Physiological, Psychological, and Spiritual Well-Being Effects of Horticultural Activities in Boarding School Landscape

Background and objective: The physical and mental health of the young generation plays an essential role in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and the vision of Advanced Indonesia 2045. One of the efforts to improve the physical and mental health of the community is through the utilization of green open spaces as a means of physiological and psychological relaxation. Al-Muhajirin, one of the Islamic educational institutions implementing an agricultural-based campus, can apply horticultural activities on the farm, where interactions with plants are carried out through plant cultivation and maintenance. This study aims to analyze the physiological, psychological, and spiritual effects of horticultural activities.Methods: This study used an on-site survey experimental method through horticultural plant planting activities and filling out questionnaires. The research location was on ABM (Abun Bunyamin Mukhtar) Farm, Al-Muhajirin Boarding School. The parameters observed include physiological effects (namely heart rate and blood pressure), psychological effects (namely anxiety levels, mood, and spiritual well-being). The experiments were conducted in the farm and involved 32 students. Subjects planted the horticultural plants and sat in the hall for 15 min.Results: The results showed: (1) significantly lower heart rate while sitting in the hall, (2) decreased diastolic blood pressure, (3) significant increased friendliness, decreased confusion and Total Mood Disturbance, (4) decreased anxiety, and (5) significant increased spiritual well-being after horticultural activities treatment. This study provides scientific evidence of horticultural activities for the possibility of physiological and psychological relaxation and spiritual well-being.Conclusion: The study's findings can be used as a reference in developing the planning and design of horticultural activities spaces and are considered as one of the topics in environmental education subjects.