Therapeutic Garden

Sand

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Our Project

A flower garden and allotment where people can come to reconnect with themselves, others and nature. Gardening has many mental health benefits and can be used as a gentle therapeutic activity to support people experiencing anxiety, depression or loneliness.

❋ Quiet Time in Nature

Sometimes the most valuable thing is simply being outside — sitting in the garden, enjoying the surroundings, and taking a moment of calm.

❋ Pottering at Your Own Pace

There are no expectations. You can take part in activities, try something new, or simply potter around and spend time outdoors.

❋ Learning About Plants

If you are curious, there will be opportunities to learn about seasonal gardening, growing vegetables, or caring for flowers and fruit trees.

❋ Harvesting and Sharing

When vegetables, herbs or fruit are ready, we can harvest them together. It’s always a pleasure to see the results of the work in the garden.

Reconnect with your body and mind as you escape the noise of everyday life.

A message from Gertrude

My name is Gertrude de Waard. I trained as a psychiatrist in the Netherlands, my home country, and moved from Amsterdam to the beautiful surroundings of Sidbury in 2022 with my partner Matthew and our two children.

We moved here after discovering our wonderful house, Sand, which sits in the valley of the Roncombe Stream. My partner Matt has been working on restoring the house, and our long-term hope is to open it up for cultural and health-related activities.

I have worked as a psychiatrist in the Netherlands for many years in a variety of settings. I initially worked with hospitalised patients with severe mental illness, but in recent years I have mainly worked in outpatient care, supporting people with mood disorders, psychotic disorders, anxiety and trauma.

Over time I began to feel increasingly aware of the limitations of what I could offer within the structure of traditional consultations. Spending time outside in the garden reminded me how healing and grounding nature can be.

I have completed courses through ‘Thrive’ (www.thrive.org.uk), which further confirmed the many health benefits that gardening can offer. Another inspiration for me has been the work of Susan Taheri at Growing Well Garden in Mid Devon (https://growingwellgarden.co.uk).

Our Set up

Sand Therapeutic Garden is still in its early stages and will naturally evolve over time.

The garden is located just outside Sidbury, in the grounds of the historic Elizabethan house, Sand.

The space will include several raised beds for growing vegetables and flowers. We will also have a polytunnel for starting seeds, fruit trees, and a small coffee corner for well-deserved breaks together.

The garden is open to anyone who would like support in improving their mental wellbeing. People may be referred by social services or healthcare professionals such as their GP. We also warmly welcome people who come independently, or who are referred by a family member or through a charity.

Before joining, I would always like to have an informal initial chat, so that we can get to know each other a little better.

There are no expectations about what you need to achieve. We simply ask that everyone treats the garden and the people in it with respect. There are, however, certain difficulties for which the garden may not be suitable (see exclusion criteria).

There are no costs involved. Voluntary donations are very welcome and will be used to buy refreshments, seeds and equipment for the garden.

Take part in our garden days

We would love for you to…

Check-In

9:00 – 9:30am

Group Activity

11:00am

Lunch Break

12:30pm

Creative Workshop

2:00pm

Dinner

6:30pm

Unfortunately, the garden is not suitable for people experiencing severe mental health difficulties such as acute psychotic or manic symptoms, active suicidality, significant substance misuse or behavioural problems.

Please also be aware that parts of the garden have uneven ground and are therefore unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or people with significant mobility difficulties.

  • In the polytunnel we can start plants from seed. It’s a simple and hopeful activity — placing something small in the soil and giving it time to grow.

  • When vegetables, herbs or fruit are ready, we can harvest them together. It’s always a pleasure to see the results of the work that has gone into the garden.

  • We will have a small coffee corner where people can take a break, have a cup of tea or coffee and chat if they feel like it.

How It Works

  • Browse our upcoming events to find the one that feels right for you. We host events year-round in all different locations and climates.

  • Sign up and pay all required fees to reserve your spot. If plans change, you can cancel up to 14 days before the retreat start to receive a 50% refund.

  • After booking, we'll send you a Welcome Packet with everything you need to know—detailed schedules, packing list recommendations, add-ons to consider, and more.

  • We'd recommend booking your transportation to and from the event as soon as possible, to ensure you can arrive without any complications or delays.

  • Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and get excited for your new adventure.

Come and Join us!

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