..to improve mental health, for people with acute or persistent mental health problems, or especially difficult personal circumstances, regular involvement in gardening or community food-growing projects, or formal horticultural therapy, can:
Contribute to improved social interactions and community cohesion.
Reduce the occurrence of episodes of stress, and the severity of stress and associated
depression.
Reduce reliance on medication, self-harming behaviour, and visits to psychiatric services,
whilst also improving alertness, cognitive abilities and social skills.
Alleviate symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, such as agitation and aggressive
behaviour, which can in turn improve circumstances for carers.
Provide productive manual activity and beneficial social interaction for people tackling drug
and alcohol dependency.
Help people manage the distress associated with mentally challenging circumstances, such
as making the end of life more peaceful, sociable and enjoyable for hospice patients.