A Grounded Celebration
Establishing a Therapeutic Horticulture Group
Spending time with a ladybug on a Correa alba
Today I want to pause.
To take a moment to breath, look back and celebrate the journey.
I don’t do this often enough. Maybe you can relate? I throw myself into building something - an idea, a project, a dream. I put in the hours, the sweat, the vision. Carve out the way. It takes shape, it blossoms, it works - and before I know it, I’m already sprinting toward the next thing.
Success? “Yeah, yeah, I did the thing. What’s next?”
There are plenty of reasons for this; cultural, familial, gendered, and of course the old patriarchy/capitalism duo (always ready to pull us into the vortex). Definitely therapy-session material. But what matters today is this: I’m learning to linger, to celebrate and to change that habit. Bit by bit.
And in that spirit, I’m delighted to share that Grounded—CERES Brunswick’s therapeutic horticulture group - is now in its third season.
CERES has been championing TH education in Victoria for years. Like many practitioners in the state, I started my own journey with their Introduction to TH course. This ongoing dedication is what made Grounded possible.
planting, mulching and chatting
Grounded lives at the intersection of gardening education and wellbeing.
My approach to facilitation blends calm and connection with practical skill-building. On one hand: slowing down, fostering relationships, deepening intentional nature connection. On the other: learning how to grow food, care for soil, and build resilience. It’s a flexible framework that responds to the group, the garden, and whatever weather Naarm decides to serve us. (And yes, Melbourne’s Lord Mayor—we are here for adopting the Wurundjeri seasonal calendar.)
As much as I love the “go-with-the-flow, nature-is-so-groovy” side of this work, I’m equally passionate about practical gardening education. Gardening should feel doable, not overwhelming. Yet so often, beginner gardeners get stuck in research rabbit holes or feel defeated by flawless Instagram gardens. The joy of trying fades under the weight of getting it right, leading to decision fatigue and that sticky feeling of ‘yet another thing I wanted to do but gave up on after too much research.’
My goal is to strip away the jargon, share knowledge in plain language, and encourage you to trust your senses. Soil tells you what it needs -you just have to touch it, smell it, observe it. Experiment, FAFO, Make mistakes! They’re all part of learning and a key in building resilience.
Exploring colours and patterns of a Pultenaea (Bush-pea)
In Grounded sessions, we balance practical skills with embodied experiences.
We prepare soil, propagate and plant. We explore environmental stewardship in ways that feel within our capacity, putting personal sustainability into the equation of what we want to create. We walk by the creek, notice the seasons shift, watch insects go about their business, pause for mindful moments, make art with what’s around us, and weave healing conversations, while connecting through shared stories and ideas.
For me, this third round of Grounded started with a sense clarity, flow, and the steady rhythm of a more established program, while staying open and curious to seeing what continues to grow here.
Term 3 filled quickly, and we already have folks waiting for the next start date (October 9th).
So, if you’re keen, go ahead and save yourself a spot. 🌱