Sandra Schwarz on the study of green spaces, her book titled Restore and silver birches

In this episode, host Cass Dowding talks with landscape architect and author Sandra Schwarz about her journey from teaching teenagers to researching how green spaces heal us.

Though Sandra grew up in German apartments with railway allotment gardens, her relationship with plants began quietly until a career-changing moment in her classroom. Watching her students' eyes light up when she suggested rooftop gardens, then hearing a designer talk about turning concrete channels back into rivers, Sandra knew she had to change careers.

In this conversation, Cass and Sandra talk about:

• Growing up with German railway allotment gardens and moving to 1980s Australia where gardens were "part of the house"
• The pivotal moment hearing about river restoration that changed her career path
• Her study exchange in Sweden and discovering Alnarp's rehabilitation garden
• How sitting quietly stroking a lamb's ear leaf revealed her PhD focus
• The science behind gravel paths as acts of kindness in therapeutic garden design
• Her three sentimental green spaces: Alnarp (Sweden), Gartnaval Maggie's Centre (Scotland), and Royal Talbot (Melbourne)
• Volunteering as the "chief possum poo and bird bath cleaner" and watching magpies wait for their refresh
• The "exhale factor" - why certain spaces make our shoulders drop
• How we're losing green spaces to bigger houses just when we need them most for mental health
• Translating academic research into practical wisdom for creating healing spaces

If you've ever felt that shoulder-dropping moment in a green space, wondered why gardens make you feel better, or believe we need more nature in our concrete world, this comprehensive conversation will fascinate you.

You can find Sandra's book Restore at humanaturescapes.net and follow her on Instagram @human_nature_scapes.

Follow Cass on Instagram, Facebook, or Threads — @the_sentimental_gardener. Links to social pages and more are available at bio.site/thesentimentalgardener.

Read show notes about the guests and access the full transcript by clicking here or visiting thesentimentalgardener.com/podcasts

Music written and performed by Hayden Schueler from @vereyagardening Podcast produced and edited by Cass and Tom Dowding

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