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Le jardin thérapeutique – Conception et gestion by Marc MITOU – Château de Bénouville
The therapeutic garden – design and management
After answering the question, ‘Why create a therapeutic garden?’, Marc Mitou will speak of the design of this sensory garden. The size of the site that will house the garden, facilitated access, the possible discoveries it will offer and a safe environment are among the factors to be taken in to account to ensure the well-being of those who will come to stroll through the garden. Nothing is to be left to chance. Installations and plants will offer an opportunity to play on colours, fragrances, touch, noise and even taste. However, creating a therapeutic garden is not enough – it also needs to be maintained and brought to life. The mission will be left unaccomplished if no one comes to stroll through it. Gardens need to be maintained to stimulate the desire to walk through them, relax and arouse the five senses.
Marc Mitou
Marc Mitou studied horticultural and landscaping techniques at the Institut Lemonnier in Caen, in 1978. A qualified ‘Maître Artisan’, first prize-winner in Japanese floral art (at the ‘La Fleur et l’Oiseau, the flower and the bird, international fair in Caen), 2nd prize-winner at the national competition organised by the UNEP (national union for landscaping businesses) in 1998, and regional finalist of ‘Star & Métiers 2011’, star & profession, national finalist of the ‘Trophée du Grand Age’ in the ‘nursing home initiative’ category, Marc Mitou created ‘his’ first therapeutic garden in 2010. Since, he has continued, not only to create therapautic gardens, characterised by their small surfaces and their inventiveness, but also to regularly take part in conferences and in training sessions for staff accompanying disoriented seniors.
Further reading :
Le jardin thérapeutique, Marc Mitou, 2013