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Gardening is wonderful therapy for me.  I’ve been using it to recover from illness now for a few years and I’ve found it gives back so much more than it requires of me.  Some may find my garden to be a mess, with hundreds of plants all tucked in together with limited structure and order while others will stop on the sidewalk to tell me that they enjoy walking by daily to see what’s new.  That’s what I like about it: the mishmash of trees, shrubs, perennials, vegetables, herbs, garden art and bird feeders make the garden a joy to walk through.  I revel in each new volunteer that joins the fun while I keep up with the old favourites and recent additions.  

 Around this time of year when the blooms have turned to seed heads and the ground is covered in spent foliage, visiting wild birds frequent the colourful feeders offering up a cabaret of movement and sound.  I know that winter is here when the Dark-Eyed Juncos hop and pip along the ground under the feeders.  I love to watch the Black Capped Chickadees take one sunflower seed or peanut at a time, fly to a neighbouring tree branch and daintily peck at it from between their tiny feet.  And I’m secretly delighted to see a Sharp Shinned Hawk soaring away while I try to protect my little visitors.  

Hand feeding the chickadees

 

Given how healing it can be for me to enjoy the daily wild bird show, I was happy to find the artists at To Make You Smile had donated whimsical birdhouses to gardens for healing purposes.  According to Teresia Hazen, registered horticultural therapist, and coordinator, Therapeutic Gardens and Horticultural Therapy, “Watching birds gives patients, their families and staff members a window on the world of nature. And enjoying the beauty of the winged creatures while walking in the garden brings healthful pleasure.”   I particularly enjoyed the installation at the Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital and can imagine how delighted the children would be to see the birds bringing nesting materials and then food for the hatchlings, the wee peeps of tiny occupants and watching the first flights. 

 

Legacy Emanuel Children's Garden Birdhouses. Photo: Mary Elizabeth McAndrew