Fockele Winter 2012 Newsletter

8/3/2019 Fockele Winter 2012 Newsletter

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In this issue:

news from the gardenI d e a s f o r G r o w i n g y o u r G a r d e n Winter 2012

w w w . F o c k e l e G a r d e n C o m p a n y . c o m

THERAPEUTIC GARDENS SUPPORT WELLNESSTHROUGH PHYSICAL AND SENSORY INTERACTION

here is a growing trend among healthcare institutions, other commercial entities

and even homeowners to incorporate what are referred to as therapeutic gardens into

campus landscapes. The term refers to gardens designed with the purpose of support-

ing the physical and mental well-being of all who interact in some way with the gardenspace. Research, intuition and experience demonstrate that contact with nature can

promote health and resilience through stress reduction, physical interaction and

positive sensory experience.

Psychologists theorize that contact with nature is a basic human need, and that we

love and encourage the continuation of the natural world that we share across human-

kind to preserve our existence. Erich Fromm called it biophilia and E.O. Wilson

examined and expanded the concept. Today, interest in gardening has pushed the

use of a new term hortiphilia. People want to get close to nature. When nature is no

longer accessible to people due to individual limitations or circumstances, the role,

appeal, and need for therapeutic gardens becomes obvious.

Designing and installing therapeutic gardens results in the re-creation of qualities found

in nature and brings these qualities closer to benefit a group of people by promotinginteractions with the natural world. For example, healing gardens have become popu-

lar at hospitals around the country, either for specific groups such as burn or cancer

patients, or a garden with broader access for patients, visitors and employees. Qualities

found in a healing garden might include the sound and appearance of water, quiet or

private seating, an array of interesting and colorful plantings, walkways for strolling and

enjoying the atmosphere of peace.

T

The Fockele Garden Company

has been awarded a Grand Award

for Annes Garden at Northeast

Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) in

the 2011 Annual Environmental

Improvement Awards Program

sponsored by the ProfessionalLandcare Network (PLANET).

Annes Garden was one of only 29

projects nationwide to earn the top

level designation.

The Fockele Garden Company

partnered with The Medical Center

Foundation on the project, which was

made possible by longtime NGMC

supporters and Foundation donors,

Anne and George Thomas of Gainesville.

We enjoyed collaborating withThe Medical Center Foundation

on Annes Garden, The Fockele

Garden Company Vice President

Julie Evans said. It is a garden that

can be enjoyed year-round and

provides respite for patients, families,

visitors and hospital staff.

The garden is serene and offers all a

place of hope and healing, which was

Anne Thomas vision. As a therapeutic

garden, visitors can experience peace,

restoration and reflection. Large

numbers of hospital staff, visitors,

and patients are drawn to the sooth-

ing atmosphere, the sounds of water,

Elpida the Angel of Hope sculpture,

and the colorful and interesting plant-

ings. According to Nancy Colston,

Annes Garden, a healing garden at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

The Fockele GardenCompany Earns

National Grand

Award for Its Work

on Annes Garden

Jason Somerville oversees Magnolia trace, p.3

Fockele Garden Company professionals become arcsa accredited, P.3

Garden designed to celebrate lanier village estates 10th anniversary, P.3

continued on page 2continued on page 4


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Sensory gardens would be full of elements

that encourage and stimulate the senses:

herbs for smell and taste, leaves for touch,

color and texture for sight, water for

sound. Visitors are encouraged to touch

and smell the plants. Horticultural therapy

gardens provide opportunities for physical

interactions with a garden such as plant-

ing, watering, and harvesting. Garden-

ing tools have been adapted for use by

people with differing levels of dexterity,

balance and range of motion.

Physical therapy gardens provide

opportunities for patients to practice

skills such as walking on slopes, steps,

and various surfaces, while outdoors in

a beautiful garden.

Meditation gardens allow for quiet

contemplation and a sense of

peace. Memorial gardens celebrate

the lives of people and events.

Visiting a garden like this encour-

ages our individual and collective

remembrance and grieving.

They remind us of history and

teach future generations.

Studies such as those of environ-

mental psychologist Dr. Roger

Ulrich, published in Science, foundthat surgical patients assigned to

rooms with views of green space

had shorter hospital stays and

needed less medication than

patients in rooms looking onto a brick wall. Evidence Based Design, other wise known

as EBD uses several information gathering

strategies to accumulate data and direct

garden design so that functionality goals -

and budgets - are met.

The Fockele Garden Company designs

and installs all kinds of landscapes, from

physical therapy gardens and commemo-

rative parks, to healing gardens, medita-

tion gardens, labyrinths, and horticulture

therapy gardens.

Identify how you want to interact with

nature through your garden. Your choices

are as limitless as your imagination. Our

designers will hear your ideas and follow

your intentions throughout the design

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Below: The Conner Memorial

Garden in downtown

Dahlonega is a reminder of

the lifetime of contributionsmade by a cherished citizen.

A labyrinth in a private Atlanta garden facilitates walk

meditations for the owners and their neighborhood f

Therapeutic Gardens Support Wellness Through Physical And Sensory Interactioncontinued from page 1

I have often seen patients with very advanced dementia or Alzheimers disease,

who may have very little sense of orientation to their surroundings. They haveoften forgotten, or cannot access, how to tie their shoes or handle cooking

implements. But put them in front of a flowerbed with some seedlings, and

they know exactly what to do I have never seen such a patient plant something

upside down. Dr. Oliver Sacks Restorative Commons: Creating Health

and Well-being Through Urban Landscapes

The American Horticultural Therap

Association sponsored the Freedom

Equality, Accessibility Garden at

the 2011 Philadelphia International

Flower Show. The goals of the exhib

were to educate the public about ho

horticultural therapy can enhance

ones well-being, teach new skills,

distract from pain, reduce stress and

isolation, to provide fun and meanin

ful work in a way that is life-affirmin

www.healinglandscapes.org/.

continued on page 4

Above: Patients at UniHealth Post-

Acute Care in Brookhaven use the

rehabilitation garden to rebuild their

skills. Paths with various surfaces

course over bridges and through

the garden; benches allow for bird

watching and for listening to water

as it bubbles over rocks into a

goldfish pond. Right: The courtyard

at the Oaks of Limestone provides

residents, visitors and staff oppor-

tunities to experience and interact

with nature.

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Rainwater collection systems are a central part of many

garden designs of The Fockele Garden Company.

To remain up to date on the advances and new tech-

nology of rainwater collection, The Fockele Garden

Company Co-Owner Julie Evans and Facilities Manager

David Williams have earned accredited professional

status from the American Rainwater Catchment Systems

Association (ARCSA). Co-owner Mark Fockele had earlierearned the accredited professional designation.

The ARCSA is a non-profit organization that promotes

rainwater catchment systems use in the United States.

Rainwater collection systems allow homeowners or

businesses to collect rainwater for use in irrigating

their gardens. It is an alternative to using municipal

water, which is becoming more expensive and

subject to restrictions.

The Fockele Garden Company can offer many options

if you are interested in collecting rainwater to irrigate

your garden. The company has integrated rainwatercollection systems ranging from 55-gallon rain barrels

up to 10,000-gallon cisterns into landscape designs.

When looking to commemorate its 10th anniversary with a

Founders Garden, Lanier Village Estates turned to the son

of one of its founders for inspiration Mark Fockele of The

Fockele Garden Company.

Lanier Village Estates, an ACTS Continuing Care Retirement

Community in Gainesville, recently dedicated the Fockele-

designed Founders Garden. Among the founders honored

were Marks parents Lou and Jean Fockele. Fockele designed

the garden to be shades of green, with a variety of plants

and textures. The focal point of the garden is an engaging

fountain surrounded by a square pool.

Garden Designed To Celebrate Lanier

Village Estates 10th anniversary

The Fockele Garden Company recently

named Jason Somerville as its Landscape

Maintenance Project Manager for Magnolia

Trace in Huntsville, Ala.

As Project Manager,

Somerville oversees the

maintenance of the 43-

acre ACTS Retirement-

Life Community.

Somerville is a 2002

graduate of Clemson

University, earning a

bachelors degree in

horticulture with a

minor in urban forestry.

He spent nearly six years with Southern

Living magazine as a horticulturist for the

Custom Landscape Program and as a consul-

tant for the Garden Features Department.

Jason Somerville

Oversees Magnolia Trace

Magnolia Trace Earns Huntsville Beautification Awar

Fockele Garden Company professionals become ARCSA accredited

For the second straight year, Magnolia Trace, an ACTS Retirement-Life Community in

Huntsville, Alabama whose landscape design was installed and is maintained by The

Fockele Garden Company, has earned a Huntsville Beautification Award. Magnolia Trac

scored 19.6 out of 20. The judges complimented The Fockele Garden Company on th

good use of plants and the nice colors, balance and texture of the landscape. The

property was one of nearly 300 entries in the competition sponsored by the Beautificati

Board of Huntsville and is open to all commercial and public properties in the city.

Properties were judged on first impression, originality, distinction, design, selection an

quality of plants, maintenance, hardscape design, and litter control.

Julie Evans


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From infancy we concentrate happ

on ourselves and other organisms. W

learn to distinguish life from the ina

mate and move toward it like motha porch lightTo explore and affil

with life is a deep and complicated

process in mental development. To

extent still undervalued in philosop

and religion, our existence depend

on this propensity, our spirit is wov

from it, hope rises on its currents.

E.O.Wilson 1984 Biophilia

The Fockele Garden Company Earns National Grand Award for Its

Work on Annes Garden continued from page 1

Take an online tour of our work @

fockelegardencompany.com/portfolio.html

Executive Director of The Medical Center Foundation, Time and again, we witness the positive change in mood that the garden

facilitates, because people go out of their way to let us know what a difference Annes Garden makes in their experience while

visiting the hospital.

The Fockele Garden Company is a member of the Professional

Landcare Network. PLANETs Environmental Improvement

Awards Program reflects the associations commitment to

creating and preserving the beauty of our landscape. The 42-year old program is designed to reward independent landscape

professionals who execute superior projects. PLANET strives

to increase public awareness of environmental improvement

through landscaping and encourages the consistent use of

quality materials and workmanship.

With more than 3,500 member companies and affiliates, these

firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green

industry professionals.

We are honored to be recognized by PLANET, Evans said. It is a

project we enjoyed working on and are proud of the results.

A place to sit, surrounded by

fresh air and colorful plants,

stirs reminiscence in the

Memory Walk garden at

Lanier Village Estates.

process, during the installation, and as your landscape matures and you discover

new features you want to incorporate.

As you co-exist withyour landscape youll

benefit from your hortiphilia:

health and resilience,

enriched social interaction,

the satisfaction of environ-

mental stewardship,

serenity and peace, or

sensory pleasure. The

result will be a timeless

interaction between you

and the natural world.

Therapeutic Gardens Support Wellness Through

Physical And Sensory Interactioncontinued from page 2

P.O. Box 671 | Gainesville, GA 30503 | p: 770.532.7117 | f: 770.532.7245 | www.FockeleGardenCompany.com

Owners : Mark Fockele and Julie Evans

Year Founded: 1990 | Employees : 42

Business Breakdown: 60% design/build, 40% maintenance

Customer Breakdown : Mix of residential and commercial

Fockele Winter 2012 Newsletter

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