Register for programs here*
Our winter programming is designed to connect our participants with the important benefits of nature-connection at this time when nature is more difficult to find. That can be done both indoors and outdoors.
Outdoor Winter Wellness
We’ll follow the exciting science and practice some easy ways to incorporate mindful and fun nature connection into our days. Dress for the weather.
Accessible Bird-Taming Project
Date/Time
Wednesdays
Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, Mar 6, 13
9:30 -10am
Location
Guelph Enabling Garden Woodland Garden, (South-West Entrance, closest to the Evergreen Centre for a safe path)
Details
Connecting with birds through sight and sound has been shown to be very beneficial for mood and stress-relief. There are many birds in the park that stay all winter, and this is a chance for us to make special connections with those birds. There are no accessible places to feed chickadees from the hand in Guelph, and we would love to make the GEG the first place to do this. This will take dedication from members of our new bird-taming club to sit while they eat around us and lure them in to eventually feel comfortable eating from our hands/personal space. This is a chance to take some time to slow down and breathe.
Guided Nature Walk: Up and Running Women’s Wellness Workshop
Date/Time
Wednesday, Feb 21, 2024
10am – 11am
Location
Guelph Enabling Garden Woodland Garden (entrance closest to Evergreen Centre)
Details
Joint program with Up and Running Guelph. We’ll chat about concepts of Forest Bathing, a way of slowing down and noticing our natural surroundings through all of our senses, and practice while we explore the accessible paths of the park. If waking isn’t accessible for you, consider our 9:30 am accessible bird-taming project in the same area. Register for this program only here
Indoor Winter Wellness
We don’t have to be outside to access the benefits of nature. We’ll explore creative ways to do that through our Indoor Winter Wellness workshops.
Indoor Jungles: Plants in Public Spaces
During this series, we’ll meet around Guelph in accessible spaces on the bus routes that have notable plants, working from the knowledge that even just one plant in a room can improve mood and concentration. Depending on location, a short activity may follow on-location
- Noki Farms, Old Quebec Street Mall, 55 Wyndham St N Unit T6B Feb 14, 1:30-2:30
Learn about how their microgreens are grown, the nutritional benefits, & have a taste - Bovey Teaching Greenhouse, University of Guelph campus, Feb 21, 1:30-2:30
This greenhouse is a hidden gem in Guelph, and we’ll have a tour from a GH staff and soak in the beauty of tropical plants we’re used to seeing in houseplant form, but enormous! - City Hall Living Wall, 1 Carden St., Feb 28 – 1:30-2:30
We seldom think of this as an urban jungle,but the living wall at city hall is accessible to us all, so we’ll slow down and take in the proven benefits of having plants in our space.
Nature Art Workshops
- Potted Spring Bulbs, Sunday Blooms, 214 Woolwich St.,
Friday Feb 16, 10-11:30am, space limited.
Plant a wee spring bulb to bring the scents and sights of spring in your space.
- Pressed flower forms, Planet Bean, 2 Wyndham St.,
Friday February 23, 10am-11:30, space limited.
Glueing pressed flowers and leaves on paper to create frame-able floral letters, animals,etc. - DIY Potted Plant & Plant Stakes Benjamin’s Bodega, 88 Waterloo Ave.
Friday March 1, 10am-11:30, space limited.
Make a beautiful and creative stake for a new potted plant. - Moss Art, Evergreen Seniors’ Centre Room 2
Tues March 12, 4:15-5:30.
Use preserved moss to create beautiful, green wall art that doesn’t need care.
Virtual Date with Nature
Connecting with nature lifts our moods, helps us concentrate, and facilitates stress-reduction, but is more difficult in the winter. There are many barriers to accessing nature, different for each of us. Sometimes having a date or social appointment helps us with motivation, accountability, and commitment. Heidi the Horticultural Therapist will facilitate the online group in simple, evidence-based activities and discussions we can all do together from the warmth of our homes with no cost.
| Program | Date & Time |
| Virtual Date with Nature: Views: We’ll get inspired by studies that support even minimal views of plants, photos, paintings, videos of nature benefiting us greatly. During this time we’ve set aside today for nature, we’ll look at photos and videos on the web, share photos with each other of our favourite places, and the views from our windows. (if you like, before this session, send photos of your window views, favourite scenes, plants, birds to ht@enablinggarden.org) | Tuesday Feb 13 12:15-1pm |
| Virtual Date with Nature: Smell: certain smells connect with our brains and send messages for how to feel. We don’t need plants or essential oils to benefit from this science. We’ll learn basic research on Forest Bathing, think about our routines as they relate to our sense of smell (even in the winter!), and do some sniffing.(if possible, bring your favourite spices from your cupboard, and find some evergreen branches fallen on the ground outside such as cedar and pine). | Tuesday Feb 2012:15-1 |
| Virtual Date with Nature: Houseplants! This is a chance to discuss and share photos of our favourite houseplants, plants that fit our watering, light, and care abilities, discuss tricks for care, pest control, light requirements, favourite plant care books and websites. No houseplants required, but this could be the moment you decide on a new plant! | Tuesday Feb 2712:15-1 |
| Virtual Date with Nature: Sounds are different in the winter. Birds are fewer, water is frozen. We’ll discuss our favourite nature sounds, how they affect our brains, and access the multitude of nature sounds at our fingertips via the internet! | Tuesday March 512:15-1 |
Winter Bird Appreciation: Accessible Sit & Walk
Date/Time
March 10th, 9:30 – 10:30 am
Location
Guelph Enabling Garden north entrance, Riverside Park
Details
Facilitator: Marlene from @natureguelph Bird Wing!
Bring binoculars or borrow @ GEG.
The Guelph Enabling Garden (GEG) winter programming is designed to connect our participants with the important and researched benefits of nature-connection at this time of year when nature can be more difficult to find and people have lower mood and energy. Humans have evolved alongside birds, and so it makes sense that our brains and bodies positively respond to seeing and hearing them. Carving out time and space for this connection can provide an important source of mood-lifting nature-connection.
