Kerala Student Creates ‘Healing Garden’ at University

Reshma PR, a PhD student at Kerala University in India, transformed a balcony at the university’s botany department into a “Viridescent Haven,” a 50 square foot indoor garden designed to promote wellbeing. Reshma built the space while researching indoor air purifying plants and their ability to remove formaldehyde.

The garden features locally sourced plants like sansevieria and lucky bamboo, chosen for their air-cleaning properties based on a NASA study. The garden, funded by the university, is designed to encourage mindful relaxation.

Visitors are asked to remove their shoes, turn off their mobile phones, and spend at least 30 minutes enjoying the space. Elements like a small waterfall and pebble flooring aim to reduce stress and improve mental and physical health, drawing on concepts like “blue mind theory” and “earthing.” Professor Dr.

Bindu R. Nair supervised the project, hoping to adapt the healing garden concept, common in hospitals abroad, for a university setting. Reshma hopes her model will inspire more indoor healing spaces in urban environments.