Evidence

This article presents the outline of a quality evaluation tool to be used in the process of designing outdoor environments in healthcare settings. It presents six environmental qualities based on the need to be comfortable in the outdoor environment and 13 qualities based on the need for access to nature and surrounding life.

This study found a promising impact of levels of agitation in care home residents with dementia who spend time in a garden. They suggested that in future research a focus on measured outcomes would be beneficial, as well as investigating what lies behind limited accessibility to gardens in the residential care setting.

A good summary of the state of research and willingness of healthcare professionals to prescribe green space. There are many relevant topics within it but the overall culture of understanding nature-based prescribing has developed since this was published.

This study showed that people who move to greener urban areas are happier, and moving creates an immediate and sustained improvement in their mental health.

Spending time in forests and woodlands can have a significant positive impact on physical and mental health and wellbeing, a report has found. The report explores the health benefits associated with different forms of mindfulness in the forest, from the Japanese concept of forest-bathing to forest walking.

This report assessed nature-based interventions or ‘green care’ delivered through a pilot programme with Ecominds. It involved hundreds of participants from across England to assess the impact of green care pathways on health outcomes.

Twelve principles of best practice for all those involved in local decision making to ensure that our 21st century towns and cities are underpinned by a 21st century approach to urban trees, for maximum economic, social and environmental returns.

Plants in hospital waiting rooms – real or artificial – cause small but significant reductions in experienced stress.

This guide sets out best practice, backed up by case studies, of the design of outdoor healing environments in NHS settings.

Trees spaced less than three metres apart result in significant noise reduction from traffic. This has positive benefits on quality of life, stress, and other wellbeing factors.