Horticultural Therapy for Depression and Anxiety: How Nature Heals the Mind
Horticultural therapy integrates gardening and plant-related activities into tailored treatment plans to address the physical, psychological, social, and emotional needs of clients. It builds on the principles of nature therapy for emotional wellness, creating a series of structured activities and exercises designed for the outdoors.
If you’re interested in horticultural therapy for anxiety or depression, a mental health professional can guide you on the best techniques for your needs. However, this article also works as a helpful tool, exploring how…
Horticultural therapy for depression and anxiety works- Techniques used in horticultural therapy
- The benefits of horticultural therapy for mental health
- The differences between horticultural therapy vs regular gardening
- How to find a horticultural therapist near you
What Is Horticultural Therapy for Depression and Anxiety?
Therefore, if you have a mental health issue such as depression or an anxiety disorder, you may find that natural therapy for mental illness boosts your well-being. However, it’s good to bear in mind that, for optimum benefits, horticultural therapy is typically delivered alongside other treatment options, such as psychotherapy.
When it comes to how plants improve mental health, therapists may factor in:
Spending time in green spaces- Enjoying healing gardens for stress relief
- Planting seeds, plants, and flowers
- Planting herbs and vegetables
- Digging and preparing soil
- Tending to plants
- Watering the garden
- Learning about plants, their life cycles, and how they grow
- Learning about the healing properties of plants
- Harvesting vegetables and fruit
- Preparing the goods that have been harvested
- Creative activities (such as flower pressing)
What Is Used in Horticultural Therapy?
Horticultural therapy is often used as part of a holistic treatment plan. Holistic treatment considers your overall well-being, rather than just isolating your mental health symptoms. For instance, holistic treatment will acknowledge your physical, social, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Horticultural therapy sessions are delivered by trained professionals who have experience and training within gardening and horticulture, as well as mental health. For this reason, therapy sessions may be delivered in a specialist setting such as a hospital, residential treatment facility, or rehabilitation center.
An evidence-based approach for horticultural therapy may include:
- Identifying a patient’s mental health needs
- Deciding how to address a patient’s needs through gardening activities
- Defining the goals and objectives of the treatment
- Actively using nature therapy for mental illness, including gardening activities that are designed to improve symptoms and enhance recovery
- Observing patients during horticultural therapy to see how well it is working and how far the outcomes are aligning with the objectives
- Collecting feedback and continuing with treatment, or making necessary changes to improve the plan’s efficacy
How Plants Improve Mental Health: Benefits of Horticultural Therapy
Not only do plants and flowers look attractive and eye-catching, but they also have real-world health benefits. For one thing, being around plants helps us physically, for example, by boosting oxygen levels, which can improve our circulation and heart function. Exposure to natural sunlight also helps our bodies to produce vitamin D – an essential vitamin that supports our bone health and immune function.
In addition to physical benefits, plants and green spaces also play a key role in supporting our mental wellness. Even indoors, interacting with plants is thought to have a positive effect on our mental health, reducing stress and increasing feelings of calm and comfort. Therefore, you don’t need to have a large garden to reap the benefits of how green spaces help mental health.4
However, horticultural therapy does more than just boost our physical and mental well-being. It can also alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, which we’ll discuss next.
Horticultural Therapy for Depression
Horticultural therapy has been shown to be beneficial for people suffering from depression, with gardening activities requiring significant patient participation being the most effective for depression-reduction.5
Horticultural therapy for depression inspire people with this condition to engage in calm and meaningful activities. Through gardening therapy for depression, we can boost our own mood whilst making a positive contribution to the environment around us.
Benefits of horticultural therapy for depression may include:
An enhanced sense of purpose from nurturing and growing plants- Better self-care inspired by looking after a garden
- Structure and the chance to engage in a meaningful activity without pressure or judgment
- Increased physical activity and social interaction
Horticultural Therapy for Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are characterized by feelings of nervousness, restlessnes, and panic. People with these conditions may also experience physical symptoms such as problems sleeping, heart palpitations, or stomach pains. But does gardening reduce anxiety? The answer is “yes” – being out in nature has been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety and make us feel calmer.
Benefits of horticultural therapy for anxiety may include:
- Reduced stress levels
- Increased feelings of calm and connection
- Physical benefits from being outside in fresh air and sunshine
Horticultural Therapy for Other Mental Health Difficulties
According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), being outside in green spaces has also been associated with improved cognitive health. This implies that nature therapy may benefit people with disorders that impair their cognition, for example, dementia. Exposure to green spaces is also linked to symptom reduction in children with ADHD.8
Horticultural Therapy vs. Traditional Gardening: What’s the Difference?
The mental health benefits of gardening have been shown, but you may be wondering what the differences are between therapeutic gardening for adults and traditional gardening. Although both of these activities may involve planting and gardening activities, the key differences are in the purpose and level of structure.
Horticultural therapy is usually delivered as part of a treatment plan and is structured with a cohesive goal in mind. For example, overcoming anxiety, healing from trauma, or as a form of rehabilitation. Specific objectives help the therapist to measure a participant’s progress to see how successful the horticultural therapy is.
In contrast to horticultural therapy, therapeutic horticulture engages people in gardening to enhance their overall well-being, rather than addressing a specific issue. It’s usually done outside of a clinical setting, for example, in a community garden or even on private land.
Finally, traditional gardening is usually self-led, so it’s done independently. We may approach traditional gardening in a more freestyle way than we would horticultural therapy – although it still has benefits.
Additionally, approaches to traditional gardening often prioritize the garden’s needs, rather than thinking about ourselves: plants need watering, roses require pruning, and seeds must be sown before fall.
This isn’t to say that traditional gardening isn’t enjoyable, or that many individuals don’t find it therapeutic and beneficial to their emotional well-being. However, as traditional gardening is led by tending to the garden’s needs first, we don’t typically use this time to reflect on our own – we’re simply gardening out of enjoyment.
Finding a Horticultural Therapist Near You
If you think you or a loved one may benefit from the healing properties of nature, a mental health professional can guide you on where to access a therapist. Your family doctor may also be able to talk to you about outdoor therapy for mood disorders and connect you with some licensed therapists.
At Mission Connection, we can talk to you about horticultural therapy for anxiety and other mental health issues, as part of a holistic treatment plan. We provide person-centered care via our unique therapeutic model in a range of ways, each designed to suit your mental health needs and lifestyle, including:
- Inpatient treatment
- Intensive outpatient care
- Outpatient services
- Telehealth options
Some treatment options will be more suitable to deliver horticultural therapy than others, and our team of expert advisors will be happy to discuss these with you. We can also provide information about treatment costs and whether care from a Mission Connection therapist is covered by your health insurance provider.
Get Started with Horticultural Therapy Today
If you like the sound of nature therapy for emotional wellness, Mission Connection will use expertise, insight, and empathy to develop a person-centered treatment plan that meets your needs. Depending on your requirements, we may be able to offer you horticultural therapy as part of one of our holistic treatment plans.
To learn more about therapeutic gardening for adults, or for any advice on your mental health and wellbeing, do not hesitate to contact us. Starting a conversation about how horticultural therapy could help your mental health today can ensure that the seeds for a brighter tomorrow are sown.
References
- Howarth, M., Brettle, A., Hardman, M., & Maden, M. (2020). What is the evidence for the impact of gardens and gardening on health and well-being: a scoping review and evidence-based logic model to guide healthcare strategy decision making on the use of gardening approaches as a social prescription. BMJ Open, 10(7), e036923. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-036923
- Sundquist, K., Frank, G., & Sundquist, J. (2004). Urbanisation and incidence of psychosis and depression. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 184(4), 293–298. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.184.4.293
- Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., & Yamaura, Y. (2016). Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 92–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007
- Lee, M., Lee, J., Park, B., & Miyazaki, Y. (2015). Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: a randomized crossover study. Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-015-0060-8
- Xu, M., Lu, S., Liu, J., & Xu, F. (2023). Effectiveness of horticultural therapy in aged people with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1142456
- Frank, C. (2024, November 21). Depression symptoms: Recognizing common and lesser-known symptoms. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/depression-symptoms-recognizing-common-and-lesser-known-symptoms
- Marcham, L., & Ellett, L. (2024). Exposure to green spaces and schizophrenia: a systematic review. Psychological Medicine, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291724001533
- Taylor, A. F., & Kuo, F. E. (2011). Could Exposure to Everyday Green Spaces Help Treat ADHD? Evidence from Children’s Play Settings. Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being, 3(3), 281–303. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-0854.2011.01052.x
