For thousands of years, healthcare professionals have seen the relationship between greenery and wellness. These healing effects, which have been studied extensively, are just one of the many reasons landscapes and healthcare go hand in hand. When it comes to healthcare facilities, the difference in property types can be monumental, ranging from enormous multi-unit campuses to storefronts. Despite these differences, the inclusion of well-designed landscapes has become a must for healthcare facilities for a variety of reasons.
Benefits of Healthcare Facility Landscapes
We’ve already revealed one benefit when it comes to landscaping and healthcare facilities, improved health and wellness. A 2002 study found significant improvements in patients who had views of greenery as opposed to those who didn’t, and 30% less dependence on pain medication. The study also found that viewing greenery and landscapes drastically decreased stress levels in both patients and healthcare professionals.
While it may sound as if this data only applies to outpatient facilities, the same study found that as little as 3 minutes of exposure to greenery can reduce stress levels. This means even if you only have a little to work with, your landscape can go a long way.
Aside from improved recovery times and stress relief, having greenery indoors and outdoors provides cleaner air, cozier settings, and more comfortable patients, staff, and visitors. Utilizing landscape as part of the treatment process is already proving to be more popular across the world, from “Chemo Gardens” in The Netherlands, to hospital walking gardens in the United States, healthcare professionals are becoming more aware of the benefits of greenery and using them to their advantage.
Designing a Landscape That Heals
Embracing landscape as an important part of healthcare is one thing, but applying it is entirely different. Every healthcare facility is unique, with different functions, operations, and designs. This means every landscape design is similarly unique, as it addresses various needs and limitations. While not every healthcare facility will be able to house the same designs, there are some fundamentals which all property types can employ to achieve the benefits of greenery.
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Florals and Shrubbery
- We’ve talked a lot about greenery, but that doesn’t mean we can’t include some other colors. Adding vibrant additional like annual flowers is a simple task for any property, whether you have one square foot or one hundred thousand square feet.
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Hardscape
- Good landscape design utilizes the perfect blend of softscapes, living landscape elements, with hardscapes, nonliving landscape elements. Stones, bridges, pathways, and fountains are all accessible landscape additions for any healthcare facility.
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Water Features
- Even if you have property limitations, water features are versatile enough that they can be adjusted to accommodate any property size. From a wall based fountain to a full scale waterfall, water features are a property defining addition to any healthcare facility.
As the healthcare sector continues to prioritize the wellbeing of their patients, the need grows for well designed landscapes to help heal them. While many healthcare facilities have preexisting landscape designs, they may not always be optimized to the facility’s current needs and potential. When you’re ready to change your landscape for the better, make sure to use a licensed landscape professional. With healthcare facilities having a strict set of building codes to follow, make sure to use a professional that is experienced and confident in healthcare facility landscaping.
Down To Earth Landscape & Irrigation is proud to service various healthcare facilities across the state of Florida. To speak to a certified landscape professional now, click here.