunity to come full circle with Horticulture For Healing’s mission!
On March 3rd 2021 we implemented part of our original project and garden plan! (photos)
- Horticulture For Healing’s first partner was to be the site for our original project: building raised urban garden beds/holding radical self care/plant care workshops at the garden. COVID19 caused us to put our project on hold. In the beginning of the pandemic Plant Care Is Self Care kits were born.
- We planted native Florida plants (emphasis on native to invite essential pollinators and conserve water) in their available garden space.
- This opens up space for H4H to hold outside workshops while providing a safe fresh green space for residents to get some garden therapy between group sessions
That day we were able to not only plant gardens with residents but held a Plant Care Is Self Care workshop too, bringing us full circle.
Since October 2020 H4H has impacted 260+ individuals through our in person and virtual Plant Care Is Self Care workshops
A few questions and and answers:
- Is Horticulture For Healing a sustainable project? Â
The project sustainability of Horticulture For Healing will follow:
We are actively designing a comprehensive online tool: The Horticulture For Healing Template. This template helps users adopt and implement the Horticulture For Healing garden plan, Plant Care Is Self Care Kits and curriculum at women’s shelters, domestic violence centers, sober homes, halfway houses, and residential addiction treatment residences and sex trafficking prevention organizations throughout the country and abroad. This ensures increasing capacity of this project and organization.
For existing projects, The Horticulture For Healing (HFH) Template will be given as a downloadable copy for every treatment center and housing unit that hosts Horticulture For Healing. This will ensure the longevity of the gardens, Plant Care Is Self Care curriculum, and the organization. The HFH template includes and offers zoom/video mentorship for locations that would possibly like to implement Horticulture For Healing in locations in which we are unable to reach geographically.
Does Horticulture For Healing’s Plant Care Is Self Care program exclude those who are not trans and cis women, non binary and intersex people?
Horticulture For Healing’s program is specifically designed for LGBTQ+, cis women and girls, non binary and intersex individuals. This does not mean that we are against heterosexual men. In fact we need to collaborate and partner with all to dismantle oppressive societal norms including racism, gender inequality, the patriarchy and stigmas against substance use, mental illness, and recovery. Anyone who wants to contribute to breaking down the patriarchal, racist colonizing ideals this country is built on can be apart of this radical self care organization.
How will the project adaptation continue to promote social justice and de-stigmatization?
At a distance, Horticulture For Healing will continue to support and stand as a reliable reference for marginalized individuals when seeking employment and education. By being a part of this organization, participants are able to record Horticulture For Healing on their employment application as a reference without having to feel ashamed or worried that it could count against them. We respect the confidentiality of each person who participates. Through being a reliable reference, connecting people to nature, working towards a society that does not restrict based on gender, class and life circumstances and recognizing self care as a human right we are able to promote social justice through each project we initiate.
How does Horticulture For Healing connect individuals to nature at a distance?
Our healing garden projects and Plant Care is Self Care both have an immense positive impact not only on humans but on the relationship between humans, animals, and plants. We promote nurturing our individual souls and nature creating a much needed human to nature connection for individuals that would otherwise not have the ability or opportunity to connect to nature in this way.
Through our Plant Care Is Self Care Kits and workshops, each recipient possesses new resources to discover and claim their inner beauty, value, power and space while in a time of healing and recovery.
