Horticultural Therapy, an introduction:

A little more than fifteen years ago, a group of teachers, practitioners, and other like-minded folks formed a non-profit dedicated to using a beautiful property with a beautiful stone house that was bequeathed to Joe and Liz Grumbine by a dear friend Paul. We set up and had several meetings. We mapped out a plan to offer “Horticultural Therapy and provide a natural venue for educational and therapeutic uses.” Mary donated a greenhouse that was installed as a shade house on the property of Willow Creek Springs. We built a “Children’s garden,” Set up vermicomposting, had Tai Chi classes and violin lessons, a home-school group came out and taught classes, and more.

A series of unfortunate events happened, and things unraveled. “Gardens of hope” was dissolved, and life went on.

Willow Creek Springs started as a home and became a wedding venue, but after a battle with Riverside County over $$$, Willow Creek Springs Botanical Gardens and nursery was born. Touted as “A New Kind of Nursery,” A sustainable, Permaculture-based model was forged. Plants were propagated on site. Vermicomposting produced castings, a rich potting mix blend and “Worm tea.” We built a Hugelculture and raised bed gardens for children and veterans to engage in horticultural therapy and access healthy, clean food. We taught classes and workshops and even hosted some Craft fairs and “Concert in the park” fundraisers. The remote location and our lack of marketing skills, and our venture into manufacturing natural skin care products changed our course and we reclaimed our “Back yard.”

Since then, we’ve moved our manufacturing into a facility and worked with practitioners, healers, and people dealing with every ailment. We have created a wide range of product solutions and at the same time, enjoyed our property at the end of the road with hills at the back gate. Recently, while considering our next moves as a company and a couple, I thought about this “Healthy Living” community, the guests that have recently interviewed for the podcast, and all the plans we’ve thought of and made, and it hit me. “Let’s recreate the “Gardens of Hope.” After all we’ve learned and done and the people we’ve met, the gardens have matured to a new level and it’s time to bring a resource that can provide:

A safe and private locationA natural setting for education and healingA permaculture model to experience and studyA quiet and natural venue for classes, workshops, sessions, etc.A serene garden to read, meditate, study, reiki, massage, etc.A Botanical garden to learn fromWorking vegetable and Herb gardensA setting to experience horticultural therapy for physical, mental, and emotional needsA private retreat for longer-term needs and so much more. This is a resource tailor-made for the Healthy Living community. Let me know what you think. send thoughts via email to itsjoegrumbine@gmail.com