The physical activities of horticultural therapy programs help stimulate muscle tone and strengthen muscle groups using gentle steady movements. Improvements in coordination and controlling hand and finger movements in stroke victims and those with brain injuries are accomplished with techniques while transplanting, re-potting or propagating plants.

A sense of feeling they have accomplished something, and knowing they are responsible to care and nurture a living plant is very rewarding to many individuals. Knowing that the byproduct of their therapy sessions can be an economic value to support our programs at The Growing Center gives participants a feeling of contributing and being a valuable part of our community and very much needed.

Improving memory by talking about past childhood memories and encouraging conversations about happy events of family and friends. Counting pots and keeping track of our short-term goals. Learning the names of plants and flowers and recalling the names of plants they planted in their own gardens in the past.

As we browse the greenhouses we stimulate the senses. We closely observe the scents, textures, colors and sounds. We hear the water at the pond and observe the koi and goldfish and the feel of the moist air and air movement of the greenhouse. We feel the warm earth of the garden and smell the earthy ground. We listen to the birds outdoors and the sounds in the field. We feel the sun on our face or the cool shade. We touch and feel the different leaves and compare them to each other.