Horticultural therapy at MUSC

The grounds crew at the Medical University of South Carolina designs and maintains a calming and relaxing campus setting, with passive and active outdoor activities. Besides their horticultural expertise, certain members of are trained in horticultural therapy to serve a diverse in-patient clientele. Each week, horticultural therapy members coordinate with medical experts, for example devising programs for those receiving chemo-therapy or for children with emotional or physical diagnoses often having to create a horticulture activity without plants or soil – one example is a pine-cone feeder with nut butters containing no peanuts and then rolled in seeds. Flowers made from paper or cloth can brighten a patient’s room without adding fragrance or pollen. People involved can focus on the creative process rather than an illness and enjoy the therapeutic social interaction of working with alongside others.