About Horticultural Therapy

Horticultural therapy is a time-proven practice. The therapeutic benefits of garden environments have been documented since ancient times. In the 19th century, Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and recognized as the "Father of American Psychiatry," was first to document the positive effect working in the garden had on individuals with mental illness.

In the 1940s and 1950s, rehabilitative care of hospitalized war veterans significantly expanded acceptance of the practice. No longer limited to treating mental illness, horticultural therapy practice gained in credibility and was embraced for a much wider range of diagnoses and therapeutic options. Today, horticultural therapy is accepted as a beneficial and effective therapeutic modality. It is widely used within a broad range of rehabilitative, vocational, and community settings.

Horticultural therapy techniques are employed to assist participants to learn new skills or regain those that are lost. Horticultural therapy helps improve memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. In physical rehabilitation, horticultural therapy can help strengthen muscles and improve coordination, balance, and endurance. In vocational horticultural therapy settings, people learn to work independently, problem solve, and follow directions. Horticultural therapists are professionals with specific education, training, and credentials in the use of horticulture for therapy and rehabilitation. Read the formal definition of the role of horticultural therapists.

Timeline of HT as a Vocation

1998

2003

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2018

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2024

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Positions & Definitions

AHTA is a non-profit membership-driven organization whose mission is to promote and advance the profession of Horticultural Therapy as a therapeutic intervention and rehabilitative modality through:

• The dissemination of information relating to the principles and practices of horticultural therapy as a treatment modality.
• The encouragement of professional growth of horticultural therapy practitioners.
• The establishment of professional standards and a credentialing process for horticultural therapy practitioners.
• The promotion of research related to the impact of horticultural therapy as a treatment modality.
• The advocacy of horticultural therapy as a treatment modality to the public, the healthcare industry, the academic community, and the allied professions.
• The promotion of horticultural therapy educational opportunities.

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What's Next for the Field?

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