Welcome - Therapeutic Horticulture Australia

WELCOME to

Therapeutic Horticulture Australia

We are a national membership association representing therapeutic horticulture in Australia. We support people and organisations in the use of horticulture for health and wellbeing through networks, training, education and research.

what we do

Our purpose is to support our members to facilitate, deliver or research horticultural-based therapies for a broad range of people within a variety of person-focused services and contexts.

We aim to maintain and enhance the capacity of communities, organisations and individuals to support people to experience full and meaningful lives.

What is Therapeutic Horticulture?

Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) is a process in which plants and gardening activities are utilised to improve the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of those people for all ages, backgrounds and abilities. TH is used in many settings, such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, disability services, aged care facilities, commercial spaces, community and residential gardens. Therapeutic Horticulture techniques and processes are diverse, and include any which use gardens and garden-based activities to promote physical, mental and social health, as well as the health of the planet. TH is practiced by people from different disciplines and draws upon many different fields including, but not limited to:

Aged Care
Disability
Rehabilitation
Occupational Therapy
Diversional & Recreation Therapy
Landscape Architecture
Education
Social and community services
Urban planning and public greenspaces
Correctional services
Mental Health

To learn more about Therapeutic Horticulture watch our free webinar.

Connecting with nature has been regarded as essential for our health and wellbeing since ancient times but often we’ve forgotten how and why. Join Steven Wells and Pauline Marsh as they unpack our need to reconnect and introduce you to the world of Therapeutic Horticulture.

This webinar covers:

Photo credit: Kirsten Bresciani

WHAT PARTICIPANTS OF THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE PROGRAMS SAY

“The garden is like a metaphor for a better society. Plants have their own agenda too, but they also work well with other plants. And pollinators are like having extra people to help. I have these skills here to use in social aspects (of my life).”

“The garden is an escape for me. Not from a bad place, just from the busyness. Just a place I can hide away. Home is busy. This is my chill out zone.”

(Senior high school students, CRC Sydenham Food Garden, Melbourne VIC – Evergreen Infrastructure, Digability.)

“Even participants who were too frail to participate fully, still had the opportunity to observe and converse with other participants. And the conversation continued all day after the program. We often see those who don’t normally participate, come out to the garden and then stay well after the program has finished.”

(Staff observations from East Lake Macquarie Dementia Service – The University of Newcastle, Twentyman Horticultural Consultants, Anglican Care.)

become a member

The key benefit of THA membership is the importance of being part of a national body that validates, supports and promotes therapeutic horticulture as a field and the work of its members, thereby raising its profile and significance.

join our newsletter

Stay up to date on all the lates news including Events, Workshops, Conferences and much more!

Foundational GOLD Sponsors

THA acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.