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When it comes to our health and wellbeing, the benefits of gardening aren’t a vague, sweet, and fluffy concept – they are proven. To help promote awareness and understanding throughout Stress Awareness Month and beyond, here we explore some of the most fascinating and surprising ways gardening can help boost your state of mind and overall mental health.
It’s no secret that gardening is a good way to get outdoors and enjoy the benefits of fresh air and exercise, but researchers are only just beginning to understand its positive effects on our wellbeing and mental health. While it stands to reason that stepping away from your desk or from the stresses of everyday life may be relaxing, the benefits on one’s state of mind are actually far more complex than that. For example, when looking to investigate the effects of gardening as a pastime on physical health markers such as bone density, a recent study at the University of Roehampton observed far more noteworthy effects on participants’ mental health. There is an entire body of compelling research making the case for gardening as an outlet to…
Help moderate stress
Get those cortisol levels in check… While there is no substitute for professional therapy and treatment when it comes to serious mental health concerns, researchers have found that losing yourself in a sustained gardening session can help stabilise your nervous system, quell anxiety, and even help lower depression.
Boost focus and concentration
As writer, Olivia Laing puts it, “I’ve never found an activity as soothing or as wholly absorbing. It’s like being immersed in a deep, silent pool.” Gardening prompts mindfulness, almost forcing you to live moment by moment, branch by branch, petal by petal. Because it demands your full attention, silencing all other thoughts, those who garden regularly will therefore likely find their attention span improves, meaning it is a particularly useful activity for those who struggle to stay focused on tasks, conversations, or even topics in daily life.
Elevate self-esteem
Gardening is often incredibly rewarding. When you put in the work, and you start seeing results, you can’t help but feel good about yourself. Enjoy a boost to your sense of achievement and pride, feelings of mastery and empowerment, and
Cushion emotional wellbeing
Did you find yourself becoming more interested in your garden during the pandemic? You weren’t alone. Marooned at home, many of us took the opportunity to treasure and reclaim our outdoor spaces, reaffirming their power as places to relax, focus, and connect with nature – as well as each other. The day that garden centres reopened was a bright spot in a difficult time. Why? Those who garden regularly know that pottering around outdoors can intensify a good mood and save a bad one. This gives you somewhere productive and beautiful to put those feelings you’re not sure what to do with.
Build resilience
There is a common misconception that gardening is endlessly relaxing. It certainly can be, but any true gardener knows that getting it right is fraught with challenges large and small – from weed invasions, to pests, fading flowers, rotted roots, and things that just simply will not grow. Facing challenges and disappointments like this can help build resilience – and improve your skills overall, as you get to know your garden better, as well as the tools that can help you turn a situation around. Our mighty All-Purpose Liquid Concentrate can help save fading plants, boost yields of fruits and veggies, give you beautiful, more abundant flowers, and plenty more to help make your garden the joyful, relaxing space it was made to be.
Our expert gardeners are here to provide simple, stress-free tips to make your garden the most beautiful, relaxing, and productive it has ever been. Check back in with us regularly for more tips.
