Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden 2002-2019

Alnarp's rehabilitation garden functioned as a living lab where environmental psychology, landscape architecture and horticulture were combined with medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychotherapy. The work was carried out in collaboration with other universities, the Skåne region and others.

A successful research garden

In multi-year studies, researchers have studied several different target groups in Alnarp's rehabilitation garden. For example, target groups with stress-related ill health, but also target groups with stroke patients and people with dementia. Another target group consisted of newly arrived people with stress problems, here the study was about work-oriented rehabilitation.

The garden remains, but its use has changed and the garden is now used in several different ways within SLU's operations.

Alnarp method widespread

The results from the research at Alnarp's rehabilitation garden are used in both public and private activities, for example, several county councils have built rehabilitation gardens with Alnarp as a model. Region Skåne is another example where the Alnarp method is used in practice, through the procurement of nature-based rehabilitation by a number of rural companies.

Committed researchers

A large number of researchers, from SLU but also from other universities, have used Alnarp's rehabilitation garden in their work over the years. Several doctoral students have worked more or less directly in or with the Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden. They have been supervised by the garden's initiator, Professor Patrik Grahn.