Why garden

Having a living thing to care for, such as the plants in your garden, gives us a sense of responsibility. It could be highly beneficial for people suffering from mental health issues as it can be a simple activity to keep them busy and occupied.

Being outside in your garden and experiencing the change of seasons as and when they happen can help you feel connected to the world. Therefore spending the time outside and experiencing the flowers as they bloom can be a great way to keep track of time. If you have experienced a bad day simply grabbing a shovel and doing some heavy digging or drastic pruning could be a great way to rid of your built up of negative feelings. Spending time in the garden is a great way to enhance your sensory system.

This could be particularly valuable for young children who are learning about the different senses they have. Growing fruit and vegetables in your garden can be good for you as you can include your products in your diet. Apples, tomatoes, carrots, in your garden, could all help you reach your daily five a day.

Imagine seeing your garden bloom with fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs — it will surely serve as a motivation for you to pursue a healthier eating habit! Osteoporosis is a disease that can weaken bones and therefore increases the likelihood of a broken bone. Therefore, by regularly gardening you will take part in repetitive tasks that can ensure all the major muscle groups are getting a good workout. This can help decrease the risk of osteoporosis.

There has been research that suggests engaging in physical activity such as gardening can help lower the risk of developing dementia. This can also be known as an altered state of consciousness where you enter a magical and spiritual place where you can experience the best of who you are. Similar to what an athlete will enter before and during a competition, or the mood you enter during yoga or meditation.

Just breathe in the fresh air, give some attention to your garden and forget about any worries you may have. Overall, gardening regularly is proven to be good for you in many different ways. As more wild areas are disrupted for development, gardens become important places for water to be filtered or carbon to be sequestered by trees.

A recent study from the Smithsonian Institution highlighted the importance of native plants and native gardens particularly in maintaining the health of birds, bees and other insects. Gardens matter for kids. We know this from our Garden-in-a-Box program. When children are given a chance to grow their own food, they feel a great sense of accomplishment. They love sharing the food with others and teaching others about gardening.

Also, gardening helps forge relationships between generations. How many gardeners learned at the elbow of a parent or grandparent? Gardens build community. Gardens inspire conversation and they build connections between neighbors. Garden clubs are a great way to share information and connect with folks who love plants just as much as you do!

Community gardens! The flip side of No. For 30 years, Minnesota Green has been the liaison between plant growers with excess plants and community gardens in need of plants and seeds. Greens are so easy to grow even in a container and so delicious! General gardening is a repetitive low to medium impact form of exercise that requires a certain amount of strength and stretching to perform. This strength and stretching works all of the major muscle groups as our sore muscles will remind us after a long break from being out in the garden.

One benefit of this workout is that it may decrease the likelihood of osteoporosis later in life. Because of its low impact nature, gardening makes for an excellent activity for those who are older, have disabilities or suffer from chronic pain.

Another perk of gardening is the fact that we get to play in the dirt all of the time. That fascination we had as kids of jumping into every mud puddle we see translated quite well into our lives in the garden.

Lucky for us, because it turns out that love of dirt is beneficial for our overall health. Research suggests that children who are exposed to dirt or its more politically correct term, soil in their formative years develop stronger immune systems and lower incidences of conditions such as asthma, eczema, and other allergies.

When we overload we become irritable, error-prone, and stressed out. Gardening is your cure! The study divided two groups between gardening for thirty minutes and reading indoors after performing a stressful task. Those that gardened reported to be in a much better mood than the group that read.

One wonders if the readers would have felt better reading outside. The reason for the improved moods of gardeners might be found in the soil itself. Within the soil is a naturally forming and harmless bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae.

When used in studies, this bacteria raises serotonin levels in the brain, a neurotransmitter that controls cognitive functions and mood. I gain so much more from tending to my plants than just some fresh basil for pizza, lemon balm and lavender for homemade tea, and pretty hibiscus blooms on summer mornings.

Sowing seeds, watering, pruning, waiting for and watching growth with plants and flowers is a strong metaphor for the spiritual life. There are no deadlines to meet, no requirements to fill, no expectations — I just get to enjoy doing something for its own sake.

Gardening requires patience — and this is perhaps why it took me so long to begin to like it.