Studies

A collection of published academic studies supporting gardening is a mental health tool - actively engaging the senses, physically engaging the body, mind, body & spirit. 

Is gardening associated with greater happiness of urban residents? A multi-activity, dynamic assessment in the Twin-Cities region, USA

Graham Ambrose, Kirti Das Yingling Fan & Anu Ramaswami

Landscaping & Urban Planning, Volume 198, June 2020, 103776

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Highlights

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• Household gardening supports high emotional well-being scores across 5 measures.

• The type of gardening (ornamental v. vegetable) is linked to emotional well-being.

• Self-identified, low income and female gardeners are associated with higher emotional well-being.

• Companionship of household gardeners was not significant for emotional well-being.

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Nature Prescription for Health A Review of Evidence and Research Opportunities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

17 (4213):4213 June 2020

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Let Nature Be Thy Medicine: A Socioecological Exploration of Green Prescribing in the UK

Jake M. Robertson, Anna Jorgensen, Ross Cameron, Paul Brindley

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(3460):3460, May 2020

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Time for a (gardening) break: investigating a specific green exercise initiative for staff and health and wellbeing in a corporate environment

Mark Christie

May 2020

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New trends in urban environmental health research: from geography of diseases to therapeutic landscapes and healing gardens

Diana Dushkova, Maria Ignatieva

Geography, Environment, Sustainability, Vol 13, No 1, p 159-171 April 2020

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Regular Doses of Nature: The Efficacy of Green Exercise Interventions for Mental Wellbeing

Mike Rogerson, Carly Jane Wood, Jules N Pretty Patrick Schoenmakers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(5): 1526 · February 2020 

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Horticultural Activity: Its Contribution to Stress Recovery and Wellbeing for Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

17 (4):1229 February 2020

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Horticultural Therapy Program for People with Mental Illness: A Mixed-Method Evaluation

Andrew MH Siu, Michael C. Y. Kam

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17 (3): 711 January 2020

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Gardens & Gardening

David Crouch

International Encyclopedia of Human Geography (Second Edition) 2020, Pg 253-258

Potential of a Small Indoor Plant on the Desk for Reducing Office Workers’ Stress

Masahiro Toyoda, Yuko Yokota, Marni Barnes, Midori Kaneko. 

American Society for Horticultural Science, 2019; 1

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Veterans in substance abuse treatment program self-initiate box gardening as a stress reducing therapeutic modality

Complementary Therapies in Medicine Vol 36, February 2018, Pg 50-53

Lauren P. Lehmann, Jonna G. Detweiler, Mark B. Detweiler

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“That Guy, Is He Really Sick at All?” An Analysis of How Veterans with PTSD Experience Nature-Based Therapy

Dorthe Varning Poulsen, Ulrika K. Stigsdotter, Annette Sofie Davidsen

Healthcare June 2018

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Beyond Productivity: Considering the Health, Social Value and Happiness of Home and Community Food Gardens

Urban Science 2(4):97 September 2018 Georgia Csortan, James Ward, Philip E. J. Roetman & Belinda Chiera

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Funding Trees for Health: An Analysis of Finance and Policy Actions to Enable Tree Planting for Public Health

Rob McDonald , Lida Aljabar , Craig Aubuchon , Howard G. Birnbaum , Chris Chandler , Bill Toomey , Jad Daley , Warren Jimenez , Erich Trieschman , Joel Paque1 , Matt Zeiper

The Nature Conservatory, Trust for Public Land & Analysis Group September 24 2017

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How Cities Can Harness the Public Health  Benefits of   Urban Trees
The Nature Conservatory 2017

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Gardening is Beneficial for Health: A Meta-Analysis

Masashi Soga, Kevin J. Gaston, Yuichi Yamaura

Preventive Medicine Reports Vol 5, March 2017 Pg 92-99

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The Impact of Green Exercise on Volunteers' Mental Health and Wellbeing-Findings from a Community Project in a Woodland Setting

Mark Allan Christie, MA , Fiona Cole, MSc

Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture 2016: Volume XXVI Issue II

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My garden – my mate? Perceived restorativeness of private gardens and its predictors

Renate Cervika,  Markus Schwabab, Regina Schönbauer, Isabella Hämmerle, Laura Pirgie, JenniferSudkamp

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Volume 16, 2016 Pgs 182-187

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Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: a randomized crossover study

Min-Sun Lee, Juyoung Lee, Bum-Jin Park, and Yoshifumi Miyazaki

Journal of Physiological Anthropology (2015); 34 (1): 21

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Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: a randomized crossover study

Min-sun Lee, Juyoung Lee, Bum-Jin Park & Yoshifumi Miyazaki Journal of Physiological Anthropology 2015; 34 (1): 21 April 28 2015

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The benefits of gardening and food growing for health and wellbeing

Gareth Davies, Maria Devereaux, Margi Lennartsson, Ulrich Schmutz and Sarah Williams 

Garden Organic and Sustain April 2014

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Gardening as a mental health intervention: A review

Jane Clatworthy, Joe Hinds, Paul M. Camic

Mental Health Review Journal 18 (4) September 2013

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The domestic garden – Its contribution to urban green infrastructure

Ross W.F. Cameron, Tijana Blanuša Jane E. Taylor, Andrew Salisbury, Andrew J. Halstead, Béatrice Henricot & Ken Thompson

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Vol 11, Issue 2, 2012, Pgs 129-137

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Gardening Promotes Neuroendocrine and Affective Restoration from Stress

Agnes E Van Den Berg, Mariette H.G. Custers

Journal of Health Psychology June 3 2010

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Landscapes of the lifespan: Exploring accounts of own gardens and gardening

Harriert Gross, Nicola Lane

Journal of Environmental Psychology Vol 27, Iss 3, Sept 2007, Pgs 225-241

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What Makes  a Garden a Healing Garden

Ulrika K. Stigsdotter & Patrik Grahn

Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture. 13. 60-69, January 2002

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Home Gardeners Value Stress Reduction and Interaction with Nature

C. Catanzaro, E. Ekanem

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 639: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Expanding Roles for Horticulture in Improving Human Well-Being and Life Quality, 269-275 2001

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