We all have been through some difficult times in our lives where we have no hope to lean on, and no shoulder to cry on, yet the desire to live supersedes the desire to die. Do you know why does that happen? We find a safe habitat somewhere, far off the realm of our imagination, and it infuses a spirit of life into our dead soul. Horticultural Therapy does exactly the same. It pulls out the sad, demented, battered souls from a dungeon of dejection and keeps them in a swathe of cocoon of comfort. It uses a wide range of plants and other beautiful landscapes to provide them love and warmth so they can also live in peace.
How did the culture of Horticulture therapy begin?
The trend of Horticultural therapy started in Egypt and Alexandria through Renaissance. The renowned physicians of Ancient Egypt such as Dr. Benjamin Rush recommended their patients to find solace in the comfortable environment of garden.
Benefits of Horticultural Therapy
Horticultural Therapy builds an ability within us to deal with trauma and loss. It brings us out of the jangle of our competing thoughts by connecting us with the rituals that can influence our lives in a better way. Gardening is not just a mere form of ritual but a way of living a happy life. It wipes out all the negative energies bottled up in our mind and sets us free. According to a research conducted by the National Gardens Scheme (NGS), more than 35 percent of the people say that the environment of garden makes them feel better while more than 70 percent believe that this access to garden will make them highly successful.
We all know that dealing with plants is less challenging and frightening than dealing with people. Garden reconnects us with our life-giving impulses by providing us a space to procrastinate, introspect and concentrate. We feel we are in the safe hands. It helps us calm our minds and creates ideas that make us feel good about ourselves. Paradoxically, it paves our way to reconnect with human beings. As Sigmund Freud said, ‘Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts.’
If you are new to gardening then you have to start with easy stuff, for instance, try sunflowers or radishes. It will help you discover the beauty lies in the process of growing plants, and will also evolve you into a green-fingered gardener.
The therapeutic power of garden stems from aggression as well as care involved. There are times when we cause destructiveness in a garden space but it doesn’t lower our self-esteem, instead give us a confidence to keep trying, unless we get the desired result.
Author Bio
Sarah Sunray is a Senior Web Content Writer at a reputed firm in UK. With an experience of more than a decade, she offers assignment services to the students through a platform —speedyassignment.co.uk.
