Many of us garden just for the sheer joy of it. But did you know that across the country the healing aspects of gardening are used as therapy or as an adjunct to therapy?

Although this may seem like a new concept, garden therapy has been around for decades. For example, the Garden Therapy Program at Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, and at regional hospitals in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Rome, Thomasville, and Savannah, has been helping people for more than 40 years through activities of gardening known as social and therapeutic horticulture.

So what exactly is social and therapeutic gardening (or garden therapy)?

According to the article “Your Future Starts Here: Doctors Determine the Way Forward” in Growth Point (1999) volume 79, pages 4-5, horticultural therapy is the use of plants by a trained professional as a means through the which certain clinically defined goals are achieved. it can be done. “…Therapeutic gardening is the process by which individuals can develop wellness through planning and gardening. This is achieved through active or passive participation.”

Although the physical benefits of garden therapy have yet to be fully realized through research, the overall benefits are almost overwhelming. For starters, garden therapy programs result in increased self-esteem and self-confidence for all participants.

Social and therapeutic gardening also develops social and occupational skills, literacy and numeracy skills, an increased sense of general well-being, and the opportunity for social interaction and the development of independence. In some cases, it can also lead to employment or further training or education. Obviously, different groups will achieve different results.

Groups recovering from serious illness or injury, people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and mental health problems, the elderly, criminals, and those who abuse drugs or alcohol can benefit from the therapeutic aspects of gardening as presented through specific programs related to therapy. In most cases, those who experience the greatest impact are vulnerable or socially excluded individuals or groups, including the sick, the elderly, and those confined to safe places, such as hospitals or prisons.

An important benefit of using social and therapeutic gardening is that traditional forms of communication are not always required. This is especially important for stroke patients, as they are victims of accidents, cerebral palsy, aphasia, or other illnesses or accidents that make verbal communication difficult. Gardening activities lend themselves easily to people with communication disabilities. This, in turn, fosters teamwork, self-esteem and self-confidence, while encouraging social interaction.

Another group that clearly benefits from social and therapeutic gardening are those who abuse alcohol or substances and those who are in prison. Teaching horticulture not only becomes a life skill for these people, it also develops a wide range of additional benefits.

Social and therapeutic gardening provides these individuals with the opportunity to participate in a meaningful activity, which produces food, as well as building skills related to responsibility, social skills and work ethic.

The same is true for juvenile delinquents. Garden therapy, as a vocational horticulture curriculum, can be a tool for improving social bonds as well as developing better attitudes about personal success and a new awareness of personal readiness for work.

The mental benefits don’t end there. Increased decision-making skills and self-control are common themes reported by staff in safe psychiatric hospitals. Reports of increased confidence, self-esteem, and hope are also common in this setting.

Prison staff have also noted that garden therapy improves inmates’ social interaction, as well as improving mutual understanding between project staff and inmates who share outdoor working conditions.

Interestingly, studies in both hospitals and prisons consistently list improved relationships between participants, integration with the community, life skills, and ownership as some of the real benefits for participants.

But aside from creating a myriad of emotional and social benefits, the health benefits of being outdoors, breathing fresh air and doing physical work cannot be overlooked. In most studies, fresh air, exercise, and weight control were noted by participants as top benefits that couldn’t be overlooked.

Although no solid reason can be pinpointed, studies have shown that human beings have an innate attraction to nature. What we do know is that being outdoors creates feelings of appreciation, tranquility, spirituality, and peace. So it seems that being in a garden setting is in itself restorative. Active gardening only adds to those feelings.

With so many positive benefits of gardening, isn’t it time you got out there and started taking care of your garden? The next time you’re kneeling in fresh soil pulling weeds or planting a new variety of vegetables or flowers, think of the tranquility you feel while outdoors in your garden. Let the act of gardening calm and revitalize you. Soak up the positive benefits of caring for your own garden.

If you have someone in your life who could benefit from garden therapy, contact your local health unit for more information on programs in your area. The enjoyment of gardening will not only help you bond, it will also create numerous positive physical and mental benefits for both of you.

So start gardening today for your physical and mental health. You will enjoy the experience so much that you will immediately thank yourself.