Horticulture therapy is the use of people-plant interaction to promote mental, physical, and social well being. Horticulture therapy not only promotes the well being of patients but caretakers as well. The participation in horticulture therapy creates an atmosphere of relaxation, lowered stress levels, social interaction, mental stimulation and improved motor skills. Today horticulture therapy is used in all different kinds of environments. Hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, prisons, rehabilitation centers, group homes, summer camps, businesses, hospices, and in private homes are just a few of the locations that horticulture therapy can be effective. The limits to whom and where horticulture therapy can benefit us is endless.

Benefits

Horticulture therapy benefits everyone that comes in contact with it. The beneficial age range varies from the youth to the elderly. People of all physical and mental states can participate in horticulture therapy. Activities of horticulture therapy can be made accessible for any one. Raised planters, gardening tables and views can be built to accommodate those that are unable to bend over or are confined to wheelchairs.

Physical benefits:

• Increase mobility
• Improves fine motor skills
• Improves coordination and balance
• Increases muscular strength

Mental benefits:

• Increases independence
• Provides an outlet for stress, anger and emotional expression
• Increases self esteem
• Increases attention span
• Provides choices and abilities to use problem solving
• Encourages self expression and creativity
  

Social benefits:

• Provides an environment to interact with others
• Provides an environment to learn and be inspired by others
• Reverses the dependency of others
• Creates commitment to living things

Written by : Teri Hamlin 2002

Books:

Horticulture As Therapy : A Practical Guide to Using Horticulture As a Therapeutic Tool by Mitchell L. Hewson (Paperback - August 1998)

Garden for Life  by Lynn Dennis (Paperback - February 1997)

Horticulture As Therapy : Principles and Practice by Sharon Pastor, Ph.D.

Horticulture for the Disabled and Disadvantaged by Damon R. Olszowy

Websites:

The American Horticulture Therapy Association

• www.ahta.org A great place to start. Includes lists of books, journals, resources, places with horticulture therapy programs and even an outline for a horticulture therapy program.
  
  
• www.disabilityresources.org

Theory and why horticulture therapy works

•   www.hort.vt.edu/human/ht1.html This is a nice outline of horticulture therapy theory and why it works.

Creating a horticulture therapy garden

• www.cityfarmer.org/horttherp70.htm
  

• www.hort.vt.edu/human/adapt.html Speaking of tools, this site gives detailed instruction on how to adapt tools for horticulture therapy.

• www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG6757.html Discusses considerations for creating accessible gardens, accessible garden containers and what plants to use in them.

Where and what horticulture therapy programs are offered

• www.hort.vt.edu/human/botanic1.html United States botanic gardens and arboreta offering information or training in horticulture therapy.
  
  
• www.holdenarb.org/hortth.htm The Holden Arboretum Horticulture Therapy Program is a good example of programs being utilized.

•   www.chicago-botanic.org/HortTherapy.html The Chicago Botanic Garden's internationally acclaimed horticulture therapy department lists answers to frequently asked questions and training workshops.

•   www.growingcenter.org/home.html This nonprofit horticulture therapy center in Frederick, PA describes their community garden (i.e. wheelchair accessible, please touch garden for the visually impaired) and also gives their answer to how horticulture therapy works and who can benefit.