Dunham House is a a dual diagnosis substance use rehabilitation centre located on 85 acres in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. It provides a calm, natural setting designed to support adults recovering from mental health challenges and addiction. Through its one-month and six-month dual-diagnosis programs, Dunham House offers evidence-based therapy alongside innovative, nature-based activities, one of the most impactful being its therapeutic garden program, which helps residents build skills, confidence, and connection through hands-on gardening.
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Source: Dunham House
Dunham House: Cultivating Patience, Healing, and Community Through Therapeutic Horticulture
At Dunham House, healing often begins in the garden. Therapeutic horticulture (TH) is woven into the centre’s weekly rhythm, offering residents meaningful opportunities to engage their senses, reflect, and reconnect through hands-on experiences in nature.
Years in the making, the Garden Project is a 4000 to 7000 square foot vegetable and herb garden that provides both food and a foundation for a growing horticultural therapy program. It yields fresh, seasonal produce such as tomatoes, lettuce, green beans, peppers, raspberries, blueberries, and apples. All of it is grown in partnership with residents who help tend, harvest, and care for the space.
“Gardening started as a hobby while I worked in restaurants,” says Olivier Topoluk-Natale, a Root in Nature Therapeutic Horticulture Ally. “After leaving that world because of substance use, therapeutic horticulture became a powerful part of my recovery. Now, I get to share that with others.”
Olivier facilitates TH sessions at Dunham House alongside educator and Ally-in-training Erica Berger-Lewis and cook/head gardener John Look. The team’s twice-weekly TH sessions are integrated into an eight-week program that combines structured workshops with opportunities to explore learning through nature. Each week carries a theme, offering participants a chance to ground abstract concepts, such as emotional regulation or community connection, through soil, seeds, and sensory engagement.
A recent session inspired by Root in Nature’s tea activity invited residents to slow down and reflect on the theme of patience. In a quiet moment outdoors, participants gathered around a camp stove and a pot of water. Olivier gently guided a meditation while the group simply watched the water boil, linking this ordinary act to deeper themes of recovery and mental wellness.
Participants shared their thoughts on patience: how it shows up in their lives, what challenges it, and the ways it’s rewarded. Some connected it to their personal healing journey, others to moments from their past. Afterwards, the group savoured a tea made with fresh mint leaves from the garden, along with dried saffron, cinnamon sticks, and a touch of sugar. Taking time to appreciate the rich, layered flavours as part of the sensory experience.
This approach to therapeutic horticulture, anchoring sessions in the rhythms of nature and connecting them to themes of personal growth, is intentional. The team uses each activity not only to introduce new skills and plant care knowledge, but also to spark reflection and foster curiosity.
The garden and greenhouse spaces are designed to feel welcoming and safe, offering residents a chance to be “comfortable, connected, and curious,” as Olivier described in his Root in Nature newsletter submission. For those navigating recovery, this kind of gentle structure can help regulate emotions, build confidence, and encourage a sense of belonging.
The team at Dunham House emphasizes the value of community connection; something that can be disrupted or lost through substance use and mental health challenges. Therapeutic horticulture becomes a bridge to rebuilding those connections, whether through shared experiences, collaboration in the garden, or simply pausing to enjoy a cup of tea together.
Participants reflect during the “watching water boil” meditation in the garden.
Herbal tea made with fresh mint, saffron, cinnamon, and sugar—slowly prepared and mindfully enjoyed.
Why Your Organization Should Invest in Therapeutic Horticulture Training
Benefits for Individuals
Therapeutic horticulture enhances mental clarity, builds confidence, and supports emotional regulation by providing residents with calming, purposeful activities. It helps individuals establish routine and a sense of accomplishment, both of which are essential for recovery and stability. Through gentle physical movement and the consumption of fresh garden grown produce, it also contributes to improved physical wellness. Just as importantly, these activities foster a sense of connection, whether to nature, to others in their community, or to their own sense of purpose.
Benefits for Teams
For staff and therapeutic teams, horticulture offers a new way to engage participants through hands on, experiential learning. It enhances professional development by increasing confidence, knowledge, and skill in facilitating alternative therapies. These shared, nature based experiences also foster stronger collaboration among staff members. Importantly, spending time in peaceful garden environments can help reduce stress and prevent burnout, leading to more energized and motivated teams.
Benefits for Organizations
Integrating therapeutic horticulture allows organizations to distinguish themselves with a truly holistic and innovative approach to care. It draws interest from clients and families looking for progressive, evidence based alternatives to traditional models. Organizations that implement gardening programs often see measurable improvements in participant engagement, mood, and overall well being. Additionally, using sustainable garden grown produce promotes environmental responsibility and supports long term food security goals.
Root in Nature’s team training program helped Olivier and Erica feel prepared to bring this work to life. Through online learning, facilitation tools, and access to the GrowTH Network, they gained the confidence and structure needed to run sessions that are engaging, safe, and grounded in evidence-informed practice.
For organizations supporting people in recovery, therapeutic horticulture can be a transformative tool. Dunham House shows what’s possible when teams are supported to deliver this kind of care, combining creativity, flexibility, and nature’s quiet guidance.
Bringing Therapeutic Horticulture to Your Organization
If your organization is ready to grow a nature connected, life changing program like Dunham House, Root in Nature can help.
Common Challenges That Organizations Face
- Social isolation & loneliness: 1 in 4 older adults experience social isolation, which has severe health consequences (World Health Organization, 2024).
- Limited activity options: Residents in care homes “do nothing” 65% of the time (Tak et al., 2015).
- Staff engagement & training gaps: Less than 1/3 of employees feel engaged and energized at work (Gartner, 2023).
- Lack of nature connection: People spend 90% of their time indoors, missing out on the mental and physical health benefits of nature (Parks Canada, 2014).
How Root in Nature Helps
- We connect people with plants and nature, indoors or outdoors
- We help you enhance staff skills and engagement through a self-paced virtual course
- Improve quality of life and reduce stress using evidence-based therapeutic horticulture techniques
- We provide ongoing resources, activities & live support
Learn more about our training and resources here.
And for individuals interested in building foundational skills, the Intro to Therapeutic Horticulture course is available online and self-paced.