ABOUT BUDS IN BLOOM
Buds in Bloom is a forest therapy sanctuary in Central Ohio — a place where people and land are tended with equal care.
We exist for those navigating stress, grief, burnout, chronic illness, or the quiet ache of disconnection. In a culture that asks us to move faster and produce more, this is a space to slow down.
Forest therapy is a guided, research-informed practice that supports nervous system regulation, resilience, and wellbeing through intentional time in nature. Studies continue to show that immersive time outdoors can lower cortisol, support immune function, and improve mood. But beyond the science, something simpler happens here: people remember they belong.
Founded by Michelle Ward, a certified guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and 2025 SeaChange Showcase Speaker, Buds in Bloom grew from lived experience. After multiple concussions disrupted her health and identity, Michelle found that healing did not come through force — it came through relationship. Relationship with the land. With stillness. With her own nervous system.
That experience shapes the way this sanctuary is held. Our walks are trauma-informed, gently structured, and designed to feel safe, unhurried, and welcoming. You do not need to know anything about forest therapy to come. You simply need to arrive as you are.
Buds in Bloom is also a social enterprise rooted in conservation. We steward five acres of meadow, woodland, and garden in Canal Winchester, restoring biodiversity, planting for pollinators, and protecting habitat. When people form meaningful relationships with land, they naturally want to care for it.
Here, healing and stewardship grow side by side.
TENDING THE BLOOM
Buds in Bloom began with listening.
In 2019, Michelle and Doug met through a shared love of the outdoors. Their partnership grew around family, exploration, and a desire to live in deeper alignment with the natural world. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, they found five acres of meadow and woodland that felt both wild and waiting.
They chose not to rush it.
Instead, they learned its seasons. They restored what had been neglected. They planted slowly. They paid attention.
During this same season, Michelle was navigating the long effects of multiple concussions. The land became a steady presence — regulating, grounding, and quietly restorative. What began as personal healing became professional calling.
Doug now cares for the land itself — mowing pathways, restoring native habitat, building infrastructure that allows others to gather safely — while supporting the vision that guides the work. Buds in Bloom is built from Michelle’s lived experience and leadership, held within a shared commitment to stewardship.
Today, tending the bloom means:
• Restoring meadow and woodland ecosystems
• Holding small, intentional groups in the forest
• Offering seasonal field-to-forest gatherings
• Growing slowly, locally, and in right relationship
This is not a retreat center built for scale.
It is a sanctuary built for depth.
If it feels right, you are welcome here.
Contact
We're always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
614-364-6424