The NICH Team

Many people enjoy looking at plants and flowers and find it relaxing to dig in the dirt. But research and a growing number of horticulture therapy programs are showing that gardening holds serious healing power.

Trained and certified therapists, including members of the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA), help clients treat physical and psychological conditions including PTSD, addiction, and dementia through gardening.

According to the AHTA website, “Horticultural therapy helps improve memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. In physical rehabilitation, horticultural therapy can help strengthen muscles and improve coordination, balance, and endurance.”

Horticulture therapy programs have been implemented in schools, correctional facilities, retirement homes, hospitals, outpatient facilities, and community centers, and the same techniques can be adapted to home gardens. More information on finding a program or licensed therapist can be found at AHTA.org.

National Garden Bureau past-president Heather Kibble says, “Caring for plants and experiencing nature brings healing and purpose to people whose lives have been affected by illness, addiction, violence or military service.” The National Garden Bureau (NGB.org) administers an annual grant for therapeutic gardens to support garden-based education and therapy.

Research compiled by the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) reveals other benefits of plants and gardening on the healing process, including a reduction in the amount of pain relievers taken post-surgery by patients in rooms containing plants. Plants in room décor also reduced the stress, blood pressure, and reported fatigue levels of hospital patients.

More findings on the healing benefits of plants can be found in the infographic, “#PlantsDoThat Where We Heal,” available for download, reprint, or adaptation at consumerhort.org. When posting on social media, please use the hashtag #PlantsDoThat.

The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) is a consortium of industry leaders who are promoting the benefits and value of horticulture. NICH brings together academia, government, industry, and nonprofits to cultivate the growth and development of a healthy world through landscapes, gardens and plants — indoors and out.

Please feel free to share or adapt this article in your newsletter or other customer communications with credit to NICH/consumerhort.org.

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During the Victorian era, people conveyed their feelings on Valentine’s Day through the different meanings of flowers. Nothing conveys warm feelings like cut flowers, especially roses. However, their beauty doesn’t last forever. For a lasting gift consider giving the gift of a plant!

A quick look at the meanings of other flowers will introduce many more associated with love. The choice of a Valentine’s gift that expresses your feelings is up to you!

Winter honeysuckle symbolizes devotion — what could be a better Valentine’s Day gift?

The camellia, with the meaning, “I am longing for you,” is a wonderful choice! These glossy evergreen shrubs flower in late winter and early spring, so you may find one bursting with buds in your garden center now.

The perfect gift may be as close as the nearest supermarket, where orchids, meaning “You have cast a spell over me,” are often readily available. Want to know more about the meaning of flowers in the houseplants you might choose? The Old Farmer’s Almanac has a list of common plants and flowers and their meanings.

Plants are not only aesthetically pleasing but also give you a sense of comfort and peaceful relaxation. The greenery in your house may also purify the air, reduce toxins, and lift your mood. According to a study by Texas A&M University, a plant in your home or workplace significantly increases your concentration, focus, and energy; and stimulates both a physiological and psychological relaxation response.

More findings on the health benefits of indoor plants can be found in the infographic, “#PlantsDoThat Where We Heal,” available for download, reprint, or adaptation at consumerhort.org. When posting on social media, please use the hashtag #PlantsDoThat.

“At NICH we believe everyone should enjoy the many benefits of horticulture. Why pass up an opportunity to give a plant?” says Helen Newling Lawson, Chair of the NICH Marketing Committee. “A living, growing plant is a great way to say, ‘I love you.’”

The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) is a consortium of industry leaders who are promoting the benefits and value of horticulture. NICH brings together academia, government, industry, and nonprofits to cultivate the growth and development of a healthy world through landscapes, gardens and plants — indoors and out.

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It is hard to believe 2020 has ended. We had an incredible year filled with lasting partnerships, new members and hope for the future. NICH has grown by leaps and bounds as we aggressively and successfully pursued the goals and tactics outlined in our two-year organizational plan.    To communicate the NICH mission and vision to our stakeholders we launched NICH social media in February 2020.  Our Facebook and Instagram are populated with graphics, articles, and video encouraging use of plants, consumer horticulture services, and science that support consumer horticulture. As of December 2020, NICH has 2,620 Facebook followers and our Instagram has experienced similar growth. All posts are suitable for sharing on business, extension, or research social media. Future efforts will focus on NICH Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram presence. The quality and quantity of our e-newsletters has increased. We sent 21 newsletters in 2020 covering topics within the NICH Mission that ranged from the release of infographics promoting consumer horticulture to holiday promotion of goods and services.  Topics were carefully chosen to encourage community engagement. Today we have 1,321 recipients and the newsletter statistics are strong. The open rate is an eye-catching 36.9 % and the click rate is 16.4%. The unsubscribe rate is a negligible 0.3%.  In an effort to build awareness and membership, we have begun to reach out to allied groups and associations via email, phone and at trade shows and conferences. COVID-19 pushed most tradeshows and conferences online, but our virtual efforts continued to yield results, fueling growth of the newsletter and social media. Our website received a much-needed facelift this year. We believe the new site effectively highlights NICH outputs and is easier to navigate. We have built support for the NICH Mission and Vision by creating science-based graphics, infographics and publications that promote consumer horticulture. We began the year with the release of five infographics highlighting what plants do for pollinators, fire, water, soil, and cities and suburbs.   The year also saw the launch of the NICH Webinar Series. The series focuses on adding value to current and future NICH members. Two webinars were hosted this year, Doing Business Under Difficult Circumstances and The Consumer Horticulture Puzzle. Webinars were attended by 85 and 123 people, respectively. The Webinar Committee intends to host four webinars in calendar year 2021, one during each quarter. Additional efforts included the creation of a series of five Extension publications outlining ways in which people and plants are connected and consumer horticulture benefits to individuals and families; housing and residential areas; businesses, workplaces, and employees; and the environment. We are actively creating tools to increase consumer successes with horticulture and achieve maximum environmental benefits from landscapes. NICH Continues to support scientific exploration of Consumer Horticulture by writing letters of support for grant proposals that support our Research and Education goals and objectives. The NICH Academic Council successfully submitted and received funding for a research proposal to the Horticulture Research Institute Grant Program and many NICH members have been active on other federally funded projects. We continue to seek relevancy reviewers from consumer horticulture industries for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative in the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and to provide stakeholder input on relevant matters.    Our long-time objective of supporting scientific exploration of all aspects of consumer horticulture includes federal recognition of consumer horticulture as different and equally important to production horticulture. We have convened a Farm Bill Committee to develop and articulate a specific ask for the 2023 Farm Bill. The Committee will seek collaborators internal and external to NICH to assist in this effort.  Interested in being a part of this important work? Join us and find a committee to be part of. NICH offers a unique opportunity to cross-pollinate with industry, academia and non-profits that share common interests and goals. Together, we have built a community of practice. To meet the challenges our committee structure has grown from three committees to eight committees and our committees have learned to work effectively with each other.  Our efforts will create a consumer horticulture commodity group, economic growth and national recognition for our diverse and widespread industry. Please grow with us TODAY. Ellen M. Bauske NICH Chair

Need the perfect present for a budding plant parent or avid gardener on your holiday gift list? The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (consumerhort.org) can help. Please feel free to share these ideas or entire article with your customers, readership, or the gardening public.

Give a plant. Seasonal plants like amaryllis, paperwhites, Christmas cacti and poinsettias are always appropriate, make beautiful living décor, and are easy hostess gifts. House plants are a trendy gift for all ages. Cut flowers are a thoughtful gift that can be enjoyed by those not ready to commit to plant care. Terrariums, orchids, succulent “wall art,” and indoor aquatic gardens make unique plants gifts.

Decorative pots for outdoor or indoor use are a playful and practical gift idea and come in a wide range of styles and price points. A hand-decorated planter makes a fun craft project for kids and a cute gift for grandparents. Pots should be functional as well so check for a drainage hole before purchasing. Don’t forget decorative pot huggers.

Bring the bling to the outdoors with yard ornaments. They can add humor, whimsy, or drama to indoor and outdoor gardens.

Invite nature “home for the holidays.” Bird houses, bee hotels, butterfly homes, bird baths and feeders of all sorts attract wildlife to outdoor spaces and enhance the environment.

Stuff the stockings! Seed packets make great stuffers. Gloves and pruning shears will also fit nicely. Anyone who works with soil will appreciate a stiff soap for cleanup, followed by a soothing salve or hand cream. Gardeners love practical gifts, too, like plant stakes, tags, and ties.

Give an experience by purchasing a visit or a membership to a public garden. Many gardens have seasonal displays, special events, and other amenities that make the perfect gift.

Lend a Hand. Engage a landscape company to help someone special with yard care. Your loved one can enjoy the yard, rather than fuss about the ‘to-do’” list.

Consumer horticulture is a driver of our agricultural economy and with good reason. Over this past year we have highlighted the many environmental, health, and well-being benefits of plants and their use where we live, work, and heal. Give gifts that make our world a better place. Happy Holidays!

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Did you know that planting a tree is one of the easiest and most powerful things you can do to have a positive impact on the environment, the value of your home, and your quality of life? Trees clean the air, prevent rainwater runoff, help you save energy and provide a habitat for birds and wildlife.

Through photosynthesis, trees absorb harmful carbon dioxide, removing and storing the carbon and releasing oxygen back into the air. Trees absorb odors and pollutants, and it is estimated that one tree can absorb nearly 10 pounds of polluted air each year and release 260 pounds of oxygen.

Leaf canopies help buffer the falling rain, and tree roots hold the soil in place, encouraging the water to seep into the ground rather than run off. During heavy rains, water runoff finds its way to streams, lakes and wetlands, creating the potential for flooding and carrying pollutants along the way.

Properly placed and planted trees can reduce your energy bill – trees conserve energy in summer and winter, providing shade from the hot summer sun and shelter from cold winter winds.

Studies of comparable homes with and without trees show that a yard with trees increases your home’s value by up to 15 percent.

Trees provide nesting sites, food and shelter for birds and animals. Hang a feeder in one of the branches and enjoy the birdsong all year long.

Trees can live hundreds of years, so when you plant a tree, you are giving a gift to your children and grandchildren. It’s a symbol of your commitment to the environment and the beauty of the world around you that will live on far beyond your own lifetime.

The social media graphics developed by NICH use data gathered from research publications, extension publications, government organization outputs, and resource websites. Share these graphics on your own social media and other publications and help us engage consumers and create a world where every household participates in Consumer Horticulture!

The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) is a consortium of industry leaders who are promoting the benefits and value of horticulture. NICH brings together academia, government, industry, and nonprofits to cultivate the growth and development of a healthy world through landscapes, gardens and plants – indoors and out. The Mission of the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture is to grow a healthy world through the art, science and business of plants, gardens and landscapes.

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