Welcome to the launch of an exciting new web resource – Therapeutic Gardens Australia!

Therapeutic Gardens Australia has worked really hard to do what no other Australian website does and bring together a range of resources to help people hoping to design and implement therapeutic gardens that meet the needs of individuals, groups and organisations.A lot of wonderful work is being done in the field of therapeutic gardens with sensational health benefits achieved, but much of this work is flying under the radar. Well-designed therapeutic gardens have the potential to improve physical and mental wellbeing for those living with developmental, cognitive, psychological and physical challenges but it can be difficult to find evidence-based research on how to best achieve this.Adopting a holistic approach to design for therapeutic gardens, this website aims to bring together in one place everything needed to create successful outdoor therapeutic spaces by designing, developing, building, implementing and maintaining them. The information is extremely well-researched and considered, with information being drawn from as many sources as possible and then distilled into an accessible, easy to read guide to creating therapeutic gardens that meet your needs. The resources we provide have been developed based on both local and international sources and include information on:• Different types of gardens for different physical and mental medical conditions• Rigorous scientific research on the benefits of therapeutic gardens• How therapeutic gardens can be used to maximise health benefits• Design principles for creating spaces for different types of users• Tips for achieving the design principles suggested• Plant suggestions, both Australian natives and introduced plant species, for different styles of therapeutic gardens and users• Tips and suggestions for working in the Australian environment and sustainability• Australian and international case studies and examples of successful therapeutic gardens• Perspectives from Australian parents, teachers, landscape architects and horticulturalists• Design layouts for different kinds of spaces, resources and users.Some of our readers will be keen to implement a design for themselves but many will want to look to professionals to create and maintain a space for them. We are also bringing together teams of experts to tailor-make therapeutic gardens that meet the needs of clients seeking to provide outdoor spaces to enrich the lives and wellbeing of people living with a range of conditions and disabilities. Each team will be formed based on the needs of the individual circumstances and could include a variety of experts including, but not limited to educators, therapists, psychologists, paediatricians, other health professionals, landscape architects, landscape contractors and horticulturists needed for your bespoke therapeutic garden.We hope you find value in this resource and take away information appropriate to your circumstances. We also welcome your feedback as to ways we can improve the resource. But, we need your help to make this vision a reality!We are looking to create a collaborative community where information is shared freely and openly. Everyone has a story to tell and most people have been impacted by a diagnosis or illness, if not their own, for one of their loved ones. Diagnosis has a ripple effect and touches not only the individual but those around them, especially their carers. By sharing your experience, you can help others to learn. We would love to hear about your therapeutic garden successes and also things you would do differently next time.We feel deeply confident that you, together with the information provided in this resource, can make a real difference in people’s lives.