Horticultural Therapy Uses Nature to Help Heal
In short, Mother Nature makes a great therapist.
June 15, 2023 | Source: Treehugger | by Lisa Jo Rudy
“Healing gardens” are now featured in the design of most new hospitals. Aside from the pleasure of getting out in the fresh air and sunlight, just glimpsing the green space from a hospital window does wonders. As Deborah Franklin writes for Scientific American about one particular study on the topic, “Patients with bedside windows looking out on leafy trees healed, on average, a day faster, needed significantly less pain medication and had fewer postsurgical complications than patients who instead saw a brick wall.”
It speaks to the healing power of plants, which is where horticultural therapy comes into play.
Horticultural therapy is the practice of using gardens, plants, and horticultural activity to relieve physical and mental symptoms. Research suggests that it is helpful for managing mood disorders and mental illness, and can also be designed to help improve balance, strength, and work skills.