Case Studies: Example Horticultural Therapy Programs in Ontario

Across Ontario, several organizations are using horticultural therapy, therapeutic gardening, and green‑care models to support mental health, well‑being, and social connection. Below are strong examples you can use as inspiration for your own practice or to show visitors what high‑quality HT and green‑care work looks like in our province.

Green Care Farms – Care Farming for Adults with Dementia (Milton/Meaford, Ontario)

Green Care Farms is Canada’s first care farm specifically designed for people living with dementia and related cognitive challenges. Located between Milton and Meaford, the farm offers structured outdoor programs on a half‑acre plot within a working farm setting.

• Participants engage in purposeful outdoor activities such as planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting fresh produce, which supports purpose, belonging, and motor skills.
• The program is seasonal (typically May–September) and includes subsidies to keep it financially accessible.
• Green Care Farms also trains and supports other farmers and communities who want to set up their own care‑farm sites, helping to expand green‑care models across Canada.

Green Care Farms is a strong example of green care in practice: using farm‑based work, animals, and seasonality to support mental health, social connection, and meaningful daily activity for adults with dementia.

The Riverwood Conservancy – Therapeutic Horticulture (Mississauga)

The Enabling Garden at The Riverwood Conservancy offers one of the most established therapeutic horticulture programs in Ontario. The garden is fully accessible and designed for people of all ages and abilities, including those with physical, cognitive, and mental health needs.

• Children and youth participate through special‑education and community‑group visits, using hands‑on gardening to build confidence, social skills, and a sense of accomplishment.
• The Sensory Path allows people with vision loss to experience nature through touch, making the program more inclusive.

Homewood Health Centre – Horticultural Therapy (Guelph)

Homewood Health Centre in Guelph integrates horticultural therapy into its mental health and addiction treatment programs. The centre uses on‑site gardens and plant‑based activities to support clients of all ages, with a strong focus on adults in recovery and psychiatric care.

• Clients participate in structured gardening sessions such as planting, pruning, harvesting, and harvesting edible plants, which supports mood regulation, focus, and a sense of accomplishment.
• The program is led or co‑facilitated by registered mental health professionals and horticulture staff, embedding horticultural therapy within broader clinical care.
• Homewood’s model shows how therapeutic horticulture can be woven into hospital‑ and clinic‑based mental health services, complementing counseling, group therapy, and other treatments.

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences – Beez Kneez Growing Program (Whitby)

Ontario Shores incorporates therapeutic gardening into its mental health services through the Beez Kneez Growing Program.

• The program includes plant identification, soil health, pest management, and vegetable production, all within a therapeutic framework.
• It is designed to support recovery, focus, and emotional regulation for youth and adults using the hospital’s mental health services.

The Julien Project – Plant Therapy (Guelph)

The Julien Project offers a Horticultural Internship Program (HIP) in Guelph that uses gardening as a therapeutic and vocational tool for youth who struggle in traditional learning environments.

• Youth participate in greenhouse and garden work under the guidance of experienced horticulturalists, learning practical skills and building confidence.
• The program shows how horticultural therapy can support youth at risk of disengagement from school or work.

These programs illustrate different ways that horticultural therapy and green‑care models can be embedded in community organizations, hospitals, mental health centres, and farms. Your practice can use them as reference points when describing how your own therapeutic‑horticulture and youth‑focused programs connect to broader, evidence‑informed trends in Ontario and Canada.