Therapeutic garden

A Therapeutic Garden is an outdoor garden space that has been specifically designed to meet the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the people using the garden as well as their caregivers, family members and friends.

Therapeutic Gardens can be found in a variety of settings, including but not limited to hospitals, skilled nursing homes, assisted living residences, continuing care retirement communities, out-patient cancer centers, hospice residences, and other related healthcare and residential environments. The focus of the gardens is primarily on incorporating plants and friendly wildlife into the space. The settings can be designed to include active uses such as raised planters for horticultural therapy activities or programmed for passive uses such as quiet private sitting areas next to a small pond with a trickling waterfall.

Types of Therapeutic Gardens

Alzheimer’s Gardens: adult day care programs and dementia residences
Healing Gardens: acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other healthcare facilities
Rehabilitation Gardens: rehabilitation hospitals
Restorative Gardens: psychiatric hospitals
Senior Community Gardens: assisted living, continuing care retirement communities and other senior living residences
Cancer Gardens: chemotherapy facilities
Enabling Gardens: vocational schools, arboretum
Meditation Gardens: religious institutions and other faith based settings

Design

The design of a Therapeutic Garden is ideally a collaborative effort involving the people using and caring for the garden. The development of the garden is typically accomplished by a design team of healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, gerontologists and other staff members. Additional stakeholders involved may include, if appropriate, the patients or residents themselves and their respective family members and other caregivers. The design team is often led by a landscape architect or other design professional trained in the design and development of Therapeutic Gardens. Depending upon the actual use of the garden, other members of the design team may include a horticultural therapist, recreational therapist and related disciplines.

The majority of elements in a Therapeutic Garden should be plant related, such as perennials that attract hummingbirds, shrubs that attract butterflies and water features for gold fish and Koi. Plants familiar to those using the Therapeutic Garden need to be non-toxic and non-injurious. Issues related to sustainability of the garden, such as using native plants and rain water harvesting, should also be considered in the overall design. Attracting nature, such as butterflies, gold finch and hummingbirds into the Therapeutic Garden, is important. Nature is referred to as a ‘positive distraction’ by Roger Ulrich, Ph.D. at Texas A&M University^[1]. Other considerations include providing ample shade, movable furniture, water features, smooth and level walking surfaces, and year round interest. Consideration should also be given to the maintenance and upkeep of the Therapeutic Garden as safety is an important consideration. An endowment fund can be set up for the perpetual maintenance of the Therapeutic Garden.

Elements

The elements of a Therapeutic Garden consist of the following:

Natural elements:

Familiar plantings
Plants that attract birds and butterflies
Ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses
Non-toxic and non-injurious plantings
Vegetables
Annual plants
Soil
Sunlight and natural shade
Wind
Precipitation

Constructed garden elements:

Patio, courtyard
Paved walking pathways
Seating, such as tables, chairs and benches
Landscape lighting
Raised beds
Shade, such as Gazebos , Pergolas or umbrellas with tables
Fountain, water garden, or other water features
Hose bib or other water source
Electrical outdoor outlet; for music and related activities

Nature

Spending time outside in a garden has been shown to positively affect a person’s emotions and improve their sense of well-being. Access to nature balances circadian rhythms, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and increases absorption of Vitamin D. Nature has been shown to be beneficial for our overall health and well-being. We are all connected to nature and it is important to maintain this vital connection for our health and well-being, which is described in the work ‘The Biophilia Hypothesis’ by Edward O. Wilson^[2].

Garden Programs

Healing gardens for hospitals have put a new emphasis on creating garden programs where patients can go. This model takes the form of the Swedish Covenant Hospital system ^[3]. Landscape artist David Kemp has a business on the East Coast of the United States designing healing gardens for hospitals. ^[4]

History