A drab walkway overgrown with weeds was transformed into a beautiful oasis of native plants, giving a well-deserved upgrade to the landscape at a victim advocacy center in Colorado.
One person posted a comparison of the transformation in the subreddit r/NativePlantGardening. The garden, which is called the Audubon Rockies Habitat Hero Healing Garden, is located at the Sexual Assault Victims Advocate Center in Loveland, Colorado. It was installed by the Earth Love Gardens group and volunteers.
"It is both healing for the ecosystem and people," the OP wrote in a comment.
Other Redditors were supportive.
"This is so very nice and a great place to add something beautiful," one person wrote.
"Lovely!" another commented.
The Healing Garden is a great example of how people and plants can have a mutually beneficial relationship. And according to the Earth Love Gardens website, that's precisely what their goal was: To "[create] low-water use habitats for pollinators and [keep] our communities close-knit and warmly connected." And in this mission, they have no better ally than native plants.
By installing native plants, gardeners help build a healthy environment for local pollinators. In turn, pollinators ensure that food systems can thrive. It's estimated that one out of every three bites of food exists because of a pollinator.
Native plants are also generally more cost-effective. Since they've evolved to adjust to their environment, they require far less water and maintenance than non-native plants. And especially when contrasted with grass, they're more visually stimulating.
"A well kept and planned native garden in my opinion is far prettier and more interesting than a regular old cookie cutter garden!" one person wrote.
In return, tending to a garden — or even just seeing plants on a daily basis — is highly beneficial for humans. Research has shown that people who garden are both healthier and less stressed than their non-gardening counterparts. Exposure to nature has also been linked with improved cognitive function, blood pressure, brain activity, and sleep.
The Healing Garden "is a unique and beautiful space that provides habitat for birds and pollinators and a peaceful and therapeutic environment for people," wrote Earth Love Gardens in a blog post. "It is a testament to the power of nature to heal and restore, and we are grateful for our role in its creation."
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