Articles
Perennial and geophyte selections for therapeutic horticulture
Article number
1435_38
Pages
285 – 296
Language
English
Abstract
Plants play a significant role in horticultural therapy (HT), a form of therapy that uses gardening and plant-related activities to enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Plants serve as essential therapeutic tools, facilitating the recovery process, and should be selected based on the client’s specific needs during garden sessions.
Due to the diversity of the potential vegetation and variations in environmental and cultural factors, there is no universally prescribed set of suitable plants.
An important criteria for selecting plants is their wildlife attraction and their contribution to enhancing biodiversity.
Plants employed in HT can act as metaphors, fostering personal growth as clients draw parallels between the development of the plants and their own healing journeys.
The qualities of the flora should emphasize seasonal interest in the garden, promoting users’ interactions with plants and encouraging a soft fascination.
Greenery serves as a source of “positive distraction”, effectively reducing stress and supporting relaxation.
This can be achieved by introducing perennials relevant to the seasons, such as spring bulbs, summer lilies, and autumn asters; creating an intertwined sensory experience.
Plants with distinctive features that stimulate the senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste are preferred in therapeutic horticulture.
Particularly the scents of plants are used as a therapeutic modality in reminiscent therapy for the elderly with dementia.
This therapy leverages sensory stimuli to trigger memories, facilitate conversations and establish emotional connections in individuals with memory-related issues.
In our survey we aimed to determine the plant preferences of the elderly population in Poland to incorporate them into therapeutic gardens for this demographic.
The results indicate that, for people over 60, the most remembered ornamental plants are roses (67.7%), tulips (65%), daffodils (63.6%) and peonies (62%). Therefore, these species should be included in the plant selection for therapeutic gardens.
Conducting questionnaire research could be considered a standard procedure before designing a garden for diverse therapeutic use.
Plants serve as essential therapeutic tools, facilitating the recovery process, and should be selected based on the client’s specific needs during garden sessions.
Due to the diversity of the potential vegetation and variations in environmental and cultural factors, there is no universally prescribed set of suitable plants.
An important criteria for selecting plants is their wildlife attraction and their contribution to enhancing biodiversity.
Plants employed in HT can act as metaphors, fostering personal growth as clients draw parallels between the development of the plants and their own healing journeys.
The qualities of the flora should emphasize seasonal interest in the garden, promoting users’ interactions with plants and encouraging a soft fascination.
Greenery serves as a source of “positive distraction”, effectively reducing stress and supporting relaxation.
This can be achieved by introducing perennials relevant to the seasons, such as spring bulbs, summer lilies, and autumn asters; creating an intertwined sensory experience.
Plants with distinctive features that stimulate the senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste are preferred in therapeutic horticulture.
Particularly the scents of plants are used as a therapeutic modality in reminiscent therapy for the elderly with dementia.
This therapy leverages sensory stimuli to trigger memories, facilitate conversations and establish emotional connections in individuals with memory-related issues.
In our survey we aimed to determine the plant preferences of the elderly population in Poland to incorporate them into therapeutic gardens for this demographic.
The results indicate that, for people over 60, the most remembered ornamental plants are roses (67.7%), tulips (65%), daffodils (63.6%) and peonies (62%). Therefore, these species should be included in the plant selection for therapeutic gardens.
Conducting questionnaire research could be considered a standard procedure before designing a garden for diverse therapeutic use.
Authors
B. Szewczyk-Taranek, M. Cioć
Keywords
emotional health, sensory stimulation, therapeutic garden design, healing, sensory garden, restorative effect, aesthetics, flower colors, emotions
Online Articles (42)