ABOUT BUDS IN BLOOM
At Buds in Bloom, we are more than a retreat space—we are Central Ohio’s first dedicated forest therapy sanctuary and a growing social enterprise at the intersection of conservation, wellness, and community care.
Our mission is to restore the human–nature connection and to help people experience what science already shows: time in nature can reduce stress, support healing, and strengthen resilience. We believe nature connection is not a luxury, but a prescription for modern life.
Founded by Michelle Ward, a 2025 SeaChange Showcase Speaker and the region’s second Association of Nature and Forest Therapy certified guides, Buds in Bloom is trauma-informed at its core. Michelle’s own healing journey through multiple concussions fuels her dedication to creating safe, supportive spaces for groups navigating grief, trauma, chronic illness, and high-anxiety living.
But Buds in Bloom is more than human healing—it’s about the land itself. As stewards of five acres of meadows, woodlands, and gardens, we are deeply involved in conservation. We believe that when you love a place, you want it to thrive. Protecting biodiversity, planting for pollinators, and preserving wild spaces are central to our work.
Here, guests are invited to bloom alongside the land—whether through a forest therapy walk, a lavender harvest, a community retreat, or simply a quiet moment of reflection. Together, we are building a future where nature-based wellness is recognized as healthcare, and where both people and the land can heal and flourish.
TENDING THE BLOOM
Buds in Bloom is more than a place—it is a sanctuary, born from resilience, care, and a vision for a healthier future.
In 2019, Michelle and Doug met over a shared love of the outdoors. That love deepened into a partnership built on exploration, family, and a commitment to living in harmony with the land. The following year, just after their daughter was born, they discovered five acres of meadows and woodland in Canal Winchester, Ohio. The land felt alive with stories—of those who came before, of the ecosystems waiting to be restored, of the healing it could offer.
Instead of rushing to shape it, they listened. They tended. They learned its rhythms.
During this time, Michelle was navigating the lasting effects of multiple concussions. Conventional medicine offered no clear path forward, but the forest did. Nature became her medicine—quieting her mind, restoring her spirit, and opening a new way of living. This path led her to forest therapy, a practice she studied deeply and has now brought to Central Ohio as one of the region’s first certified guides through ANFT.
With Doug’s unwavering support, Buds in Bloom began to grow—not as a business alone, but as a social enterprise dedicated to both people and planet. What started as one family’s healing journey is now blossoming into Central Ohio’s first forest therapy sanctuary, a space where individuals and groups—especially those navigating trauma, grief, and anxiety—can reconnect with themselves and with the earth.
Today, Michelle, Doug, and their daughter continue tending the bloom: restoring land for future generations, cultivating biodiversity, and inviting others to join in a movement where healing and conservation walk hand in hand.
Contact
We're always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
614-364-6424