European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 16, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes april Tih pm sati of wag to Weed out Yow problem Evig therapy by John Leighty United press International Patty a former psychologist in san quit her Job a few years ago and went directly in search of peace and Tranquility to her 1 took a year off and a Good part of what i did was to grow vegetables and prune and Wil Kerson to this was Wilkerson said if she Ever returned to her past work in a residential treatment Center for having them work at gardening would be an absolute its a natural instinct to dig and play in she in the mind is free to to unleash although she int growing vegetables right Wil Kerson has switched occupations and is co owner of a popular outdoor Flower stand in the coastal town of Stin son Beach just North of the Golden Wilkerson recommends gardening to people As a Way of staying in touch with themselves and go of the tensions of the you can go into a Garden absolutely tied in knots and find your problems dissolving by digging and this occurs without deliberately trying to Doit hospitals often use gardening As a quiet time activity fat therapy in san marys hospitals Mccauley Institute has a portion of vacant land it uses to allow psychiatric patients to grow at Laguna Honda a greenhouse called a Little Green acre is used for Jim Large greenhouse at Ugawa Honda it rabbits and patients in wheelchairs can grow vegetable in top atop boxes and bedridden Gardner can Plant seeds from their wards from a rolling this is a horticultural therapy program for the elderly and said Randall director of therapy and Volunteer services at Laguna a person can participate at whatever level his Handicap its sometimes As Basic As shoving a seed into the soil or it can be More strenuous pruning and May said one of the biggest benefits is getting patients away their Beds and into an outdoor setting where they can join in such projects As starting a pump Kin it makes them forget their May and its an educational program where patients who have grown gardens can share what they know with other Robert editor of organic gardening mag Azine of said in a recent editorial that gardens can help remove problems from a persons even though its often a Challenge to grow edible gardens Supply fresh food Rich in vitamins and he but theres other ways gardens can help a persons for is Good exercise for stretch ing and strengthening Rodale it also provides outdoor therapy for people who spend much of their lives in offices and inside their its also allowing contacts with other people to help cure loneliness and helping new people Start gardening is the Best Friend maker of Wilkerson said theres a Long Range satisfaction to be found in watching a Garden of vegetables grow v and finally wind up being the satisfaction comes in the Success of finding that you can really grow she you really make something its a learning process and its a a person with a she finds Pride in show ing it one couple she knew put up with a season of gophers and she because they became deter mined to Harvest their which they gardening is probably one of the closest unions a human being can have with nature and with the she you can get pure pleasure out of being successful with just one As for Wilkerson said with her Flower Busi Ness she Hast had time to Plant a vegetable Garden this but she still spends time outside in her she i love to