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Special Advertising Section | Sunday, March 23, 2025 13plant can make in someone%u2019s life. %u201cIt gave them a sense of purpose and something to nurture. An indoor plant is something to check on, to water, to keep alive. It is an inherent need for people who often feel unneeded,%u201d she says.The sensory experience of gardening, inside or outdoors, is also beneficial. Smell induces memories in a way that sight alone cannot. Concannon recalls a woman with macular degeneration who said smelling and touching nature made a huge difference in her day. Growing a pot of herbs can lead to memories of cooking, and may offer those with cognitive impairment a chance to reminisce.At the University of Washington%u2019s memory hub garden, people with cognitive impairments engage in an activity that is both social and sensory activating.%u201cThere isn%u2019t a lot of studies about it, but there is a ton of anecdotal information about the import of smell to memory,%u201d says Genevieve Wanucha, a communications specialist at UW%u2019s Department of Neurology. In association with Seattle Parks and Recreation, the garden holds a monthly program for those living with memory loss and a caregiver.Laura Matter, a program director at Seattle Tilth Alliance, has been gardening for more than 40 years. She says she can%u2019t do all the things she used to, at least not as easily. Matter has changed what she plants and where she plants it. %u201cI don%u2019t plant things that require a lot of care,%u201d she says. %u201cThere are more natives %u2014 although, they may need to be controlled F or some, gardening is a chore, but those who take care of plants tend to have greater hand strength, smaller waists, better balance and eat more fruits and vegetables. They fall less often and walk faster. Caring for even a single houseplant can improve the mental health of isolated seniors. Those with dementia who garden show fewer signs of aggression, and daily gardening may reduce risk factors for the onset of dementia.The great science behind gardening and plant care is part of what led Orla Concannon to found ElderGrow, an organization that provides online gardening courses for individuals and organizations. %u201cI worked in senior living and saw the palpable difference nature provided,%u201d she says. %u201cOur entire premise is to bring the outdoors to all senior living settings.%u201dConcannon was working with spider plants at an assisted living facility, and someone offered her a bunch of baby plantlets to use. She took them to the residents to plant in plastic water bottles. They could see the roots, and they got their hands in the soil. %u201cThen I asked the residents if they wanted to name their plants,%u201d she recalls. %u201cThey named them Sweetheart, Hope and Life. In that moment, I knew we were doing something special.%u201d She keeps a photo of the mother plant on her desk as a reminder of the difference a Amandalei Bennett%u2019s no-grass garden is full of life, shape and texture. (Courtesy of Amandalei Bennett)Continued on page 14!\I asked the residents if they wanted to name their plants. They named them Sweetheart, Hope and Life. In that moment, I knew we were doing something special.%u201cOrla Concannon