Horticulture therapy (hortitherapy) is a form of rehabilitation supporting treatment using a garden. It has a ‘passive’ part and an ‘active’ section. The ‘passive’ part involves being physically present in the garden and experiencing it with all the senses, stimulating them through observation while allowing the mind and body to be relaxed by the sounds of the garden and the sublime beauty of nature. The therapy in the ‘active’ section immerses the patient in the immediacy of the vibrant life in the garden, bringing the person into direct contact with plants and the soil through touch and doing garden work tending to the plants.

A visit to the garden is a real feast for the senses: the visual bed – vivid with an unmatched palette of colours crafted by Mother Nature; the auditory bed – alive with a chorus of rustling and humming by plants that make sounds; the tactile bed – getting to know the shapes and textures of the plant world; the olfactory bed – tempting with the aromas of herbs and flowers; and finally, the taste bed, which invites you to taste an amazing array of edible plants. Moreover, visitors can explore textures on the sensory path and dry stream. The cascading pond casts a soothing spell on visitors, charming them with the calming effects of cool, clear, gently burbling water.

The Horticulture Therapy Garden won an award in the Unique Tourist Attraction category in the 2020 Tourist Treasures of Małopolska competition.

For more information see: www.jadowniki.caritas.pl/podstawowa/articleschool/ogrod