If you are looking for a way to reduce stress and connect to a supportive community, gardening may be able to help. In this live discussion, UNH Extension Youth & Family Resiliency State Specialist Kendra Lewis will share why gardening is well-suited for stress reduction and how to overcome the challenges of getting started. Kendra will be joined by Landscape and Greenhouse Field Specialist Emma Erler who will share her wealth of knowledge on gardening and houseplants, including easy plant options for beginners and tips and tricks for caring for your plants. Bring your questions, and join us for an uplifting discussion about how gardening can make a positive difference for your mental health.

Presenters

Kendra Lewis is UNH Extension’s state specialist for youth & family resiliency. She previously worked for Cooperative Extension in California as the Academic Coordinator for Evaluation for 4-H Youth Development, in which she coordinated the statewide evaluation of 4-H programming and collaborated with Extension staff on research projects. She has a background in human development, a proficiency in program evaluation, and a passion for social emotional learning.

Emma Erler is the UNH Extension landscape and greenhouse field specialist in Hillsborough County. Her expertise is in landscape horticulture, and she provides research-based programming and technical assistance to green-industry businesses throughout the state, including nursery, garden center, and landscape operations, while also serving the broader agricultural community of Hillsborough County. You can watch Emma on WMUR's Grow It Green and on the Granite State Gardening podcast, and read Emma's work in a variety of publications and throughout UNH Extension's website.