Certain observations arose from the implementation of multicentre research on ‘ecotherapy’. Very diverse community groups of people with a range of disabilities, undertaking horticulture and nature conservation as a therapeutic and social enterprise, provided an unexpected conception. We coined the term embracement to capture the meaning of an activity we found in many ‘bottom-up’ examples of social inclusion. Self-organizing groups grow by the members’ choosing to embrace a common identity, which included and integrated health, social and environmental dimensions. Embracement is self-directing, spontaneous and collective, with the potential group members being the driving force.