Believe it or not, 43,000,000 Americans are gardening. That is about one in six. Gardeners, of course, come in many varieties.
Abhi Arora used to be in the tech field. Like so many people, he sat at a desk all day, staring at a screen. Due to the stress of always staying indoors and in front of a computer, he started getting anxiety issues. To recharge and refresh, he visited a local garden in California. He noticed the shift in his mood, emotions, and improvement in his mental health overall during each visit.
Arora became friends and later business partners with the garden’s owner, farmer Rishi Kumar. Kumar studied computer science in college but became obsessed with plants and gardening. He now runs Sarvodaya Farms in Pomona, California. “Rishi and I met an old man who was healing himself and his son through the power of gardens. It was then that I realized that we could help others feel the same connection to the healing power of gardens,” Arora says. The two co-founded Healing Gardens, an online marketplace where people can rent their organic urban gardens or farms for use by the hour.
“I’ve always had a love for plants and wildlife, so with Healing Gardens we want to bring easy access to the wellness benefits of nature to our community and at the same time do our part in regenerating our planet,” Arora says.
Healing Gardens is based on the simple idea that most people enjoy being surrounded by plants and animals. A healing garden is a restorative outdoor space that has been specifically designed to steer the restless mind away from circling thoughts and towards the presence of the senses.
In addition to offering private time for visitors to just spend time alone in the garden or at the farm, individual hosts may also offer events and activities like yoga classes, mediation sessions, and goat petting for kids. Beautiful imagery, luscious smells, birdsongs, and more, gently invite the guest at a Healing Garden to presence.
【小题1】How did Arora feel after he visited local gardens?| A．More stressed. | B．More anxious. |
| C．More emotional. | D．More relaxed. |
| A．To earn more money. | B．To offer leisure places. |
| C．To promote the produce. | D．To bring the benefits of nature to people. |
| A．Recovery rooms are available. |
| B．People can spend time alone for free. |
| C．A wide variety of activities are provided. |
| D．People can enjoy performances by trained animals. |
| A．Emotion: Key to Success. | B．Anxiety: Harm to Health. |
| C．Wildlife: Benefits of Nature. | D．Gardening: Power of Refreshment. |
