The history of the exhibition of medicinal plants dates back to the 1960s, and this year's exhibition will be the sixty-second. From 13 June to 7 July, visitors will be able to see medicinal plants and other dietetically interesting plants in their best stage of growth, as well as a panel exhibition dedicated to garden therapy.
"Garden therapy is not just plain gardening, as many might think. It is a targeted healing method using being in nature, gardening and working with plants and natural plants to promote physical and mental health," says engineer Zuzana Galle from the Centre of Medicinal Plants at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University, co-founder of the Garden Therapy Association. Since 2019, the association has brought together representatives from social, health and care services, as well as garden architects, educational institutions and gardeners themselves. Their common goal is to spread awareness of garden therapy and the wide possibilities of its use.
"It activates and stimulates the senses, improves motor skills, and concentration, and helps with mental problems, burnout, addictions and psychiatric illnesses. It alleviates manifestations of aggression and acts in the treatment of various long-term illnesses or recovery from injuries. It promotes communication and social skills and fosters a sense of belonging," says Zuzana Galle, who lists the benefits of garden therapy.
As a therapist who has long used garden therapy methods in her work with clients with autism spectrum disorders, she can back up her words with concrete patient experiences. "What I like the most about garden therapy is the wide range of its application - not only in terms of diagnoses but also in terms of the personality types of the individual participants. You can really 'work in the garden' with someone, be in the garden with someone, talk about the garden and nature with someone else and share their memories. All of these forms obviously help," he explains.
The panel exhibition presenting the history, methods, effects and possibilities of using one's garden for therapeutic purposes was created as part of the Therapeutic Gardens project, which involved organisations from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia and Hungary. Visitors will have the opportunity to get acquainted with specific examples of garden therapy activities at individual panels, and part of the presentation will be dedicated to members of the Garden Therapy Association.
The 62nd edition of the exhibition of the Centre of Medicinal Plants of the Faculty of Medicine of the Medical Faculty of the Medical University of Brno will open on 13 June at 10:00, run until 7 July. It will be open daily from 9:00 to 18:00.
Jan Křivánek and his research group have long been collaborating with Associate Professor Anamaria Balic from the University of Zurich on uncovering the natural behaviour of stem cells. During May, doc. Balic visited the MU Faculty of Medicine in May so that these research teams could discuss their joint scientific projects.
