The Therapeutic Landscapes Network has a lot to offer – so much so that people sometimes don’t even know what-all we have or how to best find it. Here’s a guide. Don’t worry if you can’t take it in all at once. We’ve added it to the “About Us” section of this blog in the top right-hand column.
But first, let me point out that we are a small organization with a big mission. Just as with public radio and many other great resources, our website and blog would not be possible without the support of our Wonderful Sponsors, particularlyLandscape Forms and Scofield, as well as generous contributions from individuals. We welcome donations and more Wonderful Sponsors – if you like what we do, help us keep doing it. If you want to see more, help us build.
The TLN Website (www.healinglandscapes.org)
Our website provides a wealth of information about gardens and landscapes that promote health and well-being. We are always adding new information and images. Some of the pages are very much still works in progress, and most are rich with content. Think of our website as an online bibliography that doesn’t go out of date as soon as it goes to print!
Searching and Finding
The “search” tool is present in the upper right-hand corner of every website page. Use it to search for any keyword or phrase within the website (e.g., “Alzheimer’s,” “evidence-based design,” “Chicago, IL,” “sensory gardens.”).
If you just want to do searches within the TLN Blog, use the search function in the right-hand column under “Search This Blog.”
Still can’t find what you’re looking for, or don’t know where to look first? Check out our Site Map for a quick overview of what’s where.
Explore!
Take some time to roam around the website and see what we have to offer; you might just stumble upon a gem or two that you weren’t even looking for but are glad to have found.
References – Resources, research, and references
- References – Hundreds of books, articles from peer-reviewed journals and popular magazines, theses, conference presentations, and more. The Search function is useful for finding specific topics.
- “If You Only Read Five” – Recommended readings sorted into categories such as “Where to Start,” “Design for seniors and people with dementia,” and “Books for inspiration.”
References (continued)
- Related organizations, with links and a brief description.
- Plants and Horticulture, including “Medicinal plants,” “Plants for Special Populations” (such as children and the elderly), “Sensory and Wildlife Plants,” and “Plants to Avoid” (plants that are poisonous or irritating to the skin).
- FAQs and Definitions – This page is still very much a work in progress, but we have a good amount of information under “How can I make my design safe for clients who are immuno-compromised? Infection Control in the Healthcare Setting.”
- Evidence-based design (EBD) – What it is, resources for further learning and research, and information about post-occupancy evaluations (POEs).
- Education – Certificate programs and Bachelor’s, Masters and PhD programs.
Designers and Consultants
Our Designers and Consultants Directory lists professionals with expertise and experience in the design of landscapes for health. Healthcare facilities, architectural firms and individuals use the directory to locate designers in their region or with a specific area of expertise. This is consistently one of our most frequently-visited pages. To join the Directory, visit List with the TLN. Each listing provides:
- Images of projects
- List of relevant projects
- Firm profile
- Basic information (address, phone, website, etc.)
- We also provide a map for searching firms by geographic location.
Gardens
The gardens pages provide information about various types of landscapes for health. The majority of listings are Gardens in Healthcare (hospitals, long-term care, hospices, etc.), listed alphabetically by the name of the facility. As with the Designers and Consultants Directory, we would love to represent these gardens geographically with a map. We would also like to provide case studies of good examples. Funding, please!
We cover other landscapes as well, including:
Each page has a brief explanation of what the landscape is and why we consider it to be restorative, and then lists resources and good examples of built works. We plan to add more pages in the future, including Children’s Gardens, Sensory Gardens, Rooftop Gardens, and Interior Gardens & Atria.
Related
Related subjects include:
- Horticultural Therapy – What it is, and a good list of organizations.
- Get Out and Play! – This page focuses on children’s access to nature. We explain why access to nature is essential for kids’ health and development and provide an ever-expanding list of organizations and references for further exploration.
- Feng Shui and Vastu – Definitions and lists of references and organizations.
- Labyrinths – Provides links to organizations and websites.
- Art & Health – Art containing nature imagery has been found to be salutary and is often used in hospitals, sometimes in conjunction with real nature. This page provides a good list of resources and links to relevant websites and organizations.
Other stuff
The About section includes information on who we are, what we do, why we do it, who helps us, and how to reach us.
The TLN Store offers T-shirts, mugs, mousepads, and other fun things with our Echinacea mascot, for purchase.
The TLN Blog (www.healinglandscapes.org/blog)
The Therapeutic Landscapes Network Blog provides news, information, and a forum for communication about healing gardens, restorative landscapese, and other green spaces that promote health and well-being. Think of the blog not as a one-way information-delivery system, but as a vehicle for conversation between lots of different people. Comment threads can be a great way for blog readers to talk not to just us but with other readers as well.
Search: Use the “Search This Blog” function in the right-hand column to search for keywords and phrases within the blog (this is separate from the website).
Get posts emailed to you! I love this feature and use it with other blogs. If you’re like me and can’t remember to check in on blogs unless they are delivered to your virtual doorstep, then sign up here (it’s on the blog as well, in the right-hand column):
Get new TLN Blog posts emailed to you! Enter your email address:
Other TLN social network platforms (join the conversation)
TLN on Facebook – facebook.com/therapeuticlandscapes – As of today, we have over 2,000 friends on Facebook. It’s a great way to connect with like-minded people. We post news, links, research, and topics for discussion almost daily.
TLN on Land8Lounge – land8lounge.com/group/therapeuticlandscapes – Land8Lounge is a social networking site for landscape architects, but anyone can join. We have our own group there, and it’s a good place to get information, start a discussion, and meet others interested in this field.
TLN on Twitter – twitter.com/healinggarden – Twitter is a great way to keep up with the TLN. We “tweet” links, thoughts, etc., all in 140 characters or less, pretty much every day. We have over 3,500 followers on Twitter. For those concerned about Facebook’s ever-shifting privacy sands, Twitter is a better option. It’s not for everyone, but as a way to get pithy information, it can’t be beat.
This year, we will be developing a simple forum within our website for members to connect with each other and share information, ideas, questions, etc. Our goal is to make it simple and easy – no login or anything required. Is this possible? Not sure yet, but we’re exploring the options. When it happens, it will be on our Network page.
Best-kept Secret: Sounds of Nature
In the lower left-hand corner of the homepage, under the pretty pictures, you’ll find “birdsong audio” with on off buttons. Click “on” to hear a lovely excerpt from Dawn at Trout Lake by Wild Sanctuary. Especially at this time of year, I like to open a window with the the TLN Homepage and just keep the track looping.
Contact Us
Have comments, questions, ideas, information you’d like to share? We want to hear from you. You can reach us on the Contact page, or by emailing us at info (at) healinglandscapes (dot) org.
Grow with Us
We can’t do it without you. Please consider making a donation or becoming one of our Wonderful Sponsors.