Special purpose vegetation on the example of a garden development concept at the Provincial Polyclinic Hospital in Torun

Every garden is therapeutic in a way. When we are surrounded by plants, we often do not realise the fact that all our senses perceive the space, composition and its elements. Plants can be used for rela- xation, recreation, rehabilitation, therapy, education and sports. Therapeutic gardens stimulate all the five senses, i.e. the sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. When creating a therapeutic garden, one of the main rules is to design the whole composition, select the programme and its elements so as to minimise the in- tensity of visual stimuli. All the other senses should play the main role. Horticultural therapy requires the application of appropriate architectural and landscaping rules and solutions, such as a specialised adjusted garden programme, spatial composition, appropriate surface and equipment for disabled people, elevated flowerbeds and adequate selection of plants. Vegetation plays an important role in therapeutic gardens, especially in those providing horticultural therapy. Plants should not be treated exclusively as aesthetic (visual) material, but also as elements, components and materials which are widely used in therapies. The- refore, the primary role of vegetation in these gardens is to offer therapeutic properties, which affect the sanitary conditions in a particular environment