Gardening Therapy: Mental Health Benefits with a Horticulture Specialist

Finding time to prioritise our mental health can be tricky. On top of everyday work-life balance, maintaining a social life, and ensuring we keep up with household chores, the juggling act can become difficult. But what if we told you that a household chore, such as gardening, can also be beneficial to your mental health? Horticultural therapy is a great way to ground yourself and reconnect with nature once more. In this article, we will be exploring how gardening can help your mental and physical well-being. 

How Connecting with Nature Benefits Mental Wellbeing 

You don’t need to be a horticulture specialist to go outside and reconnect with nature to provide a much-needed boost to your mental well-being. However, Gardening can provide a golden opportunity for you to get outside, breathe fresh air, and soak up some vitamin D. 

Spending time in your garden ‘has been found to help with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression’, as well as bring a sense of peace to an otherwise busy day. Not only that but regular access to green spaces has been linked to improved concentration and attention. Remembering to get up, leave your sofa, and spend some quality time with nature is extremely beneficial for your mind and well-being. 

Gardening For Mindfulness and Stress Reduction

Speaking of good for the mind, gardening is also great for stress reduction. As well as taking place outside and in the fresh air, gardening offers an engaging task that encourages a sense of mindfulness. As you focus on the present moment and getting the job done, you will find that your mind is a lot less likely to wander. Also, gardening can be an interesting sensory experience.

Did you know that ‘in 2021, the RHS released research that revealed those who garden every day have wellbeing scores 6.6% higher and stress levels 4.2% lower than people who don’t garden at all’? Gardening encourages mindfulness and can reduce stress levels whilst also promoting relaxation. 

Whilst the act of gardening alone can be beneficial for stress, there are also studies to suggest that scientifically, it can be the answer to feeling down. According to Canopia by Palram, ‘getting your hands in the soil and contact with a specific soil bacteria called Mycobacterium Vaccae triggers the release of serotonin in our brain’. So, on top of gardening being a physical way to fight stress, there is also evidence that it can make you happier. 

Gardening For a Sense of Accomplishment

Do you ever have those days where you feel like nothing is going right? Gardening allows us all to feel a sense of accomplishment. Whether you are weeding, creating new flower beds, or pruning trees – even garden maintenance can boost your mood. 

With gardening being a more fun home chore, it can bring a sense of accomplishment and enhance our self-esteem. Regardless of age, when we see our plants and flowers grow and thrive, we can all feel an emotion of achievement. On top of vitamin D and being outside, this can be the perfect recipe for no longer feeling low.

The Physical Health Benefits of Gardening

Gardening can be a labour of love – literally. In addition to mental health benefits, gardening can also be beneficial for our physical health. As we all know, gardening can be an extremely physical task. Think about it – mowing the lawn, digging, and raking are all forms of aerobic exercise. Depending on the activity, ‘gardening can use up to 250-500 calories an hour’. 

Getting regular exercise is one of the most important parts of remaining active and keeping mentally healthy. Exercise helps us release serotonin and ensures we continue to feel happy. Gardening is known to improve our cardiovascular health, increase mobility and strength, and better our sleeping patterns. 

The Environmental Benefits of Gardening

As well as being personally beneficial for you, gardening is also great for the environment, which means you can do good whilst you feel good. There is an increasing push in ‘health professionals to encourage their patients to make use of green space and to work in gardens, and pressure on local authorities to increase open spaces and the number of trees, thus also helping to counteract air pollution and climate change’. There is an understanding that the more plants the better. Whether you are living in a highly polluted urban area, where more trees are needed, or simply planting indoor herbs to improve the air quality in your home – all plants are welcome. 

Not only are our gardens a hub for much-needed trees, shrubs, and plants, but any vegetables we can grow ourselves are also considered eco-friendly. By being able to eat from our own gardens, we can cut down on the air pollution caused by planes, ships, trucks, and cars, which all transport our food to us. Also, homegrown vegetables come with a lot less waste. Think about it – when was the last time you purchased potatoes not in a plastic bag? By growing veggies in your outdoor space, you can make your lifestyle a lot more enjoyable and sustainable. 

BZ Gardens – Horticulture Specialist In Surrey

Here at BZ Gardens, we understand that your garden is your safe haven. Whilst many of us love the fun bits of gardening like designing the space, planting new flowers, and enjoying the outdoor time, we also know that maintaining a large space can be daunting. Our team of friendly horticulture specialists will allow you to still enjoy these gardening endeavours, whilst taking the less enthralling maintenance tasks off your hands. We can assist with pruning your plants, garden waste management, groundwork services, and many other long-term maintenance tasks. Get in contact with our team today to find out more.