The Chelsea Korzenko you see today is not the Chelsea Korzenko from five years go. The owner of Daffodilly Farm in Cherokee County, Georgia, is truly a perfect role model because, like the people she helps, Chelsea was once also searching for purpose in life and discovered it through horticultural therapy.
Back then, her world was dark, and uncertain. She was grappling with a broken marriage, battling depression, and living with her parents as a single mother. The future seemed bleak, and Chelsea felt lost, not knowing what her next steps would be.
But one ordinary day, when the weight of the world seemed unbearable, Chelsea pulled herself out of bed, made her way to the front yard, and sat down in from of this majestic tree. Little did she know, that simple act, would change her life.
“I grabbed the ground, and I remember that feeling finally of feeling safe and held, grounded,” Korzenko explained. “And I looked around me, and for the first time, I started seeing that color again. I started seeing trees blowing in the wind. I just, I felt present. Everything that was going on in my life that internal war happening was peace.”
It was this profound experience that led Chelsea to discover the power of horticulture therapy. She realized that cultivating plants and connecting with nature could heal, not only the land but also, the human spirit. So, Chelsea embarked on a journey of healing and growth, immersing herself in the world of horticulture. She enrolled in courses, attended workshops, and learned the art of gardening as a therapeutic practice.
“So, we’re all very stressed, but there is research out there where they have evidence-based research where when you connect and use your hands, the cortisol levels decrease,” she said. “And to me, that is such a powerful thing. Ss you work with your hands and step out into a garden, you know, firsthand, honestly, it doesn’t really need to take research to understand that.”
Programming at Dafodilly Farms today includes ‘Flower Focus’ group sessions for women and ‘Stress to Serenity’ support groups for families of addicts.
