Manyways: Dundee Therapy Garden

By Hollis Crowe

Hidden away in a quiet corner of Dudhope Park, there is a garden. You might not have seen it beyond the tennis courts, or perhaps you have caught a glimpse of the allotment beds while walking along Dudhope Terrace. This is Dundee Therapy Garden, a therapeutic outdoor space for military and blue lights services veterans. It was founded in 2015 to fulfil a specific need, and has been growing ever since. 

The garden used to host a regiment of raised beds laid uniformly in the centre of the former bowling green, but over the past couple of months the garden has transformed into a more accessible and more versatile space. This can be a tall task for any garden planted on an old bowling green, as the rocky, compacted ground under the smooth lawn can result in a difficult and bumpy path. This was something on the list of things to consider in the recent changes, as an uneven surface can make it difficult to get to and around the garden for those who have additional mobility considerations. While the paths inside the garden are easier to get around now, the paths around the outside might still be a little tricky. To mitigate some of the barriers here, the garden is looking to implement a wheelchair service to help visitors get to the right place. Additionally, they also offer a telephone service to include anyone who can’t be there in person.

 “The reason people need to come can be the barrier to coming.”

The ethos of the garden focuses on supporting the autonomy of visitors who use the space. It seems that the safe and secluded corner that they’ve taken up residence in is perfect for this, allowing visitors the freedom to use the space as they wish, to take part in planning the new garden look, and to just spend time outdoors without any pressure from the rest of the world. You don’t even have to do any actual gardening! 

A little chat with one of the visitors emphasised the freedom there is in a non-judgemental outdoor group; that having this specific space for veterans encourages them to connect with other people who understand the history and the humour that can come with the job. It can be highly calming to come to a place where there’s no pressure and no need to explain anything. Another visitor is a helpful dog, whose presence is an example of the ways in which the garden seeks to adapt to the needs of the visitors. Animal friends weren’t on the list before, but he is such a good boy!

Over the winter months, the garden has been completely landscaped and rearranged to adapt to the needs of its users. The before and after is quite drastic, as the central raised beds have been replaced with wide open, curling pathways that lead from ornamental grasses, to an upcoming peace bed, to frog ponds, to a mini montane corner. The changes have had an immediate effect on the way people interact with the garden:

If you or someone you know is a veteran looking to learn new skills, get outdoors, or just chat with others who get it, you can find out more about the garden at www.dundeetherapygarden.org.