To improve the quality of life of individuals with specific needs through horticulture-based
activities, and advance empirical research on the value of therapeutic horticulture.
The UF Therapeutic Horticulture Program, situated on the University of Florida's Horticultural Sciences Teaching Farm, is based on the belief that an active connection with plants and nature can be a restorative experience and have a profound impact on quality of life. Through intentional, horticulture-based activities facilitated by trained professionals, the program seeks to decrease stress and mental fatigue, boost self-esteem and self-efficacy, support cognitive and physical function, provide community, creativity, and optimism, and cultivate resilience in our participants
Rooted in the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the program maintains strong partnerships with the Horticultural Sciences Department, the UF Counseling and Wellness Center, UF Health, and the broader Alachua community. Since its inception, the program has served a variety of vulnerable populations with specific needs, including veterans with spinal cord injury/disease and mental illness, stroke patients, cancer survivors, patients with end stage renal disease, individuals with Parkinson's Disease and their caregivers, college students experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness, psychiatric inpatients, young adults with autism, and adults with developmental disabilities. In addition to education on various horticultural techniques and topics, the program promotes many therapeutic benefits, including socialization, intellectual and sensory stimulation, respite and relaxation, stress reduction, increased confidence, improvement in coping skills, and restoration from mental fatigue
The UF Therapeutic Horticulture Program represents one of the nation's leading programs, where education, programming, and research are conducted on site to explore the efficacy and breadth of therapeutic horticulture. Data is collected on many of the program's groups through a variety of measurement tools, and results are regularly published in peer-reviewed journals
These efforts are vital because, to date, much of the evidence in support of the benefits of therapeutic horticulture is anecdotal. By contributing rigorous research leading to evidence-based practices, the UF Therapeutic Horticulture Program supports the growing body of evidence that gardening and nature-based activities have measurable and positive impacts on individuals' stress levels, well-being, and self-efficacy among other benefits, which in turn influence academics, health outcomes, and overall quality of life.
The Therapeutic Horticulture Program strives to offer programming free of charge for participants through grant funding and private philanthropy. Current funders include the Burpee Foundation, Costa Farms, The Bonnie Foundation, the UF Strategic Funding Initiative, and several individual donors.
| Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday |
|---|---|---|
|
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM |
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Alumni Group |
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM Life Transition Skills |
| 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM UF Student Therapeutic Horticulture Program |
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM UF Student Therapeutic Horticulture Program |
11:45 PM - 1:15 PM UF Student Therapeutic Horticulture Program |
|
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM |
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM Florida Recovery Center |
UF Student Therapeutic Horticulture Program
This program serves UF Students struggling with stress, anxiety, loneliness and other mental and emotional hardships. We partner with the UF Counseling & Wellness Center to teach students wellness strategies, and each week, students gain horticulture skills, build community and grow an active connection to plants and nature. Our programming is part of a larger research study on the effects of therapeutic horticulture programming on student well-being and academic resilience. You can read our recent publication here.
Alumni Groupe
This group is available to all past participants of our therapeutic horticulture programming.
Florida Recovery Center
This program serves individuals in the Florida Recovery Center.
Vista/UF Psychiatric Hospital Program
This program is conducted on-site at the UF Psychiatric Hospital and serves all patient units.
Life Transition Skills (LTS)
This program serves adults with developmental disabilities.
Prior groups served in the therapeutic horticulture program have included those struggling with: Cancer, End-stage kidney disease, Gynecologic cancer, Parkinson’s Disease and their care partners, Chronic low back pain, Stroke-associated paralysis, veterans with spinal cord injuries, veterans with bipolar disorder, woman veterans, adults with autism, and psychiatric patients receiving electro-convulsive therapy (ECT).
Many of the therapeutic horticulture programs are affiliated with or funded by local organizations, national foundations and/or private donors.
Therapeutic Horticulture Programming Inquiry?
The Undergraduate Certificate in Horticultural Therapy is offered by the Department of Horticulture Sciences and is open to UF students as well as to individuals outside of UF. The certificate is a 12-credit-hour program made up of four courses. The first three courses are fully online:
The fourth course is either an internship or independent study project that can be done at UF or elsewhere:
Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program Inquiry
For more information, please send an email to CHTInfo@ifas.ufl.edu or complete the inquiry form above.
Volunteers must complete a training prior to involvement with the therapeutic horticulture program. Much of the training is offered in an online format via Canvas. The training covers the basics of therapeutic horticulture, describes the characteristics of special populations, discusses adaptive gardening and more. Training includes hands-on components in the greenhouse as well as lectures, readings and quizzes. For more information, please send an email to THPinfo@ifas.ufl.edu.