Horticulture as Therapy

1
Horticulture as Therapy

• Christine Coker
• Mississippi State University, Coastal Research
  and Extension Center,
• 1815 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS 39532
• ccoker_at_ra.msstate.edu

What began as an invitation to help the Centers
clients plant flowers in containers has grown to
become a quarterly programming opportunity.
Programs now include container gardening,
vegetable identification, preparation, and
nutrition, as well as food hygiene. With this
increased participation comes several
opportunities for outreach and study. The goal
of this work is not only to educate those
citizens with mental health concerns, but also to
promote cognitive, physical, psychological, and
social functioning.
Horticulture has traditionally been defined as
the production of specific, high-value plants for
the commercial market and the subsequent services
related to the installation and maintenance of
landscape plants. (Relf, 1992). The process of
combining plants and people is at the core of
horticulture therapy. As a treatment used in
psychiatric settings horticulture therapy
programs strive to create environments that
promote and allow for growth (Shapiro and Kaplan,
1998). The Mental Health Association of
Mississippi was established in 1963 as a
grassroots organization to serve the mental
health needs of the citizens of Harrison County,
MS. As an advocacy agency giving voice to the
mental health needs of the community, the
Association now serves clientele in 3 coastal
counties. One of the Associations services is
the Opal Smith Day Support Center which provides
recreational, social, and work skills training
opportunities for persons with a mental illness
or experiencing homelessness .
Relf, P.D. 1992. Human issues in horticulture.
HortTechnology 2(2) 159-171. Shapiro, B.A. and
M.J. Kaplan. 1998. People-plant relationship
In S.P. Simson and M.C. Straus
(Eds.)Horticulture as Therapy principles and
practices. New York, Food Products Press. pp.
157-197.