UPLB Research and Extension News

There are a lot of ways to improve an individual’s physical and mental health - food supplements that use natural and organic raw materials, healthy lifestyles that banner a myriad of food diets, spas and ‘green exercises’. All these have become a fad and a way of life for people of different ages, profession, and persuasion.

With the importance given to health and wellness, people have started to appreciate the value of therapeutic horticulture. According to Dr. Constancio De Guzman, a Horticulture Professor at the Crop Science Cluster, College of Agriculture (CA-CSC), “therapeutic horticulture is a process by which an individual’s health and well-being may be improved through the use of plants and horticulture.” It is distinguished from the complementary field of horticultural therapy which uses plants to meet specific clinical goals, similar to that found in occupational therapy.
Therapeutic horticulture involves the design and implementation of horticultural activities to promote well-being in a more holistic approach. The activities can include plant identification, preparation of growing media, sowing of seeds and transplanting, plant arts, vegetable and container gardening, hydroponics, and the use of raised beds for crop production. Different plant species are popularly employed in therapeutic horticulture like spices and culinary herbs, essences, medicinal plants, and ornamental plants with unique textures, shapes, and colorful flowers and/or leaves.

In the past, therapeutic horticulture was only used to rehabilitate people with psychological problems. Dr. De Guzman said that it has now been found to be applicable and beneficial for everyone. Therapeutic horticulture promotes positive health impact on people experiencing physical and psychological problems. “These health impacts can be grouped into four major benefits, such as cognitive development, social growth, psychological improvement, and physical rehabilitation,” he added.

The practice of therapeutic horticulture has the potential to delay the onset of dementia among the elderly. Horticultural activities like flower arrangement, terrarium making and dish gardening encourage mental processing. These activities, same as solving Sudoku and crossword puzzle, may prevent the deterioration of the brain. Gardens designed for  the  elderly  and the physically disabled use light equipment and portable tools to make gardening activities less strenuous.

Community gardening, from the perspective of therapeutic horticulture, is a venue for social growth. Dr. De Guzman said that a study shows that community gardening makes introvert people open and communicative. The community garden becomes a significant site for active participation, social interaction, and enhances compromise in decision-making.

Therapeutic horticulture may also be employed as a tool for physical therapy. The pruning of bonsai plants, sowing of seeds and transferring of seedlings from germination boxes to polybags are simple, light and repetitive. But they are effective ways to exercise the muscles of the hand.

Different therapeutic gardens are designed for different groups based on their needs. Dr. De Guzman said that gardens for the blind are now common in other countries. This type of garden can be explored by the blind people themselves without any assistance. It uses aromatic plants and caters to their heightened sense of smell. There are also gardens where children can do simple horticultural activities. According to Dr. De Guzman, the incorporation of gardening as part of rehabilitation program for juvenile delinquents has been shown to reduce their tendency to commit petty criminal acts.

The CA-CSC currently offers a course on therapeutic horticulture, Hort 116 (Therapeutic Horticulture). The course aims to equip students with the necessary insights and skills to design and implement programs dealing with therapeutic horticulture. It is given every second semester and can be taken as an elective course by students from other colleges. There are also some examples of therapeutic horticulture gardens that can be found in UPLB. At the Herba Hortikultura component of the CA AgriPark, one can leisurely walk under the Aromatic Archway or be lost in the  Tsaang Gubat  Maze, an activity  garden  that  tests one’s puzzle-solving skills and memory. Recently, the UPLB Health Service has transformed its hospital grounds into a Healing Garden designed to promote “faster healing through a connection with nature.”

According to Dr. De Guzman, therapeutic horticulture is an important function of agriculture that focuses beyond the food system.  Aside from its health benefits, therapeutic horticulture is also economically relevant. With the current push for  medical  tourism  by the Philippine government, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism, therapeutic horticulture is envisioned to play a significant complementary role in the program.

---

Originally published in the UPLB Horizon, 2nd Quarter 2009 issue