A Literature Review on the Benefits of Healing Gardens

Healing gardens can be traced back to the Greeks at the end of the sixth century B.C. when they used healing centers in temples with the specific usage of natural spring water. Despite the well-known benefits of healing gardens, most healthcare facilities do not include them as part of their process to cure. Thus, this paper aims to explore and provide evidence for the potential benefits of healing gardens for health and well-being in healthcare facilities. Several important research has examined the advantages of healing gardens in hospitals. In addition, there has been an increase in the use of salutogenic and biophilic design approaches in healthcare environments over the last decade. Through a literature review and analysis of successful healing gardens, this paper demonstrates the importance of healing gardens for physical, mental, and emotional health and recommends their incorporation in healthcare facilities as a standard policy. Acknowledgments The study was supported by a grant from the Foundation for Science and Technology–Portugal (UIDB/04007/2020) and project LIFE20 PRE/GR/018 LIFE GEOCARBON.