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