Caring for the Land & People Isabelle Boucq is a French native, a clinical psychologist, published author and former student at the Horticultural Therapy Institute. From 2009-2012, Isabelle was…
By Emma Martindale, May 2022 Note: A Spanish version of this blog is available here. Let me introduce you to Emma Martindale, a horticultural therapy practitioner I met in Edinburgh…
As a Valuable Mental Health Benefit Sometimes it feels like there is simply no good news in the world. Since March of 2020, those times seem to occur more frequently. A…
Using HT for Mental Health in Puerto Rico By Pedro Arocho Soto Pedro J.Arocho Soto is a Doctoral Intern in Clinical Psychology at the Hospital (psychiatric) Metropolitano de la Montaña…
In our technology-driven existence, the natural world is too often managed as a commodity, something to be manipulated and exploited for profit. This attitude has become so ingrained in our…
By Maria Cecilia Esposito Let me introduce you to Maria Cecilia Esposito from Mar del Plata, Argentina. She is an agricultural engineer from the University of Morón, Buenos Aires, Argentina…
The Flipside of Winter The winter solstice, for many of us, brings about feelings of melancholy, deprivation, a sense of loss. Here in the northern hemisphere, we are in the…
Horticultural Therapy Visible Worldwide By Cecilia Viteri Let me to introduce you to Cecilia Viteri, a clinical psychologist from Ecuador whom I met in 2019. Cecilia works at the Institute…
Platform of Collaboration Climate change and Horticultural therapy? This topic and many others were on the minds of the collaborative virtual symposium in late October. The American Horticultural Therapy Association-AHTA,…
Community Garden for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities By: Constanza Sabogal & Manuela Menéndez Let me introduce you to Constanza Sabogal Lagomarsino, horticultural therapist and Manuela Menéndez, occupational and horticultural therapist,…
Cultivating Diversity “When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden.” ~ Minnie Aumonier, poet Your garden, with quiet confidence offers many lessons that…
by Perla Sofía Curbelo Santiago I want to introduce Perla Sofía Curbelo Santiago, a psychologist, public relations specialist, and horticultural therapist from Puerto Rico, who offers gardening activities for corporate…
Nature is the co-therapist within the therapeutic process and a key element towards healing. (Seagal, Harper, & Rose, 2021)
By Siang Yu THAM Let me introduce Siang Yu Tham, from Singapore.Siang Yu began her foray into horticulture when she worked in organic farms in France in 2013. She later…
What does weltschmerzmean for horticultural therapy practitioners? They are well positioned to provide meaningful garden-based services for people during and after a pandemic.
Healthy Aging & Therapeutic Gardens in our Cities By Karin Palmlöf Pavia Humankind is entering an unparalleled time in its demographic history. The aging of populations in many nations will…
“Oak before ash, we are in for a splash, Ash before oak we are in for a soak” Ecological Science This Old English adage roughly implies that if oak leaves…
Six ways to Survive Winter in the Best Way Possible In Denmark they call it “hygge”, in Sweden, “friluftsliv” and in Norway it is “koselig”. Regardless of which term you…
Working Together to Advance Horticultural Therapy & Human Well-Being In Ibero-American Countries Guest Author: Leila Alcade in collaboration with Daniela Silva-Rodríguez Bonazzi We are about to finish the year and…
Mindfulness Supports a Holistic Approach to Life. As 2020 comes to an end, our stress level as a nation is palpable. According to the American Psychological Association report: Stress in…
Healing Garden in Lima Peru In April 2019 we implemented a Healing Garden at an orphanage in Lima, Peru and in May 2 the horticultural therapy program began by serving…
The purpose of this article is to encourage other people to be horticultural therapists and to use plants and gardening to improve people’s well-being, because we can make the difference.…
Today, throughout Western Europe, Green Care Farms are a developing an innovative care concept that recognizes the importance of the psycho-social needs and quality of life for participants. Green Care…
For several years I have been following Karthikeyan’s Vijayakumar, founder of Horticultural Therapy Healing Centre (HTHC) in Bangalore, India, work in India offering horticultural therapy programs for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and…
“My dorm is like winter, dark and cold, and this class is like spring. Not all plants make it through the winter, but with the help of this class, I…
By: Dr. Melissa Bezares- Hernández,Clinical Psychologist at Albizu ClinicMayagüez, Puerto Rico In this opportunity I would like to introduce Dr. Melissa Bezares- Hernández whom I met in November 2019 in Lima,…
After practicing gardening as therapy since 2011 in a Rehabilitation Center in Lima, Peru I have become aware of two very important aspects of this practice: sensory stimulation and the…
Recently while working with a group of 6th and 7th graders in a middle school greenhouse, I overheard a conversation between two students. The group was engaged in a transplanting…
In January 2019 I met Cecilia Viteri from Guayaquil, Ecuador. She was on a short trip visiting Lima, Peru. We organized a small gathering to share our experiences using plants…
A few years ago, it became obvious that I was in dire need of a career change. I followed my heart and enrolled in the horticulture program at a local…
New Blog Writers Introduced HTI would like to introduce and welcome it’s two new blog writers, Daniela Silva-Rodriguez Bonazzi, from Peru writing this month about the introduction of HT in…
New Blog Writers Introduced HTI would like to introduce and welcome it’s two new blog writers, Colleen Griffin, HTR, from Maine who will be writing on a variety of topics…
By Susan Morgan As an independent therapeutic horticulture consultant and practitioner offering activity based programming, I often work with groups at facilities where there is no available indoor storage of…
By Susan Morgan A professional association has recently launched in France to connect a network of horticultural therapy, ecotherapy, and other allied practitioners across the country. The Fédération Française Jardins,…
By Susan Morgan This fall marks a special occasion: it will be the first time that all four faculty members of the Horticultural Therapy Institute will unite to co-present at…
By Susan Morgan Kaifa Anderson-Hall can share countless experiences of the meaningful impact that plants and horticultural activities have had on those she has served over the course of her…
By Susan Morgan With the start of the new season, we shake off the winter blues and look forward to the feelings of rejuvenation and rebirth with greener grass underfoot,…
Jan Lane, HTR, considers herself a “relative newbie” to the field of horticultural therapy. As a registered horticultural therapist, she finds her second career particularly rewarding as she blends her…
By Susan Morgan Registered horticultural therapist Ellen Jones’ enthusiasm for her chosen line of work in horticultural therapy (HT) is immediately felt when you ask her to describe her favorite…
By Susan Morgan When it gets too hot outdoors for your therapeutic horticulture programming this summer, stay cool inside with inspiration from these activity options. Fireworks-Inspired Floral Arrangements. Artist Sarah…
By Susan Morgan Therapeutic horticulture practitioners gain inspiration for activity planning from a variety of sources. These include attending conferences, sharing ideas with other practitioners and allied professionals, perusing social…
By Susan Morgan Note: The resources listed here are based on the opinions of the author and others as indicated, not necessarily the Horticultural Therapy Institute. Review information sources for…
By Susan Morgan In connection with the first week of spring, we have just celebrated Horticultural Therapy Week, an event supported through the American Horticultural Therapy Association, that serves to…
By Susan Morgan During the season of Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, and Carnival, love and celebration is on our minds. If you are looking for some interesting plant stories to…
By Susan Morgan Chin Yung Wung has had the opportunity to practice horticultural therapy in two countries – her native Taiwan and the United States. Horticultural therapy (HT) is an…
By Susan Morgan Each year, the National Garden Bureau selects a bulb, annual, perennial, and edible as the featured plant of its category. This annual list can invite horticultural therapy…
By Susan Morgan A passionate advocate for social justice, community organizing, and food policy, Mark Bowen has navigated a unique career path that has included working on a Community Supported…
By Susan Morgan Photos courtesy of John Murphy “I have realized that I’ve always been at the intersection of people and plants,” says John Murphy, HTR. “It’s what led me…
By Susan Morgan Note: This article is the second of a two-part series connecting the power of awe inspired by nature, mindfulness, and guided imagery from a therapeutic horticulture perspective.…
By Susan Morgan Note: This article is the first of a two-part series connecting the power of awe inspired by nature, mindfulness, and guided imagery from a therapeutic horticulture perspective.…
By Susan Morgan Photos courtesy of Abby Jaroslow, HTR Patients and staff at MossRehab in Philadelphia have been overheard, saying “Everything I know about plants, I learned from Abby.” They’re…
By Susan Morgan Plants have acclimated to grow in all sorts of climates and growing conditions, whether they are cloud forests and rainforests or aquatic, alpine, or desert habitats. Native…
A special note of thanks: Many thanks to regular contributor Isabelle Boucq for her wonderful and informative contributions to the Horticultural Therapy Institute blog over the last three years! Isabelle…
By Susan Morgan Horticultural therapy practitioners use their palette of plants in various ways with their clients – for the interesting stories about plants, their metaphors that help make sense…
Tamara Singh is a lover of nature who knows no borders. After training in horticultural therapy at the New York Botanical Gardens with Gwenn Fried and working at the Rusk Institute…
By Susan Morgan During the warm season on the picturesque grounds of Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut, Erin Backus, HTR, often leads her patients on guided nature walks…
Horticultural therapists starting a new program may want to bring scientific evidence to the table to convince skeptical decision makers. Fortunately an increasing number of researchers around the world have…
By Susan Morgan As winter approaches, horticultural therapy practitioners often have limited outdoor garden access during colder temperatures and inclement weather. However, there is a variety of indoor programming options…
Macadam Gardens is a young start-up out of Toulouse, France that started out selling organic gardening products online and later decided to create vegetable gardens for companies. “By taking over…
By Susan Morgan Congratulations to Rebecca Haller, HTM, director of the Horticultural Therapy Institute, for being the 2015 co-recipient of the Rhea McCandliss Professional Service Award by the American Horticultural…
Masahiro Toyoda is an academic who is considered one of Japan’s foremost experts on horticultural therapy. A professor at Hyogo University, he practices and leads research in horticultural therapy. Toyoda…
By Susan Morgan Photos courtesy of Travis Slagle, Pacific Quest Located on 13+ acres on the big island of Hawaii with 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Quest is…
In France, the Truffaut Foundation has become an important supporter of therapeutic gardens and a go-to player for many starting a project. As a gardening chain with roots going back nearly…
By Susan Morgan Photos courtesy of Carol LaRocque When Carol LaRocque, LPC, HTR, began working at the Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD) four years ago, she balanced her caseload…
HTI welcomes our new co-blogger, Susan Morgan, to the “On the Ground” blog. She will work with longtime blog contributor Isabelle Boucq to continue featuring articles on a variety of…
When she launched her crusade to bring nature to hospital waiting rooms, Jeannine Lafrenière knew all about waiting in hospitals. After she was diagnosed with basal-cell carcinoma, a type of…
The nursing home in Onzain in the Loire River valley is lucky. Not only it is located a stone’s throw away from Chaumont-sur-Loire, the site of the International Festival of…
After working for Thrive, THE social and therapeutic horticulture association in England, Fiona Thackeray founded Trellis, a Scottish association that has made its mission to “support health through horticulture.” “We…
Curative Care Network is a non-profit serving children and adults with disabilities at seven locations in southeastern Wisconsin. As its mission statement reads, “Curative Care Network improves the function and…
The French association Jardins et Santé (Gardens and Health) last month organized its fourth conference on gardens in healthcare settings. As the French Minister of Ecology had just declared on…
When he retires next month, Dominique Marboeuf will leave a transformed landscape in the French psychiatric hospital where he has worked as the head gardener for the last 40 years.…
Many of the children who get off the school bus at Elkus Ranch have never been on a farm before. Many of them can’t tell a sheep from a goat…
Fifteen years ago, Phyllis Meole and others created the Ability Garden at the New Hanover County Arboretum in Wilmington, North Carolina. After several years of experience as an HT in…
For the past five years, Jacqui Mehring has worked full time as an activity and horticultural therapist in a Behavioral Medicine Unit at Cone Health Systems (formerly Alamance Regional Medical…
Fifteen years after the pioneering Healing Gardens: Therapeutic Benefits and Design Recommendations by Clare Cooper Marcus and Marni Barnes, here comes an updated and revised version that provides new research,…
Fifteen years after the pioneering Healing Gardens: Therapeutic Benefits and Design Recommendations by Clare Cooper Marcus and Marni Barnes, here comes an updated and revised version that provides new research,…
After 21 years as a horticultural therapist at Wesley Woods Hospital, a geriatric facility in Atlanta, Georgia, Kirk Hines is moving on. “It is not that they did not value…
The Pauchard family has been in the plant business for four generations and about 100 years, first running a nursery before adding landscaping and now therapeutic gardens to their activities.…
Horticultural therapy is blooming in North Carolina. This blog has already visited the programs of Christene Tashjian who works with sexual abuse victims and Sally Cobb whose work centers on…
Craig Hospital in Denver is a hospital specializing in the neuro-rehabilitation and research for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Since 1982, the hospital has…
Claire : “We did everything here.“ Loïck : “It’s great. I love to plant tomatoes, strawberries, turnips, radishes.“ “Le Jardin extraordinaire”, the name is a reference to a song by French…
Kyle Curtis recently sent an update on Outgrowing Hunger’s activities. He reminds us that while Portand is considered a foodie mecca, “The further east one goes from Portland’s urban core,…
A solution against patient confinement, this garden in a retirement home in the rural town of Saint-Geniez d’Olt in the South of France is the brainchild of a newly arrived psychologist,…
“I was raped when I was 19. Over the next four years, my life became increasingly unbearable until I finally became suicidal,” explained Iris at a fundraiser for the Orange…
“At the hour of your death, what would you rather be looking at? A wall, a television or a garden?” Sally Cobb has answered this rhetorical question by creating and…
As a landscape architect, Martine Brulé could not help noticing that the hospitals and retirement homes she was visiting were sorely lacking in landscaping and green spaces. This was in…
Terraform, a wheelchair-accessible planter box currently used in about a hundred retirement homes, rehab centers and public gardens in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, was a long time in the…
This is a first. Today, we are going to visit a French horticultural therapy program, an award-winning garden for people who have suffered brain injuries and strokes. About five years…
Independent documentary maker Cintia Cabib produced A Community of Gardeners to show the diversity of community gardens in Washington DC, an urban center with an unsuspected number of hidden gardening…
The Bullington Gardens in Hendersonville, North Carolina, is a 12-acre haven where visitors follow a nature trail through beautiful gardens and where schoolchildren come to learn about plants. About 10…
HTI welcomes, Isabelle Boucq, a French native and former HTI student as the author of “On the Ground” the new forum blog. Look for new posts each month with new topics…