People-plant interaction: the physiological, psychological and sociological effects of plants on people

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a literature study into the effects of plants on human wellbeing. Different studies from various countries show that there are many different settings in which humans interact with plants. Some of these settings have a therapeutic aim, others do not. This paper demonstrates that various target groups can benefit from working with plants. Little is known, however, about the mechanisms behind horticultural therapy while the evidence is weak due to the methodological limitations of the studies