Palsdottir, Anna Maria and Spendrup, Sara and Martensson, Lennart and Wendin, Karin
(2021).
Garden smellscape – experiences of plant scents in a nature-based intervention.
Frontiers in Psychology. 12
, 667957
[Research article]
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Abstract
This study explores how participants suffering from stress-related mental disorders describe their perception, interaction, and lived experience of garden smellscape during their nature-based rehabilitation. Natural elements, and especially nature smells, have been found to have a profound effect on stress reduction, suggesting an interesting link between odor in nature and stress reduction. The study was conducted as a longitudinal case-study, running over a period of 5 years, investigating participants’ perceptions of a garden smellscape, after completing a 12-weeks nature-based rehabilitation in Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden, Sweden. All participants were treated for stress-related mental disorders. Data were collected through retrospective semi-structured individual interviews and analyzed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis. The results revealed in what way nature odor (odor in nature) evoked associations, emotions, and physical reactions and provide examples of how nature scents function as a catalyst for sensory awareness and memories. Findings supported the understanding that experiencing the smell of plants, especially pelargonium, may facilitate stress reduction and support mental recovery in a real-life context. The results of the study can be used for several purposes; thus, they are relevant for actors within the development of nature-based therapy, as well as stakeholders within the horticultural industry.
Authors/Creators: | Palsdottir, Anna Maria and Spendrup, Sara and Martensson, Lennart and Wendin, Karin | ||||
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Title: | Garden smellscape – experiences of plant scents in a nature-based intervention | ||||
Series Name/Journal: | Frontiers in Psychology | ||||
Year of publishing : | 2021 | ||||
Volume: | 12 | ||||
Article number: | 667957 | ||||
Number of Pages: | 10 | ||||
Associated Programs and Other Stakeholders: | Z - SLU - Library > Odla mera | ||||
ISSN: | 1664-1078 | ||||
Language: | English | ||||
Publication Type: | Research article | ||||
Article category: | Scientific peer reviewed | ||||
Version: | Published version | ||||
Copyright: | Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 | ||||
Full Text Status: | Public | ||||
Subjects: | (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 3 Medical and Health Sciences > 303 Health Sciences > Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 4 Agricultural Sciences > 401 Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries > Horticulture | ||||
Keywords: | pelargonium, horticulture therapy, odor, public health, ambient scent, stress-related mental disorder, well-being | ||||
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-112830 | ||||
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-112830 | ||||
Additional ID: |
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ID Code: | 24881 | ||||
Faculty: | LTV - Fakulteten för landskapsarkitektur, trädgårds- och växtproduktionsvetenskap | ||||
Department: | (LTJ, LTV) > Department of People and Society (from 2021) | ||||
Deposited By: | SLUpub Connector | ||||
Deposited On: | 12 Aug 2021 09:25 | ||||
Metadata Last Modified: | 13 Aug 2021 04:00 |
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