Horticultural therapy gardens for the mental and psychological disabled: Case of İzmir-Seferihisar Kumrular Konaklari Private Care Center

It is known that nature has been used for treatment by people from past to present. Horticultural therapy gardens (HTGs), which provide the commune with nature for the people with mental and psychological disabilities in the care centers, helps people with disabilities to feel good, reduce stress or move away from stress and have a positive impact on their treatment. There are many examples of horticultural therapy garden applied in health institutions around the world. These practices reveal the importance given to the subject. In Turkey, it has been observed in practices were made, that it hasn't given enough importance in spite of it is a subject on the agenda lately. In this context, it was revealed the current status of HTGs located in private care centers throughout Turkey. İzmir- Seferihisar Kumrular Konakları Private Care Center, which were selected as the study area, were evaluated in terms of the current horticultural therapy garden planning and design features and recommendations were made regarding its planning-design-implementation and management. In this direction, the study in general, is constituted of four stages that are data collection, analysis, evaluation and results. First, the design criteria of HTGs were determined. It was made that a literature review on the related concepts, related laws and regulations and statistics. In addition, HTGs, had practiced in our country and worldwide zone, have been examined. Telephone interviews with 163 private care centers which are allied with the Ministry of Family and Social Policies in Turkey, had made. The web-survey was conducted on a voluntary basis with 15 people who were managers in private care centers. The design characteristics of HTGs, which are located in the private care centers in Turkey were examined, and their general sufficiency conditions were revealed. A field study was carried out in Izmir-Seferihisar Kumrular Konakları Private Care Center for 10 days in July 2017. During this period, observations and investigations were made in the area. Two different methods were used: "Semi-Planned Interview and Questionnaire" and "Behavior Mapping" to identify the activities of employees, patients and their relatives and to identify the patients' needs. Result stage, is expressed in two sections which are "HTGs' Status in Turkey and Suggestions for general HTG" and "Recommendations regarding this area". First, as a result of data obtained during the thesis, it was found that there is a lack of information about the horticultural therapy in Turkey, and it was made suggestions for improving these issue. Secondly, the current situation of the garden of the institution has been revealed with the help of observations, interviews and questionnaires about it. A horticultural therapy garden has been designed by basing on user requests and needs as well as design criteria that should be found in horticultural therapy gardens, for the organization. The results that were obtained this study will be useful for the development of horticultural therapy gardens in the care centers for the people with mental and psychological disabilities; it is thought that the study will be a guide, in the case of the establishment of a horticultural therapy garden in these care centers. Keywords: Landscape planning and design; horticultural therapy garden; private care centers; İzmir-Seferihisar Kumrular Konakları Private Care Center. Science Code: 502.11.01