Sections

Section Head: Katy Klinkigt and Patty Muller

Section Aim: developing of the IGGT-concept, site analysis
The Internationale Gesellschaft Gartentherapie (IGGT) (The International Garden Therapy Association) has also taken the next necessary step and decided on a further section called “Concepts”.

The IGGT is convinced that, in terms of quality assurance, it is imperative to develop a common concept and a definition of garden therapy that can be reached by consensus with a wide range of stakeholders.

These site analyses are necessary in order to be able to make coordinated statements on how, for example, the aims and methods of garden therapy are defined and what requirements and quality features are to be placed on the further and continuing education.

These are just a few of the main topics that the project group deals with, because enough areas to be defined in this field still exist and are developing, such as the interface to other therapeutic areas.

Through the work of the section “Concepts” a first working paper including a definition was drawn up under the leadership of the then board member Alfred Vollmer. Alfred Vollmer has retired due to old age and is in well-deserved retirement.

The section “Concepts” deals in particular with the therapeutic, nursing or pedagogic side of garden therapy. So that you can find out more about the current status of processing, we will report on the status of the discussion on this website from time to time.

Section Head: Martina Föhn

Section Aims:
The section, founded in 2013, was the first to set itself the aim of recording in a database the knowledge about plants as therapeutic agents, which has been steadily expanding over the past few years.

In garden therapy and when planning therapeutic gardens, there are additional requirements in addition to the usual inquiries: i.e., plants with a special biographical reference. Plants that you can work with while sitting, plants with a special sensory offer and so on. In addition, garden therapy also requires extended information on the use of the plants, history, and even songs or poems. GarThePedia offers all of this.

Therefore, this database is a helpful source of information for planners of therapy gardens, garden therapists, gardeners, heads of institutions in which garden therapy is offered and other groups interested in the topic.

This offer is new and innovative and probably unique in the world.

As of 2020, the GarThePedia database contains over one hundred plants and is constantly being expanded. The section “Gardens and Plants” deals with the “green side” of garden therapy and is sure to find various areas of work here in the future.

Section management: Marina Raffaella Cerea, Jean-Théodore Bieri

Aim of the section:
Founded in 2021 as the last section for the time being, the section aims to intensify existing transnational contacts and networking with other European organizations and institutions in the field of therapeutic horticulture. This enables a more in-depth exchange of knowledge and mutual support as well as the joint processing of topics of common interest - such as the development of core competencies and quality standards recognized throughout Europe - and the use of resulting synergies.