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ACCORDING to a research by Texas A&M University , adding greenery to the environment of hospitals and other healthcare centers can reduce stress in patients, visitors and staff and even lessen a patient's pain to some extent.

Roger Ulrich, professor and director of the Center for Health Systems and Design at Texas A&M's College of Architecture says that a growing body of research is giving credibility to the widely held belief that nature is beneficial for the health.

He says, "knowledge and research into fields such as health psychology and behavioral medicine have demonstrated that there need not be anything magical about the processes through which gardens in healthcare facilities should be capable of reducing stress and improving patients' health".

Ulrich's research lays special emphasis on the effects of built and natural environments on people's psychological well being, stress and health. He says that most of the healthcare facilities these days are incorporating "healing gardens" into their designs as part of an international movement that aims to improve the quality of healthcare.

Ulrich explains that "healing gardens", refer to a variety of garden features like green vegetation, flowers and water that is soothing for the eye, relieves stress and has positive influences on patients, visitors, staff and caregivers