This post has moved! Please visit the Therapeutic Landscapes Network Blog at our new WordPress home, http://www.healinglandscapes.org/blog/2009/10/design-inspiration-from-the-huntington-childrens-garden/ to see more pictures and read what we have to say. We're keeping the comments here, though, since they were so great. See you over there!
8 comments:
Stunning pictures!!! Talk about a dream place to play. Thanks for sharing. Cheers- Bethe @balmeras
Namaste - good grief, we could use this in the UK....
I have a young son with autism, he loves to be outside, but he is strong and can be very violent, so there are no toys I can afford to purchase for him that he cannot destroy. And even though he loves gardens and gardening, lights and sensory waterfalls and all sorts of things, I couldn't possibly afford to buy these things for him. Even the disability grants we have in this country see gardening and landscaping as "luxuries" and yet a therapeutic garden would be perfect for him....
I live in hope that someday it would be recognised that a beautiful interactive outdoor space is just as necessary for an autistic child's wellbeing as the latest technology indoors. If you ever want to take on such a labour of love, by all means look me up...I'm willing to try anything these days and if it means finding financial backing, then I'll find it.
Namaste
R. Skye
Such a lovely place - the Huntington Gardens. And how great to get children excited about plants at an early age... Thanks for sharing. Teresa
Thanks for the great comments!
Rose, I sent your comment to a colleague who has been developing a "Sequential Outdoor Learning" Environment (playground) for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and I hope she'll get in touch with you. I'm also working on adding more information on the TLN site specifically about autism, as contact with nature does seem to be something that people with ASD respond well to, provided it's safe and well-designed. Do you have any sort of outdoor space at your house? There are less expensive ways to create restorative environments that your son will respond well to. Stay in touch, okay? I'll work on posting more info on the site, but if I haven't done so in a month or two, remind me again! Lots on the plate right now.
Dear Rose,
I have designed an outdoor learning environment especially to address the needs of children with Autism....it is called a SOL Environment,(Sequential Outdoor Learning). I am currently trying to find sponsors and a site to build the very first prototype!
Please visit my website at www.SOLenvironment.org to learn more about it...maybe we can build one in the UK that your son and many families could enjoy! In the meantime, maybe you could design some gardening projects for your son at home...even if on a very small scale...the connection with nature is very calming and it helps with focus, following directions, social skills, and fine& gross motor skills, too! Please feel free to contact me directly too...my email is tara@artemisLA.com. My best to you, Tara Vincenta
Text and photos like these, then this kind of communication via comments -- what a blog should be. Inspiring.
Tara,
Have you found a site to build the SOL prototype? Also, what research did you use to determine what would work best?
email me at: sstephenson@esc12.net
Sharron, I'll forward your email on to Tara. She has not found a site for the SOL Environment prototype yet. Tara and I are doing an online training about outdoor play and learning environments later on this month with KaBOOM! play. If you haven't joined the Therapeutic Landscapes Network yet, please do so we can let you know about dates and other info: http://eepurl.com/ds1f.
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