We are dedicated and passionate about the health benefits that gardening, horticulture and spending time in nature can bring. Our aim is to ensure that people with varying needs have the opportunity to access therapeutic gardening and horticulture programmes, wherever they live.
We actively encourage the use of gardening as part of personal health and wellbeing management.
We have over 40 years’ experience of an approach called social and therapeutic horticulture (STH). Through STH, trained horticultural practitioners work with plants and people to improve an individual’s physical and psychological health, communication and social skills.
Gardening can bring profound positive change. This can include improvements in physical and mental well-being plus gaining skills, knowledge and abilities.
Video - how we help people at Thrive
We work in a variety of ways:
- we facilitate therapeutic programmes at our regional centres in Reading, London and Birmingham
- we also run programmes in care homes, village halls, prisons and other community settings
- we train professionals to deliver STH in their own field
- we provide gardening advice for people with disabilities or ill health to help them carry on gardening
Two people working at a raised bed
We support and work with a wide range of people. This includes people with physical or learning disabilities, mental health support needs, sensory loss, life-changing conditions such as stroke survivors and young people with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.
Find out more about who we help and meet some of our client gardeners.
I find Thrive a very inspiring place to spend time. I believe that it’s not just the plants that thrive here, but the people who come here too
Imogen - client gardener, London
Thrive can help if you:
- are looking for a place at a garden project for yourself or somebody else
- want to know how to make gardening easier for yourself
- want to understand how gardening can improve your health and wellbeing
- are looking to volunteer at a garden project
- are seeking more information because you are working at or involved in a garden project
- want to know more about social and therapeutic horticulture
To find out more about Thrive download our interactive leaflet
Contact our friendly team at 0118 988 5688 or use our quick form for enquiries. Please note, we do not offer home garden maintenance
Get in touch