Step 1: Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture
Required foundation course
Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture is a self-paced online course designed for professionals and aspiring practitioners who want to enter the field or integrate nature-based approaches into their existing work. It provides the shared foundation for the Root in Nature Certificate Pathway, grounding learners in what therapeutic horticulture is, how it is applied, and the settings and populations it serves.
Through evidence-informed, practice-based instruction, you’ll explore the theoretical foundations, ethical guidelines, and professional values that support safe and inclusive TH practice. The course introduces facilitation considerations and foundational horticultural knowledge, including how tools and techniques can be adapted to support diverse physical, emotional, and cognitive needs.Â
Completion of Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture is required before moving into either advanced certificate.
Outcome: Therapeutic Horticulture Ally designation
Step 2: Advanced Certificates (Choose One or Both)
After completing the Introduction course, you may continue into one or both advanced certificates. These courses can be taken in either order, depending on your background, responsibilities, and learning goals.
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills is designed for practitioners who are ready to strengthen the hands-on, human-centered aspects of therapeutic horticulture practice. The course focuses on facilitating both indoor and outdoor plant- and nature-based programming, with an emphasis on aligning horticultural activities and session plans with participant needs, abilities, goals, and desired outcomes.
You’ll build practical facilitation skills related to activity planning, materials sourcing, documentation, and professional practice, alongside strategies for tool adaptation, tracking, and safety management. Grounded in real-world application, the course supports confident, ethical facilitation across community and clinical settings—equipping you to deliver intentional, well-structured therapeutic horticulture sessions with clarity and care.
Outcome: Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Certificate
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Skills
This course supports practitioners who are ready to design, manage, grow, and sustain therapeutic horticulture programs across diverse settings. Building on the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture, the focus shifts to the strategic and operational dimensions of TH practice, including program goal setting, service agreements, budgeting, funding strategies, and grant writing.
Therapeutic environment and garden design are central to the course. You’ll explore core design principles for indoor and outdoor spaces and learn how to adapt them for different populations and care contexts. Through real-world case examples, you’ll examine how thoughtful, purpose-aligned design supports participant outcomes while strengthening long-term program viability. Program sustainability, risk management, evaluation, and income generation are woven throughout, equipping you with practical tools to ethically position, manage, and refine therapeutic horticulture programs over time.
Outcome: Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Certificate
Step 3: Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate
Learners who complete both advanced certificates earn the Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate. This recognizes comprehensive training across foundational knowledge, facilitation skills, and program development and management.
You may choose to complete:
- One advanced certificate and stop there, or
- Both advanced certificates to earn the full certificate
There is no required timeline—progress at a pace that fits your professional and personal commitments.
Stage
- Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture Course (ITH)
- ITH + Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills
- ITH + Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development Skills
- Both Advanced Certificates
Outcome
- Therapeutic Horticulture Ally
- Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Certificate
- Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Certificate
- Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate
Who is this pathway for?
This pathway is designed for those who want a deeper understanding of TH practice and program administration, supported by expert feedback, clear milestones, and intentional skill-building.
This pathway is ideal if you:
- have no prior experience working with plants or people
- are an allied health professional, educator, activity coordinator, or wellness practitioner who has a genuine interest in developing or integrating meaningful, nature-based practice into your work
- looking to build practical and advanced skills amongst a network of peers and expert instructors
- wanting the most comprehensive level of TH training possible that still fits within your schedule
What will I learn?
You’ll Learn:
- Therapeutic horticulture theory and practice
- How to design and/or oversee the creation of therapeutic gardens & environments
- How to align and document nature-based activities with participant goals and outcomes
- Development, facilitation, and adaptation strategies for diverse populations, using real world examples
- How to design, propose, and manage TH programs
- General and TH-specific horticulture and gardening skills
- How to choose and integrate traditional and adaptive gardening tools
How does the learning experience work?
This guided, structured pathway combines online learning with instructor check-ins and clearly defined milestones. You’ll progress through each module with expert support, reflection points, and opportunities for feedback, ensuring you stay on track as you deepen your therapeutic horticulture practice and build confidence in real-world application.
What will I receive?
This pathway leads to defined TH certificates, including:
- TH Advanced Facilitation Skills Certificate (2 courses)
- TH Program Development & Management Certificate (2 courses)
- Advanced TH Certificate (3 courses)
Who is this pathway for?
This option is well suited to those who want to begin in a more flexible, self-paced way or integrate TH learning alongside existing professional commitments.
This pathway is ideal if you:
- are an allied health professional, educator, activity coordinator, or wellness practitioner who may already have an established site or population in which they’d like to integrate TH
- are looking to build practical TH skills without committing to a peer cohort-based program
- are wanting a shorter, flexible learning experience that fits around your existing knowledge, schedule, and responsibilities
What will I learn?
- Therapeutic horticulture theory and concepts
- Key properties of inclusive, therapeutic environments
- How to align horticultural tasks with therapeutic intent
- How to create and adapt goal-driven, person-centered therapeutic horticulture activities
- Real-world examples that demonstrate how TH can support emotional, physical, social, cognitive, and wellbeing goals
- General horticulture and gardening skills
- A variety of adaptive gardening tools commonly used in the field
How does the learning experience work?
This fully online, completely self-paced course gives you the flexibility to learn whenever it works for you. Through practical, real-world examples and guided modules, you’ll explore how therapeutic horticulture is applied and facilitated across diverse settings—building skills you can immediately bring into your own practice.
What will I receive?
Graduates receive a completion certificate and digital badge as a Therapeutic Horticulture Ally.
How the Certificate Pathway Works
The Root in Nature Certificate Pathway is structured to be clear, flexible, and practical. Each course builds on the last, while still allowing you to choose the order and depth of training that best fits your role, goals, and context.
Step 1: Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture
Required foundation course
Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture is a self-paced online course designed for professionals and aspiring practitioners who want to enter the field or integrate nature-based approaches into their existing work. It provides the shared foundation for the Root in Nature Certificate Pathway, grounding learners in what therapeutic horticulture is, how it is applied, and the settings and populations it serves.
Through evidence-informed, practice-based instruction, you’ll explore the theoretical foundations, ethical guidelines, and professional values that support safe and inclusive TH practice. The course introduces facilitation considerations and foundational horticultural knowledge, including how tools and techniques can be adapted to support diverse physical, emotional, and cognitive needs.Â
Completion of Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture is required before moving into either advanced certificate.
Outcome: Therapeutic Horticulture Ally designation
Step 2: Advanced Certificates (Choose One or Both)
After completing the Introduction course, you may continue into one or both advanced certificates. These courses can be taken in either order, depending on your background, responsibilities, and learning goals.
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills is designed for practitioners who are ready to strengthen the hands-on, human-centered aspects of therapeutic horticulture practice. The course focuses on facilitating both indoor and outdoor plant- and nature-based programming, with an emphasis on aligning horticultural activities and session plans with participant needs, abilities, goals, and desired outcomes.
You’ll build practical facilitation skills related to activity planning, materials sourcing, documentation, and professional practice, alongside strategies for tool adaptation, tracking, and safety management. Grounded in real-world application, the course supports confident, ethical facilitation across community and clinical settings—equipping you to deliver intentional, well-structured therapeutic horticulture sessions with clarity and care.
Outcome:Â Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Certificate
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Skills
This course supports practitioners who are ready to design, manage, grow, and sustain therapeutic horticulture programs across diverse settings. Building on the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture, the focus shifts to the strategic and operational dimensions of TH practice, including program goal setting, service agreements, budgeting, funding strategies, and grant writing.
Therapeutic environment and garden design are central to the course. You’ll explore core design principles for indoor and outdoor spaces and learn how to adapt them for different populations and care contexts. Through real-world case examples, you’ll examine how thoughtful, purpose-aligned design supports participant outcomes while strengthening long-term program viability. Program sustainability, risk management, evaluation, and income generation are woven throughout, equipping you with practical tools to ethically position, manage, and refine therapeutic horticulture programs over time.
Outcome: Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Certificate
Step 3: Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate
Learners who complete both advanced certificates earn the Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate. This recognizes comprehensive training across foundational knowledge, facilitation skills, and program development and management.
You may choose to complete:
- One advanced certificate and stop there, or
- Both advanced certificates to earn the full certificate
There is no required timeline—progress at a pace that fits your professional and personal commitments.
| Stage | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture Course (ITH) | Therapeutic Horticulture Ally |
| ITH + Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills | Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Certificate |
| ITH + Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development Skills | Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Certificate |
| Both Advanced Certificates | Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate |
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Skills
This course supports practitioners who are ready to design, manage, grow, and sustain therapeutic horticulture programs across diverse settings. Building on the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture, the focus shifts to the strategic and operational dimensions of TH practice, including program goal setting, service agreements, budgeting, funding strategies, and grant writing.
Therapeutic environment and garden design are central to the course. You’ll explore core design principles for indoor and outdoor spaces and learn how to adapt them for different populations and care contexts. Through real-world case examples, you’ll examine how thoughtful, purpose-aligned design supports participant outcomes while strengthening long-term program viability. Program sustainability, risk management, evaluation, and income generation are woven throughout, equipping you with practical tools to ethically position, manage, and refine therapeutic horticulture programs over time.
Outcome: Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Certificate
