Haven

Rediscover and connect nurturing of imagination for health and wider connection to the environment.
I lost my dad two years ago – during his last days the only safe retreat he had was his imagination. The time we spent together exploring his senses and imagination got me thinking about the importance of the nurturing the imagination – not only for our health but also to help us connect to the wider environment.

This experience has inspired my latest garden collaboration – Haven.

Haven will be a small tent of lavender scented calico and poles, no larger then 3m x 3m – with an entry point left bottom corner and exit bottom right. The calico will be scented and printed. In the centre of the tent will be a small box on green pole structure with a lens to peer into a tiny fern/moss environment. As folk exit we’d like one written word to describe their ‘haven’.

Michelle Falzon will lead mini meditations, and mini yoga sessions – for three to six people accordingly. Local folk are invited to read any short pieces they have written that might be their ‘haven’, and live musicians will be encouraged to do the same. We plan to have an ‘event’ every hour on the two dates we are kindly being hosted by Transition Town Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace Food Market, Haynes Lane, Crystal Palace, SE19 3AP as part of the Chelsea Fringe, so at 11am, 12 midday, 1pm and 2 pm Saturday 24th May and June 7th. The aim is to prompt personal internal debate and instinct to link to nature and nurture, or/and invite a future Haven project to engage directly and help co-produce other healing spaces with multiple outputs.

One strand we want to develop in my work and play next is ‘horticultural therapeutic environments’, working with other creatives and healers and designing to the clients’ needs. For instance, an elderly group may wish to have a yoga session in their usual meeting room, filled with lavender plants, which we could then install in their garden outside with them as part of a larger plan including raised planting beds and keyhole gardens to improve the provision of cross disciplinary recreational opportunities. Or a mix generational community group might wish to have a printing workshop inspired by plants with Sarah Burns, and have a meditation led by Michelle Falzon in a jungle to be planted in their garden afterwards to kick start their session.

Sarah Newton / 0800 298 2401
sn@sarahnewtongardendesign.co.uk / www.sarahnewtongardendesign.co.uk

Sarah Burns / 07530052955
unpickers@gmail.com / www.newweather.org

Michelle Falzon
shellefalz@aol.com