EFFECTS OF HORTICULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND THE PRODUCTS ON HUMAN BODY AND MIND

This research project was designed to clarify 1) the effect of horticultural activities ob human's muscle strength, 2) what people expect from gardening at the kleingarten, 3) the use of horticultural activities at the welfare facilities and mental hospitals in Fukuoka Prefecture, and 4) the horticultural informations on TV and radio. Horticultural activities include many works with great varieties of physical strength, thus citizens may choose the works which fit to their purposes according to their physical stamina. Kleingarteners expect 1) fresh and non-chemical vegetables, 2) the promotion of health through physical exercises in nature such as hoeing, planting, transplanting, weeding in the nature, and refreshness of mind and body, and 3)educating children through fostering plants. In japan, horticulture has been used as a part of therapeutic tools in mental hospitals, but the "Horticultural therapy" (HT) was not developed. Its real introduction began at the begniing of 1990's and the Japanese interest in the HT is increasing year by year. Our survey on the use of horticulture at the welfare facilities and the mental hospital in Fukuoka Pref.revealed that 2/3 of them adopted horticulture as the works for the clients. However, it is not realized as a real therapy as well as occupational therapy, and participants hope to know how to evaluate the effects of horticulture on the clients' body and mind. The NHK national network of TV and radio in Japan provides 60 min (3 programs) of horticultural informations. The local horticultural informations on TV and radio are different from area to area.