Spiritual Dimensions of Therapeutic Horticulture Among People Experiencing Homelessness

Abstract

This study explores the spiritual dimensions of therapeutic horticulture among people experiencing homelessness (PEH) through a 14-week case study at Grace Grows Garden in Gainesville, Florida. Although numerous scholars have examined the psychological, biological, and social impacts of working with plants, the spiritual dimensions of people-plant interactions have remained underexamined, especially among marginalized communities. This study utilizes a convergent parallel mixed methodology with a primary focus on ethnography. Analysis of the data indicates that spirituality within this context is expressed in three primary ways: (1) through the conceptualizations of sacred space; (2) in the aesthetics of the sacred; and (3) in relationships infused with sacrality. The findings challenge hierarchal models of wellbeing by demonstrating that participants deeply engaged in spiritual meaning-making even amid crisis, rather than waiting for social, emotional, or physical needs to be met first. Simultaneously, the garden supported the development of social, emotional, and physical needs, which aligns with dynamic and relational conceptualizations of spirituality in which multiple domains of wellbeing develop concurrently. Recognizing the importance of sacred space, aesthetic immersion, and relational sacrality in the lives of PEH may provide insights that improve social service and holistic care models.