Do you love having your hands in the dirt with a breath full of fresh air and the wind in your air? Us, too. Gardening, including composting of course, is a calming practice that forces you to practice patience and mindfulness, and to see the greater picture of life. The art of gardening goes far beyond having the perfect rose bush or composting all of your organic matter, but it can also be therapeutic.
Horticultural therapy is a type of therapeutic practice that uses gardening and other horticultural activities to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It involves using plants, gardens, and nature as a tool to improve a person's overall health and quality of life.
In horticultural therapy, individuals may participate in activities such as planting, cultivating, and harvesting plants, or simply spending time in a garden or natural setting. These activities can help to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, increase physical activity and mobility, enhance social skills and connections, and provide a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Horticultural therapy is often used as a complementary therapy for a wide range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, dementia, and physical disabilities. It can be conducted in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, community gardens, and residential care facilities.
Let's Go Compost is proud to offer our free STEAM Classroom Composting and Gardening programs to schools across America to implement a small form of horticultural therapy for their students. By reconnecting with nature, or connecting with nature for the first time, students and educators alike are able to learn and grow (pun intended) while reducing their organic waste - helping our planet and brains alike.