Gardening is the practice of cultivating plants such as flowers, fruits and vegetables in small plots for recreation or profit. Gardening requires significant time and energy investment as well as knowledge on planting and cultivation methods.
Gardens serve a multitude of functions: aesthetic beauty, environmental responsibility, fitness and health benefits as well as producing food. Furthermore, numerous studies demonstrate their positive influence on communities within varying socio-economic contexts.
It’s Good for Your Health
Growing your own herbs, vegetables and flowers provides the satisfaction of knowing that all the produce coming out of your garden comes directly from you. Gardening also has surprising health benefits that go beyond obvious physical benefits.
Gardening can help improve your overall health in multiple ways: weight loss, improved blood circulation and stress relief are just three benefits you’ll gain from gardening. Furthermore, gardening encourages a healthy diet by offering opportunities to sample foods you wouldn’t normally try and enjoy new culinary adventures!
Gardening should be seen as moderate-intensity exercise. Digging, planting and weeding all count as hard physical work that can burn up to 330 calories an hour–more than walking for the same duration! Furthermore, gardening stimulates “feel good” hormones such as serotonin and dopamine while decreasing cortisol stress hormone levels – this makes gardening so rewarding and can even increase life satisfaction as it teaches a range of skills such as cooking.
It’s Good for Your Mood
Studies suggest that gardening promotes psychological well-being and improves mental health. People who engage in gardening report experiencing a sense of achievement, reduced stress levels and greater connection with nature.
Planting, weeding, digging and raking provide excellent physical exercise that meets daily exercise guidelines; in turn this increases psychological health benefits.
Gardening can also serve as an enjoyable creative outlet. Engaging in creative activities helps release dopamine – a chemical known to enhance our wellbeing and boost mood.
Gardening can also help improve concentration. Focusing on one task at a time requires concentration that’s especially helpful for those suffering from ADHD; research shows engaging in gardening activities can actually reduce symptoms by helping one stay glued on tasks for longer. Furthermore, gardening has also been shown to decrease anger and aggression among individuals struggling with these conditions.
It’s Good for Your Diet
With either a vegetable garden or just some flower plants, your efforts will yield nutritious foods to enhance your diet. Vegetables and fruits offer essential nutrients you might otherwise miss from other sources while often being free from additives or preservatives.
Gardening can also provide an effective form of exercise. Digging, planting and weeding are all moderate-intensity activities that can burn calories while strengthening muscles – in fact three hours spent gardening could be equivalent to three gym visits!
Exposure to sunlight while gardening also allows your body to produce vitamin D, which supports bone health and immunity. Spending time in the garden helps you relax while taking pleasure from its process of creation; something which can be very therapeutic for mental wellbeing. Some community gardens even offer programs encouraging groups of gardeners working together so as to enhance social interactions and reduce stress levels.
It’s Good for Your Family
Gardening as a family activity provides many advantages that will benefit all. Family bonding, stress relief and healthy eating are just a few benefits of gardening as a family activity.
Gardening provides many additional physical benefits to children. Digging and watering helps develop motor skills while teaching responsibility as children tend their garden. Plus, gardening teaches kids about science; for instance they might discover why green beans require sun to grow or how plants use nutrients in soil to thrive.
Farming their own food can help encourage children to eat healthy foods by giving them something they’ve grown themselves and increasing excitement about trying out new vegetables and fruits as they watch their plants flourish before their eyes. Gardening also teaches children the value of delayed gratification which can become invaluable life skills.
