Name of organisation
City of Zagreb
Organisation type
Government
Project status
Monitoring results
About the project
The therapeutic garden in Zagreb is part of the proGIreg — ‘Productive Green Infrastructure for Post-industrial Urban Regeneration’ project, funded by the European Commission under Horizon 2020. The garden is a part of the local ‘living lab’, and is located in a former industrial complex in the Sesvete district of eastern Zagreb. The therapeutic garden is one of the nature-based solutions developed in the area, and its aim is to provide quiet green space for gardening, social interaction and rest and relaxation, particularly for people with disabilities.
Innovative steps
The garden was developed in collaboration with organisations that work with children and adults with disabilities. One of these organisations manages the everyday use of the garden, providing space for gardening, relaxation and social gatherings. Parents and carers of children and adults with disabilities are involved in activities and maintain the garden. Gardening experts and professional therapists provide thematic workshops for socially vulnerable groups.
Technical specification
A therapeutic garden is a space that improves well-being by providing accessible and serene spaces for socialisation and contemplation. Such gardens include diverse plant species and are tailored for varied users. The plans in Sesvete entail involving and making the garden accessible for people living nearby that have disabilities. The park is designed with the help of local institutions catering for people with various disabilities, including ‘Little Home’ day-care centre that hosts a variety of therapeutic and interactive activities for disabled children. The users are involved in learning activities by planting herbs and vegetables, tending to the garden and harvesting them. The idea is to help visitors to the garden to observe nature with all senses, using various activities such as games and art classes with nature taking centre stage. The idea behind the Sesvete garden is to motivate families that have members with disabilities to engage in activities, increase interaction between those with- and without disabilities, integrating marginalized people into the local community and educate people.
