Chicago Botanic Garden

Education — Horticultural Therapy Services

Horticultural Therapy and Gardening Programs
at Your Site

 

PHOTO: outdoors in the garden  PHOTO: indoor programs

Working with plants restores our awareness of nature and reminds us of our connection to the outdoors. Active contact with green plants carries physical, cognitive, educational, recreational, spiritual and psychosocial benefits. The rehabilitative properties of nature cannot be ignored. Research has shown that these experiences can provide a profound feeling of contentment and aid in restoring health.

Round out your program of therapy and rehabilitation at your healthcare facility, retirement home, school, or other social service agency by introducing plant and nature activities. Trained Chicago Botanic Garden staff will lead a series of activity sessions at your site, adapted to meet the specific needs of your group. The outcome of a therapeutic gardening program series can be to train your staff in the delivery of plant therapy activities beneficial to your clients.

For each program described in this brochure, you define the therapeutic goals and the level of involvement, and our staff will design a treatment program around your schedule and needs. A horticultural therapist from the Garden will work directly with staff and participants at your site.

Therapeutic gardening Programs

Gardening for Life Enrichment

The Chicago Botanic Garden is pleased to offer a therapeutically grounded series of engaging plant and natural craft activities. Gardening for Life Enrichment features the most popular of all the activities developed and tested by the Garden over the last two decades. The Garden draws on an extensive experience of working with populations with special needs in a variety of settings.

Let the Garden bring the best activities to your own site for the people you serve.

Download a brochure

Register online

Horticultural Therapy Training Contract Programs

Build a sustainable plant-centered therapy program at your facility with help from the Chicago Botanic Garden. Each week, participants at your site will engage in indoor or outdoor plant or gardening activities designed to reach a therapeutic goal. During spring and summer months, the program is conducted outdoors at an accessible garden on your site. From fall through winter, participants will grow plants indoor with a three tier light cart. Both programs include nature crafts or live plant materials, some of which will be grown by the group. All program materials are included in the cost of the program.

This weekly gardening program gradually prepares your staff and volunteers to manage a program independently. Garden staff will lead 10 of the sessions side-by-side with the therapists at your facility. They will prepare your team to conduct sessions alone on alternating weeks, thereby giving your staff practical experience leading the program. At agencies where staff training is not desired or possible, Garden staff will conduct all activities for a higher fee.

Because of the extensive commitment involved in this program, agencies must submit a formal application and arrange a site visit by Garden staff. A formal contractual agreement is required. Please note the deadlines for finalized contractual agreements.

Outdoor Summer Gardening Program

Download a brochure and application

Get your group outside and gardening! Participants will plant, water, fertilize and groom a garden at your site and will also use many of the flowers, vegetables and herbs they grow in hands-on activities during the course of the program.

This program begins in May when Chicago Botanic Garden staff work with staff at your site to design and install a suitable in-ground or container garden for your group. Chicago Botanic Garden staff will deliver all materials and prepare the garden for programs to begin by mid-May. After garden installation, this program offers 20 weekly sessions running mid-May through September. Chicago Botanic Garden staff will lead 10 alternating weeks of 10 sessions and prepare your staff to lead the 10 sessions in between. If you prefer, Garden staff can conduct all 20 sessions for an additional cost.

  • Program Length: Twenty weekly 60-minute sessions (depending on weather)
  • Availability: Weekdays, mid-morning or early afternoon
  • Maximum Capacity: 15 participants
  • Requirements: Outdoor space to garden and a signed contract by March 1.

Indoor Winter Gardening Program

Download a brochure and application

Work with plants indoors during the cold-weather months. Participants learn simple methods of propagating and caring for plants as well as nature craft activities. Some projects have been successfully used for in-house fundraising and sales. A three-level plant light cart is provided for growing activities. Twenty weeks of sessions begin mid-October and go through late March, with a break at the holidays. Chicago Botanic Garden staff will lead 10 sessions and prepare your staff to lead the 10 alternating sessions. If you prefer, Garden staff can conduct all 20 sessions for an additional cost.

  • Program Length: Twenty weekly 60-minute sessions (depending on weather)
  • Availability: Weekdays, mid-morning or early afternoon
  • Maximum Capacity: 15 participants
  • Requirements: An indoor space suitable for working with soil, plants, water and craft materials and large enough to seat all participants comfortable with adequate room for program leaders and support staff to move around then; a signed contract by September 15.

Year-Round Gardening Program

Download a brochure and application

Combine the Winter and Summer Gardening Programs to bring a year of planting activities to your group. This program is ideal for long-term or residential settings and is readily adaptable to short-term care sites. The program can begin with either the winter or summer session.

  • Program Length: Forty weekly 60-minute sessions over a year
  • Availability: Weekdays, mid-morning or early afternoon
  • Maximum Capacity: 15 participants
  • Requirements: An outdoor space to garden; in indoor space suitable for working with soil, plants, water and craft materials and large enough to seat all participants comfortable with adequate room for program leaders and support staff to move around then; a signed contract by September 15.

For current prices, availability and further information about any of the Chicago Botanic Garden's therapeutic programs, call (847) 835-8247 or email grothert@chicagobotanic.org.