Have you ever felt better by planting a seed, caring for it, and harvesting its fruits? If so, you have experienced the benefits of therapeutic horticulture, a discipline that allows us to connect directly with nature and improve our physical, mental, and emotional health.

Horticultural therapy, also known as hortitherapy, involves the use of plants and gardening-related activities as a means to promote personal development, rehabilitation, and social integration.

What are the benefits of therapeutic horticulture?

Numerous studies have shown that this discipline has positive effects on various aspects of people's health and wellbeing.

Some of these benefits include:

• Improves physical health: Therapeutic horticulture can enhance mobility, coordination, muscle strength, endurance, blood circulation, the immune system, and sleep quality. Cultivating our own food also allows us to consume fresh, organic, and nutritious products, benefiting our diet and preventing diseases.
• Stimulates mental health: This therapy exercises the mind in a natural environment, promoting attention, memory, learning, creativity, problem-solving, and self-esteem. 
• Fosters emotional health: Therapeutic horticulture helps express and regulate emotions, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improve mood and psychological well-being, and prevent isolation and loneliness. 
• Promotes social health: Provides an opportunity to interact with others who share an interest in plants, facilitating communication, cooperation, mutual support, friendship, and a sense of belonging. 

 

 

How can I grow easily?

To cultivate plants, it is not necessary to have a large space or many resources. The key is to have the desire to learn, enjoy, and improve your life. Some ways to practice therapeutic horticulture are:

• Cultivate a home garden: Utilize available space, whether it's a garden, balcony, terrace, or window, to grow your own plants. Choose from a variety of species such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, etc. Use organic seeds, soil, natural fertilizers, and efficient watering methods.
• Participate in a gardening workshop: Enroll in a workshop held in your area to learn about plant techniques and care, and share experiences with others. 
• Join a community garden: Become part of a community garden where you can grow plants with others, and benefit from resources and support.

 

 

If you've decided to cultivate at home, we recommend starting with seedlings; it's much simpler than germinating seeds. Additionally, we encourage you to experience the pleasure of visiting your nearest plant store and seeking advice from the shopkeepers to choose the best cultivation based on the season, weather conditions, available space, etc.

Cultivate your life every day.

 

References:

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Feb; 17(3): 711. Published online 2020 Jan 22. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030711