Join us for an inspiring online event where passionate gardeners share how cultivating plants has transformed their mental wellbeing. Discover the therapeutic power of soil, seeds and growth as speakers explore gardening's role in promoting mindfulness, building resilience and fostering a deeper connection with nature. Learn how tending to plants can enhance mood, provide a sense of purpose and create opportunities for peaceful reflection. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just beginning your green journey, this celebration of gardening's positive impact on mental health will offer valuable insights and inspiration. 

This event is in partnership with the OU Environmental Sustainability Society. This Society is completely free to join and you will be invited to attend events online related to sustainability and meet people who have similar interests to you. Read more on their webpage.

Speakers

Linda Aradi: Water, Wonder & Wellbeing: Transforming Your Garden into a Sanctuary

Linda will explain how adding water features to your garden can open up new pathways to wellbeing, offering soothing sounds and visual interest that help block out the outside world. This session explores how water invites biodiversity and enhances sensory experiences. Learn practical tips for making any size space feel like it’s embracing you, and how to create pockets of interest that evolve with the seasons—ensuring your garden remains a source of joy, curiosity, and comfort all year round. 

Dr Lania Knight

Dr Lania Knight, originally from New Orleans, will share her experience of receiving her first allotment in the UK months before lockdown, and her thoughts on how looking after a garden can provide inspiration for wellbeing, connection and creativity. Dr Knight's first degree is in Plant Science and Environmental Conservation, and she's working on a memoir drawing upon her lifelong interest in plants and the natural world.  

Carla Benzan, Art Historian

OU art historian Carla Benzan celebrates gardens as spaces of creativity and connection in a more-than-human world, weaving together fragments from garden history with her own lived experience.  

Carla Benzan, Weeds, 2025. Oil pastel on paper. 

This event is part of Open SU's commitment to sharing ways to improve mental health and wellbeing as outlined in the Student Leadership Team priority areas. 

We hope to meet lots of students at this online event.