Balancing Personal Wellness in a Digital Landscape

by Tracy A. Marciano, MS, BA, CMT

Waiting for spring to arrive seems like an arduous task especially after a cold winter. Although grey skies and wilted landscapes may seem depressing to look at from a Western lens, they become important when considering nature as an overarching theme for personal wellness in a digital age.

Most landscapes in the northeastern part of the United States have been designed to enhance spring and summer even though they are much shorter than the fall and winter seasons. Japanese landscapes consider the botanical and visual change each season offers. During the winter months splashes of colour are incorporated such as a red torii gate, walking bridge or other ornamentation, yet obscured when gardens are in bloom. The focus is on the simple beauty and the organic evolution occurring underground. This ideology takes into consideration that we need to be exposed to nature year round; by designing the landscape to evolve according to the seasons we are embracing its vital importance on an continuous basis.

Introduction of Horticultural Therapy Intervention as stress management was researched by John Tristan on the University of Massachusetts campus in 1999. The therapeutic program used visual stimulation, guided imaging and aromatherapy in a greenhouse garden setting of the Durfee Conservatory. The study concluded that students were more productive and relaxed after a tour that featured plants with aromatic qualities such as rosemary, jasmine, mint, sage and orchids. (Using essentials oils of the same scents in your home will acheive similar results.)

Rachel and Stephen Kaplan developed the concept of Attention Restoration Therapy in the 1980’s.* The theory asserts people concentrate better after spending time in nature or even looking at scenes of nature. The Kaplan’s examined how natural environments abound with soft fascinations which a person can reflect upon in effortless attention such as clouds moving across the sky, leaves rustling or water gently trickling over rocks. The theory also asserts that exposure to nature reduces stress and is an important foundation in environmental psychology.

Relatively sudden, in the grand scheme of our existence, most people are severely disconnected from nature due to the rapid influx of technology. Recognizing this, Richard Louv coined the term Nature Deficit Disorder in a hypoethesis presented in 2005. It describes a range of physical and emotional ailments afflicting people alientated from nature. His conclusions were compiled after traveling across the Unites States for ten years. He examined how people, especially children, were spending less time outdoors resulting in a wide range of behavioural problems including attention disorders and depression. 

Our existance has become focused on the interior space of architecture. Even though wireless devices are the new normal their use in nature and public gardens seems to be reserved for a small part of the population. It also creates a binary tension between meshing nature with technology which is hard to disentangle intellectually and philosophically. Bryant Park in NYC seems to have accomplished this feat with outstanding results, albeit one of the few examples.

The world is experiencing the largest global exodus from rural areas towards cities in history. For the first time in history, 2008 demonstrated more than half of the world population became city dwellers. Per the data extracted from the United Nations Population Fund of 2012, it has been predicted that more than 5 billion people will be disconnected from nature this year. This means finding alternative solutions to offset Nature Deficit will move to the forefront of how we approach physical and mental wellness plans along with housing developments and community planning.

Growing medical evidence indicates that getting into nature doesn’t just deliver spiritual benefits, but it also keeps our brain, bodies and nervous systems in working order. For instance, sunlight-provided Vitamin D is necessary for brain health. Sitting in front of your window in the winter months feels good for a reason and should be sought out as much as possible. Innate senses push us toward warm climates in March and April so we can experience the outdoors and warmth we crave.

To understand how important nature is to our longevity, consider how obsolete your wireless device will be in two or three years. Humans as well as landscapes, gain social traction as they age. We have more experience, more knowledge and more understanding of the things around us. The lilac tree (Syringa) that was in your garden when you moved in has probably never disappointed you as it matures gracefully even though your iPhone will be damaged as soon as hits the floor. 

Planning a day trip to the closest botanical garden or public garden is the easiest way to offset the Nature Deficit Disorder. Van Vleck House + Garden in Montclair, NJ is open year round and offers several community engagement activities, although the wisteria blooms waiting to appear should not be missed.  The annual Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Gardens is in full bloom until April 22, 2013 and will appeal to your sense of sight and smell. Greenwood Gardens located in Short Hills, NJ opens on April 28, 2013 and allows visitors to wander through the historic garden.

One of the most important issues related to nature and wellness are the sensory gardens designed for the blind and physically handicapped such as the (Alice Recknagel Ireys) Fragrance Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Created in 1955 it was the first garden in the country designed for the sight impaired and offers a multi-sensory experience by encouraging all visitors to touch and smell the plants.

Appreciation of nature and the knowledge of being part of it are an essential aspect of humanity and should not be relegated to a museum or to the fringes of existence. ** Embracing the positive benefits of nature even during the winter and early spring may help you discover an alternative solution to improved personal wellness. ■ 

* Restorative Gardens: The Healing Landscape. Nancy Gerlach. 2004. Yale University Press. Pg 168

** The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. 1989. Cambridge University Press

Van Vleck House + Gardens, Montclair, NJ. Open year round. Always free to the public

New York Botanical Gardens, NY. Annual Orchid Show. Runs until April 22, 2013. Admission ranges from $18- 30, depending on day of week and activities

Greenwood Gardens, Short Hills, NJ. Historical Gardens set on a formerly private estate. Opens April 28, 2013. Admission $10

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, NY. Fragrance Garden for sight impaired, but offers multi-sensory experience for all visitors. (General admission ranges from $5 – 10)

Cherry Blossom festival will begin end of March 2013 and usually last for five weeks. April 27-28: Sakura Matsuri offers a weekend celebrating traditional and contemporary Japanese culture (prices slightly higher than regular admission)