Horticultural Therapy Now
Exploring the Roots of Philadelphia Horticultural Therapy - Part 3 of 3
The 1950s bloomed blousy, bright, and exotic for houseplants and gardening trends. Enter the tropical obsession with birds of paradise, bromeliads, and philodendron. Front gardens sported bubblegum pink, massive hydrangeas, Japanese maples, and the cherished garden gnome.
2000s gardeners brought their own personality to the scene championing the edible garden trends. After decades of industrialized farming and diminishing plant nutrients, they popularized heirloom varieties. In 2009, the White House planted a vegetable garden, the first since World War II.1
And now, here we are, some of us wondering how it can possibly be 2024 and where our 20s went…this generation of gardeners are capitalizing on smaller spaces, urban balconies, shrinking lawns, organic produce, sustainable gardening, water scarcity, global warming, and getting excited about composting.
But where has horticultural therapy (HT) been throughout these changing faces of gardening?
It’s been steadily and quietly plugging along, gaining momentum overseas especially in the UK and Japanese communities. HT greatly expanded its applications in the 21st century, gently sending out its practitioners to prove it could support more than only veterans of war.
Throughout the last twenty years the HT community published its experiences with inmates, children with learning disabilities, nursing and senior care facilities, people dealing with sexual or abusive trauma, depression, COVID-19, food security and safety, foster care, and more.
In the 1980s Rikers Prison in New York instituted “Greenhouse,” a program designed to help inmates to re-entry society. It was so successful that it was granted $2.8 million in 2016 to expand the program.
In 1986 the Journal of Therapeutic Horticultural started publishing.
Temple University (Ambler) created a certification program for horticultural therapy hopefuls that provides four of the necessary classes for HT registration through AHTA.
Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation HT program started more than thirty years ago and has been aiding patient rehabilitation ever since.
Yet despite publishing studies and advocation by dedicated HT professionals, horticultural therapy has not burst into the public forums. Recreational therapies established a credential process in 1981. You can become a registered HT through the American Horticultural Therapy Association, but they are still working on establishing a formal exam process. Many efforts are volunteer driven.
Most limiting perhaps is the lack of national recognition of the HT field. Despite its robust history in the United States, there is still no insurance or third-party reimbursement for horticultural therapy which is financially prohibitive to potential patients.
This further restricts job opportunities; a job search for horticultural therapy is unlikely to get you many (if any) opportunities. Many of us, like yours truly, have turned to self-employment to fund our registration process.
But what I find powerful, moving, and beautiful is that despite the obstacles that are in our paths, the committed group of Horticultural Therapists are coming up with creative collaborations, social media marketing, and public awareness campaigns often on their own dime.
We are so convinced that this therapy is worth it, the community strives forward.
And it is working. Subliminally we are turning the tide - urbanites are being prescribed outdoor time. Soil is being studied to understand its Prozac-like serotonin increasing properties. Forest therapy is trending. Hospitals are incorporating window views, therapeutic gardens, and green in their rooms.2
We may not always be recognized for all these efforts, but this generation is going to take horticultural therapy to the next level. We’re inspired by our own experiences and a supportive global community. I believe that healthcare is going to recognize HT practitioners in our lifetime.
Help us spread the word to your friends and family and start asking more about horticultural therapy!
For a deeper dive, keep reading at the references below:
1. An American Timeline: Home Gardening in the U.S.
2. Green Therapies: Exploring the Impact of the Colour Green on Emotional and Mental Health
Current State of the Horticultural Therapy Profession in the United States
Check out others in the community: