The Benefits of Horticultural Therapy: Returning to Earth

Horticultural therapy can restore our much needed connection to ourselves and each other. We are plugged in, online, connected, wireless, and completely out of touch. The more technologically advanced we become, the less connected we are with the land. When was the last time you raked your yard by hand? Donned a pair of ripped jeans and got dirt under your nails? Have you ever felt the gentle, throbbing muscle aches after planting a row of trees? Or taken in the smell of burning wood and dry leaves while pruning shrubs in autumn? Do you remember what a fresh vegetable tastes like? When was the last time you used all 5 senses at once?


Horticultural therapy is just one of many great relaxtion techniques!



“Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here, and you must treat it as a powerful stranger.”

~ An excerpt from Stand Still by David Wagoner

Horticultural therapy helps us reset and reconnect to our surroundings. We become present in the moment. There is something truly primal, raw, and nostalgic about returning to our roots. Regardless of where we are from - urban or rural - we all have an inherent, biological wiring with the earth. It is part of our genetic code.

Horticultural therapy is a gift to yourself, an opportunity to work in unison with a world you may often feel works against you. You give of yourself and the earth rewards you with beautiful trees, flowers, and PEACE. One realizes that time spent in the garden is truly his or hers. You become more grateful of your surroundings and enjoy a renewed sense of purpose. So, grab a garden tool and return to the earth.

For more information about horticultural therapy, visit www.ahta.org This is the official website of tha American Horticultural Therapy Association.

This article was written by Ted Stefanski, President of By The Yard Land Service, LLC. To learn more about working with the land and general yard care, please visit www.BTY1.com You can also read about his personal experience with stress under the tab Ted's Story.

Know More About: Ted's Nature Escape

Know More About: Visualization Relaxation

Know More About: Coping with Stress II

Navigate from Horticultural Therapy to Relaxation Techniques

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