Our Mission: To promote the use and awareness of horticulture as a therapeutic modality.
Business Members
Aris Landscape Design
Refreshing Minds with Refreshing Designs
Location: Calgary, AB
Business Description:
‘Refreshing Minds with Refreshing Designs’.
This means creating a unique garden design for each client with refreshing ideas, one that will restore the mind and soul.
Professional Design Services
Our Professional Landscape Design Plans come standard in Colour with available options to include 2D or 3D Renderings.
We proudly offer Garden and plant health Consultation as well, a variety of plant services. From Professional Plant Staging to getting your plants in the ground our planting division can help you out!
Bio:
Michelle Aris is an accomplished Designer, a Certified Journeyperson Landscape Horticulturist with Trades Alberta. Michelle has 17 years of planning specialty gardens and landscapes. Michelle is currently enrolled in the Certified Horticulture Therapy Program. Therapeutic gardens won her the Tree of Life award for her work on The Chestermere Rotary Edible pathway, a path system that improves connection to nature.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: Theariscrewthatgrew
Facebook: Aris-Landscape-Design
Bird's Foot Design Studio
Providing innovative landscapes that have the capacity to delight and to heal
Location: Glen Morris, Ontario
Business Description:
Bird’s Foot Design Studio provides customized therapeutic landscape design for community groups, organizations and home-owners. With experience in hospice care, long-term care and mental health care, Lynn works closely with each of her clients to develop meaningful outdoor spaces suitable for providing therapeutic horticulture experiences and horticultural therapy programming. Bird’s Foot offers expertise in the development of specialized features such a labyrinths, sensory gardens, meditative walks and memory gardens for dementia care.
As a Registered Horticultural Therapist, Lynn also offers consultation services and education to promote the profession and practice of horticultural therapy.
Bio:
Lynn Leach has been sharing her expertise and passion for the garden for nearly 30 years. As a Landscape Designer, Registered Horticultural Therapist and Educator, she is committed to helping people realize the many mental, physical and emotional benefits of a meaningful connection to nature.
Lynn enjoys time with her family, exploring various artistic crafts and experimenting in her own wild garden.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: birdsfootdesignstudio
Facebook: BirdsFootDesign
Better Than Bouquets Inc.
Inspired plants, inspired stories!
Location: Hamilton, ON
Business Description:
Plants delighting people with fun vignettes that tell a story. Improving gift giving with live plants, not dead flowers.
Bio: Sara Auld
Well-rounded by diverse interests; naturally curious, always learning, creatively-oriented plant curator.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @better_than_bouquets
breathing landscape || breathing dialogues
Location: Currently based near Hamilton & Niagara Region, Serving Great Lakes, Prairie/Plains, Boreal & North, Rocky Mountains.
Business Description:
Coming soon
Bio: Heide Clelland
Coming soon
BV Horticultural Therapy
Engaging with plants, nature, and recreation to promote wellness in all domains of health for older adults and other populations
Location: Nanaimo, BC
Business Description:
With professional experience in Community Health, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Mental Health, and Palliative Care settings, Bianca comes prepared with a toolkit of engaging, meaningful therapeutic interventions centered around the modality of horticulture. A variety of programs focus on goals such as physical mobility, socialization, sensory stimulation, hopefulness, or experiences of contribution and meaning. BV Horticultural Therapy offers private therapy, group therapy, and speaking or team-building experiences.
Bio:
Bianca van der Stoel is a budding Horticultural Therapist with a solid foundation as a Recreation Therapist. Bianca’s goal is to promote a shift in our healthcare system, reinforcing the role that nature, plants, and green spaces can play in an individual’s well-being.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @bvhorticulturaltherapy
Facebook: /bvhorticulturaltherapy
Carla Atherton
Connecting with natural landscapes and facilitating personal growth and healing on the labyrinth.
Location: Qualicum Beach, BC
Business Description:
The labyrinth is an amazing container capable of holding us while processing difficult emotions. As a labyrinth facilitator, Carla’s toolkit is brimming with techniques incorporating the labyrinth and nature to support private clients during their healing journey.
Bio:
Carla is a Horticultural Therapy Practitioner and certified Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator supporting those working with mental health challenges and individuals in need of strategies to help process powerful emotions created from trauma.
Certificate programs in Horticultural Therapy, Trauma-Informed Practice and Holding Space are a few of the programs that support and strengthen her work in the field she deeply respects.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @atherton_carla
Catkin Gardens
Garden and Nature Therapies
Location: Qualicum Beach, BC
Business Description:
Providing training in therapeutic horticulture and horticultural therapy and supporting private clients through access to nature.
Ann Kent is a Registered Horticultural Therapist, Master Level. She is a professional member of the CHTA and AHTA and a past chair of the CHTA. Ann provides horticultural therapy programs and helps develop accessible, habitat gardens for private clients and long-term care facilities.
Since 2006, Ann has been the lead instructor for the Horticultural Therapy Professional Development Program, which provides a comprehensive HT Certificate as well as therapeutic horticulture and nature-based therapy workshops.
If you are looking for educational opportunities in horticulture and nature-based therapies, come and learn with Ann and a skilled team of keen instructors. Our land-based studies are set in a beautiful west coast forest on Vancouver Island.
Facebook: /HorticultureandNatureTherapyVancouver
Instagram: garden_paths
Earth Sprite Horticulture
Connect. Heal. Create.
Location: Cambridge, ON
Business Description:
The Vision of Earth Sprite Horticulture is to bring together people and plants through the practice of horticulture therapy, plant-based projects, gardening, growing, research and related classes. Interacting with the natural world is encouraged to catalyze personal and planetary healing.
Bio:
Earth Sprite Horticulture is an organization founded by Cathy Archibald where scientific discovery, horticultural production and healing are all combined to bring you a diverse collection of services, photos, products, ideas and collaboration opportunities.
Contact: [email protected]
Eco-Vision Gardens
We bring life to your garden
Location: Windsor, ON
Business Description:
Eco-Vision Gardens is a small business located in essex county. We maintain, design and install gardens. We focus on sustainable landscaping practices and pollinator gardens. We have never used pesticides to maintain gardens. We use beneficial insects and organic applications for all our gardens we maintain.
Bio: Natalie Jean Ryan
Eco-friendly landscaping practices has been a backbone to my business since i started. I have my horticulture technician diploma and environmental management diplomas. I am currently running my business and studying to be a horticultural therapist.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @ecovisiongardens
Facebook: /Eco-Visions Garden
Field Thistles
Creating your personal paradise
Location: Mississauga, ON
Business Description:
Field Thistles is a small business who believes that nature is essential to healthy living. From designing your dream landscape, adding a miniature meditation garden or creating personalized guided tours of your own property to understand its needs, they are there to connect people to their gardens and nature. Field Thistles has actively encouraged clients to participate, however they can, in their properties landscape needs. Create your personal paradise.
Bio:
Tracey Wilson began Field Thistles in 2007 with the goal of creating beautiful and functional residential gardens. Through academic and professional advancement, Tracey focuses on the psychological importance of nature, hoping to combine both her love of nature and landscaping, with her future professional accreditation in counselling psychology.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @fieldthistles
Facebook: /FieldThistles
Grounds for Change
Location: St. John’s, NL
Business Description:
Coming soon
Bio: Tasha Roberts
Coming soon
Contact: [email protected]
Instituto de Horticultura Terapéutica y Social - Perú
We cultivate your tranquility, we make your senses flourish
Location: Lima, Perú
Business Description:
The PERUVIAN INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL AND THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE was created in 2015 to train Spanish-speaking professionals of many countries in the world in horticultural therapy. It is the first Institute in the world with a complete training program in Spanish. The Institute also designs therapeutic gardens and horticultural therapy programs for different population groups.
Bio: Daniela Silva-Rodriguez Bonazzi
Daniela’s connection with plants started at early age. She holds a BA in biology & environmental science; a Master’s degree in plant breeding; Certificates in Horticultural Therapy; self taught in landscaping and agriculture. For the past 12 years she dedicates her life to horticultural therapy. She founded the Instituto and the Peruvian Association for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (APHTS)
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @ihts_pe
Facebook: institutohorticulturaterapeutica
One Green Square Wellness Consulting
Nature-Based Wellness for Individuals, Organizations, and Communities. Together we grow.
Location: Burnaby (Metro Vancouver), BC
Business Description:
Cultivating therapeutic people-plant relationships for happier people and a healthier planet.
Facilitating nature-based experiences to help people build resilience to stress and adapt to change.
Providing customized workplace wellness programs, personal coaching services, guided nature immersion sessions, and interactive presentations (online & in-garden).
Rebuilding native ecosystems and indigenous food/medicine corridors.
Creating public food forestry projects and re-imagining community gardens.
Delivering professional horticultural therapy programs and education to help caregivers provide meaningful nature-based therapeutic interventions.
Bio:
Cheney Creamer (B.A., V.F.T.C.) is an internationally recognized Horticultural Therapy Specialist, HeartMath® Certified Coach, and Organizational Wellness Consultant. Cheney is the Founder & President of One Green Square Wellness Consulting, an Organic Master Gardener (O.M.G.), Cannabis Sommelier and educator, and the current Chair of the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association (CHTA).
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @onegreensquare
Facebook: onegreensquarewellness
Orchid Horticulture
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Business Description:
Coming soon
Bio:
Coming soon
Contact: [email protected]
Root in Nature
Cultivating wellness through horticultural therapy, courses & the GrowTH Community
Location: Virtual
Business Description:
Root in Nature strengthens human health by connecting people with plants and nature through horticultural therapy, programs and education.
We provide in-person HT services to diverse populations, including autistic youth, seniors and Veterans.
We created GrowTH – Grow Therapeutic Horticulture – a supportive online international community that connects practitioners, provides practical resources and professional development opportunities.
We also offer online courses, including an Intro to Therapeutic Horticulture course.
Visit our website for more information and to connect!
Bio:
Alexis Ashworth holds a BComm and an MBA in International Development Management, and has studied the Foundations of Horticultural Therapy.
She volunteers on the boards of EnviroCentre and the Birch Path Healing Forest and is a long-time WWOOF volunteer.
Alexis tends to her gardens with her husband and two young daughters.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @root.in.nature
Facebook: RootinNature7
Sweetlife Flora
Canada’s GO-TO Source for Exotic, Tropical Houseplants!
Business Description:
We are an e-commerce Tropical Houseplant Shop based in Ontario and Nova Scotia.
We Canada’s GO-TO Source for Exotic, Tropical Houseplants. Sweetlife Flora is an e-commerce shop based in Ontario and Nova Scotia.
We have a huge selection of plants, plant care products and plant swag to scratch that tropical itch. In addition, we ship Canada-wide and to the Continental US. Affordable shipping, delivery and pick-up options!
Tarragon Tree Creative Support
We believe that amazing things can happen around plants. It’s the natural place for people to be and to grow.
Location: Edmonton, AB
Business Description:
In 2023 we relocated from Nanaimo BC to Edmonton Alberta. We work primarily with long-term care communities to ensure our programs contribute positively to residents’ personal goals.
Our Vision: People living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia lead purposeful and engaged lives.
Tarragon Tree offers person-centred support for individuals and small groups, engaging and purposeful experiences with horticultural and nature-based activities, and respite for family members.
Bio:
After 20+ years as a registered nurse, Liz Reynolds became a Registered Horticultural Therapist in 2016. She has worked in long-term care, and at Providence Farm in Duncan BC.
Liz finds deep fulfilment in helping people stay connected to nature, so they can live with purpose, meaning and variety.
Contact: [email protected]
The SAVOR Project
We grow the good and play with our food.
Location: Pacific Northwest (Seattle, WA & Portland, OR) and virtual programs
Business Description:
The SAVOR Project is a woman-owned social enterprise specializing in sustainably grown plant starts, botanical products, and community education that promotes positive relationships between people, plants, and food.
Bio: Dawnn Rabinovich Meiers, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist, educator, and long-time gardener. She spent two decades delivering psychotherapy services with a focus upon eating disorder treatment and mindfulness-based interventions. A former OSU Extension Master Gardener, Dawnn is now a student in the New York Botanical Garden’s Therapeutic Horticulture certificate program.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @thesavorproject
Thrive With Nature
Business Description:
From the creator of Garden Activity Signs comes an experiential online course: ‘A Daily Nature Practice: Playful Self-Care for Healthcare Professionals’. To feel better and function more effectively in your daily life, enroll in this enjoyable, evidence-based guide to growing your own unique daily nature practice.
Bio:
Shelagh Smith, HTR, MAEEC, developed and facilitated therapeutic garden programs in healthcare and social service settings for 23 years. Useful handouts and educational blog posts available on her website.
Contact: [email protected]
The SAVOR Project
Gardening as nature intended
Business Description:
We are a West Coast Garden and Design firm rooted in sustainable, client-focused restorative gardening.
We cultivate relationships with nature, our living environments — be it a balcony gem oasis, or a focus on growing into your own food security.
Working with us, you’ll become a steward of your own natural environment and feel at ease in nature.
Contact: [email protected]
Virens Studio
Specializing in Ecological Planting Design + Urban Greening + Garden Writing & Consultation
Location: Vancouver, BC
Business Description:
Get in touch today, for complete landscape design, planting plans & consultation on a variety of green spaces including:
-therapeutic & horticultural therapy gardens
-habitat & pollinator plantings
-turf grass conversions
-municipal & commercial properties
-naturalistic plantings
Virens is adept at collaboration, is open to remote working and would love to hear about your horticultural journey. You can also find them on Instagram and Substack.
Bio: Sara-Jane Quechuck & Alicia Robbins
Virens is a partnership of experienced horticulturalists, that first took root in a local parks system. Sara-Jane and Alicia value the therapeutic value of green spaces. They love to share in building and revitalizing all types of plantings, from hospital gardens to city medians.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @virensstudio
Facebook: Virens Studio
Willow Springs Creative Centre
Create. Grow. Inspire.
Location: Kaministiquia, ON
Business Description:
Willow Springs Creative Centre (WSCC) is a progressive, non-profit that has a mission ‘To promote growth through creative expression and community development’. This mission is met by providing inclusive art, therapeutic gardening and food programs, services and training in and around Thunder Bay and its rural area. WSCC offers programs in group homes, long term care homes, recreational, treatment and correctional centres, schools, for social service organizations, the City of Thunder Bay, arts organizations and for the general public.
Bio: Judi Vinni
Coordinator of Willow Springs Creative Centre focusing on art, therapeutic gardening & food making.
Artisan who uses willow, driftwood, & everlastings to create sculpture, furniture, and garden features.
Teacher of willow furniture making for 26 years.
Through willow Horticultural Therapy was discovered and studied.
Driven by the power of the creative process, combined with the amazing benefits of interacting with nature, and how collaborations can result in unexpected, life changing results.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @willowspringscreativecentre
Facebook: willowspringsCC
Wild Embrace Farm
Where everyone feels at home on the range.
Location: Victoria, BC
Business Description:
We provide nature-based programming for families with children and youth with support needs, neurodivergent young adults, as well as other marginalized communities. We teach life skills including gardening, cooking, art, and animal husbandry as alternative therapeutic practices to heal, build confidence, and foster a sense of belonging.
Bio: Hannah Glasspoole
Hannah comes from a background of arts and design, but has always found comfort in the natural world, and wants to share that with others. She started Wild Embrace with her wife Kat after years of running a small business in Vancouver. Her goal is to center marginalized people and help them realize their full potential.
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: @wildembracefarm
Facebook: /WildEmbraceFarm
