Perspectives on the horticultural therapy profession in Australia

The objective of the study is to discuss the challenges and solutions associated with horticultural therapy as an intervention in Australia.
Horticultural Therapy (HT) has been practiced in Australia for many years in a wide range of settings including Hospitals, Aged Care centres, Disability centres, Special Schools, Community Groups, Drug Rehabilitation and others.
The HT profession in Australia is represented by 4 formal organisations and many informal groups.
While HT has wide appeal, it has not developed at the same pace as other countries and lacks a national presence.
Training is also uncoordinated and lacks formal accreditation and acceptance.
Despite this, thousands of Australians practice Therapeutic gardening every day.
This paper explores the range of disciplines that use gardening as a therapeutic tool, using examples of specific programs.
To highlight the challenges facing the growth of HT, the paper looks at what makes a successful program using specific examples and compares these to programs that have not had the same degree of success.

XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): XII International People Plant Symposium: Horticulture and Human Communities

P.R. de la Motte, D.E. Aldous

gardens, gardening, disabilities, health

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1121.13