Create Your Own Horticultural Therapy Environment at Home


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Plants are wholesome healers. A plant is always there when you’re feeling sad. Struggling with sleep issues? Look for a plant. It’s also a great creative booster. They also improve your productivity. If you want to feel less anxious, stare at a plant. Try to connect with it. Beyond that, there is something magical about taking care of these plants. You learn patience and self-control. It’s not surprising why we see therapeutic gardens in healthcare facilities. It’s a fun addition to your treatment plant or leisure purposes. 

Here is how you can create a horticultural therapy environment at home.

Identify Your Needs

Start by identifying your needs. Decide whether you want a functional, leisure-focused, or health-focused horticultural therapy environment. 

Do you want an environment that’s healing? Fill the garden with plants that evoke optimism and well-being. The perfect healing garden should have scented plants to stimulate the brain. 

Focus on accessibility if your goal is to create an enabling horticultural therapy. Such an environment pays attention to the person’s recovery. You’ll need to focus on how you can create a personal and intimate connection with the plants. The perfect way to achieve a personal relationship with plants is by raising the garden to eye level. You can use indoor or outdoor walls to create an enabling gardening environment. You can also use raised planters. 

A Landscape Design That Suits Your Needs 

You’ll need a design that suits your healing, functional or enabling needs. 

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For a healing therapy garden, focus on mental calmness and restoration. It’s best to go with minimalist aesthetics for such an environment. You’ll need to incorporate subtle colors and textures in the garden. Too many colors make it chaotic. Such gardens also need a water feature due to the healing properties of water. Also, zen zones or seating areas are great for healing gardens. 

For enabling gardens, stick to designs that enhance well-being, safety, and accessibility. The design should feature wide walkable and wheelchair-appropriate paths. It will ease the nurturing process. You also need eye-level garden beds or containers to enhance your connection with plants. 

It’s easy to design a therapy garden. But think of working with an experienced landscape or garden designer. 

Next, Pick a Spot 

You can create an indoor or outdoor horticultural therapy garden. The aim here is to find a spot that receives enough sunlight and provides privacy. Use a room with east or south-facing windows for an indoor horticultural therapy garden. They let in enough sunlight for your plants. Or, buy full spectrum LED grow lights for your plants if the room doesn’t let enough sunlight. Regular LED lights cannot produce enough light needed by plants. LED grow lights are efficient and last longer than other grow lights. 

Nutrient-Rich Soil 

You need nutrient-rich soil. Think of using organic matter when preparing your potting mix. You can add shredded leaves, dried manure, humus, peat moss, or compost to your potting mix. Organic matter is thicker than soil. Hence, making your potting mix more breathable. What’s more, organic matter is non-toxic. You can prepare your own organic potting soil or buy pre-made potting soil. 

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Plants-Rich Environment

Sensory evoking plants like fragrant plants are great for horticultural therapy gardens. You can also add edibles, bloomy plants, medicinal plants, or ornamental grasses. 

Fragrant plants will give you and your loved ones the chance to explore the sense of smell. Our sense of smell directly connects with our emotions and memory. Thus, sweet-smelling plants can improve memory function and stimulate positive moods. Add fragrant plants if one of your loved ones suffers memory loss. These plants can help restore hidden memories. 

Tending to edible plants will help your loved ones maintain a healthier relationship with food. Ornamental grass has a good texture and soothing sounds. They are great for an outdoor therapeutic garden. Avoid toxic or thorny plants.

It’s a Wrap

Gardening heals. So, everyone can benefit from therapeutic gardening. You can use any space, indoors or outdoors, to create a horticultural therapy garden. Draw up a well-detailed plan and get to work. Remember, horticultural therapy is about connecting with plants and enjoying the moment. Thus, pick a design you love, plants you love tending to, and a spot that evokes happiness. Happy gardening!


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