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 … [Read more...] about The Therapeutic Power of Plants

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 … [Read more...] about Valentine’s Day is upon us, and love is in the air!

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, … [Read more...] about 2020 National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture Annual Report

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 … [Read more...] about Gift Ideas for Green Giving

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 … [Read more...] about Plant a Tree, Improve Your Life