Abstract:

Aiming to address the lack of a specialized evaluation system for plant-based therapy in rural settings, we constructed a scientific evaluation framework to support plant selection and arrangement practices in therapeutic landscapes. Taking Yuntai Farm in Jiangsu Province as a study site, a seven-dimensional (visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, auditory, cultural, and ecological characteristics) evaluation system was established through field surveys of plant resources combined with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Twelve core indicators were selected and weighted, and 52 representative plant species were evaluated through comprehensive quantitative scoring and classification. The results indicate that: (1) visual (weight 0.26), olfactory (0.19), and gustatory characteristics (0.15) contribute most significantly to the therapeutic function of plants; (2) cultural (0.13) and ecological characteristics (0.11) are of secondary importance; (3) tactile (0.09) and auditory characteristics (0.07) play relatively weaker roles; (4) among the 52 plant species, 13.5% were classified as Grade I (excellent), 38.5% as Grade II (good), and 48% as Grade III (potential). This evaluation system can provide a scientific basis for plant selection in rural therapeutic landscapes, thereby promoting the transformation of traditional agricultural spaces into ecological therapeutic environments.

Key words: rural plants, therapeutic landscape, analytic hierarchy process (AHP), multi-dimension evaluation