Nature and Nurture: Why Gardening and the Outdoors Can Be So Beneficial for People Living with a Dementia

When problems with memory occur and daily routines become harder to follow, nature has a way of offering something simple and powerful: comfort, connection, and calm. For people living with a dementia, being outdoors, especially in gardens, can offer emotional, sensory, and physical benefits that are second to none.
Even a short time in the fresh air can lift spirits, reduce agitation, and bring about moments of joy. Here's why gardening and spending time outdoors can be such a meaningful part of life for someone with a dementia.


1. A Feast for the Senses
Gardens are full of gentle sensory elements that can be lovely to experience for someone living with a dementia. Familiar smells, sights, and sounds of a garden can help someone with a dementia to feel calm and happy in a world that can often feel overwhelming and muddled.

Things to think about:

• The scent of lavender or rosemary could bring about a sense of nostalgia
• The warmth of sun on skin can offer comfort and provides the body a good vitamin D boost
• The sound of birdsong or wind in the trees can be very calming and peaceful

Even just touching soil, leaves, or petals can ground someone in the moment and help reconnect them to their surroundings.

2. Reminiscence
Gardens can become powerful tools for reminiscence therapy. Many people living with a dementia will have vivid memories of gardens they once tended, vegetables they grew, or  even flowers they picked as children. The smell of tomatoes might remind someone of summer picnics they had, while pruning a rose bush might bring back memories of a garden they loved.
These moments of connection, to the past and to the present, can be incredibly comforting.

3. Encouraging Movement and Independence
Even light gardening can support physical health, helping with mobility, coordination, and muscle strength. Being outdoors can also give people a sense of independence and purpose that they may feel they’ve lost.
Ensuring the right support and adaptations (raised beds, benches, wide paths), can mean many people with a dementia can continue to take part in gardening activities even as their dementia progresses.

4. Promoting Social Connection
Gardens can bring people together, whether it’s a shared allotment project, a care home garden club, or simply two people planting bulbs side by side. Gardening offers a non-verbal way to connect, which can be especially helpful if verbal communication has become more difficult.
There’s no pressure to perform or get things “right.” Just the act of being together, hands in the earth, can bring about a sense of closeness and ease.

Practical Tips for Outdoor Activities:

• Keep it simple: Watering plants, feeding birds, planting seeds, or arranging picked flowers is enough.
• Use raised planters for easier access.
• Provide shade, seating, and hydration on warmer days.
• Avoid trip hazards like tools or uneven paving.
• Choose plants that are safe to touch and smell (lavender, mint, marigolds, etc.).
• Follow their lead sometimes just sitting and listening to the sounds of the garden is enough!

We are very excited to announce that we're in the process of creating a dementia friendly garden at Parklands Dementia Resource Centre. Work is ongoing so keep your eyes peeled!