Gardening is a practice that provides immeasurable balance and substance to your daily life. Spending time in the garden hones in on discipline and routine, while also giving you the opportunity to decompress, reconnect, and celebrate success throughout your day.
Spending time in your garden is beneficial for everyone, although the take away varies from person to person. Some people garden as a practice of meditation, while others garden to get their hands dirty and spend some time with the great outdoors.
Regardless of what gardening personally gives back to you, you can’t deny that spending time in your garden is great for your wellbeing. This week, our Gardenuity team weighs in on why they think gardening is so good for you!
Gardening & Mental Health
Spending as little as five minutes in your garden space has the ability to drastically improve your mood and reduce stress. Did you know that gardening is a practice that helps clear your mind and alleviate stress and anxiety? It’s true.
Take a look at this conversation with Quentin Vinnie, renowned Health & Wellness expert. He talks about how approaching gardening as a meditative practice allows you the opportunity to reconnect with yourself, as well as your roots with the earth.
By providing yourself with the time and space to seek a ritual of caretaking (for yourself and your garden), you are prioritizing your mental wellness. Spending time in your garden is a great way to decompress after a busy day, or take a moment to busy your hands and calm your mind. Take a moment to learn why you need a moment of stillness in your garden.
Gardening & Physical Health
Getting your hands dirty in your garden is great for the health of your mind and body; your body absorbs nutrients through soil that help strengthen immunity! In addition to that nutritious soil, spending time outside in the fresh air has shown to improve your mood and help to clear your mind.
We recently talked with gardening expert, Charlie Hall. He informed us of the immense health benefits that gardening provides to our bodies. Gardening can even help you sleep better at night, and decrease allergies. Read more about Charlie’s research on gardening and health in our interview with him.
Healthy Food from Your Garden
The more green your eating habits are, the more your body benefits from what you’re consuming. This is the information we gathered from Culinary Medicine specialist, Brooklynne Palmer.
Palmer shared with us that growing your own food in your garden is so much better for you. Growing your own food increases the amount of fresh produce you are consuming, which is already a step in the direction of good health.
Additionally, growing your own food decreases the number of steps your food goes through before you consume it. This means that you know exactly what went into the growing process, and the likeness of consuming toxic chemicals that come from pesticides is significantly smaller.
The best thing about eating the food that comes from your garden is that you don’t have to change anything about what you’re already eating in order to be healthier; simply consuming your fresh produce is fantastic for your overall health and wellness. Learn more about how food acts as medicine in our interview with Broolynne.
What do we think?
Donna Leiter
“I love watering my garden as the sun rises, and I love checking on my garden in the evening to see what has grown. It helps me to reconnect with old thoughts, think about new inspirations, and enjoy meaningful connections that ground me to my roots. Every day, I am grateful that I have discovered the joys and lessons that come with gardening. Most of all, growing vegetables and herbs on my patio is how I find moments to pause and reflect on what matters most; I like to call it “the great pause”. This forces me to truly feel the ups and downs of what is going on around me, and listen to thoughts in ways I haven’t in years. Gardening continues to give me a newfound appreciation for time, and a fresh perspective on my many blessings; gardening shares with me how great it feels to grow good. Gardening is a great teacher, and a true example of resilience.”
Julie Eggers
“Gardening is good for you for so many reasons, but what I love most is knowing that a little bit of nature needs me to come outside; it requires me to tend to its needs, to feel the fresh air, to smell the rain, to see growth every day, and to delight in finding a little treasure that has been waiting to be found!”
Doug Platts
“Gardening has always been central to self care and well-being. Though the methods may evolve, the foundations remain the same. Goodness is rooted in our effort to nurture something beyond ourselves. Joy blossoms as we appreciate the wonder and mystery of growth. And gratitude multiplies in abundance as we cultivate and share the outcomes of our labor. Gardening is good – mind, body, and soul.”
Cait Dunn
“When I tend to my garden, it is an opportunity to pause and reflect. The minutes of quiet allow me to clear my head and to appreciate the many blessings around me. After this peaceful moment, I feel more refreshed, focused, and ready to tackle the day.”
Laura Druck (Valued Gardenuity Customer)
We value gardening as a family, because we are able to grow together! We put our hands in the dirt, dig together, and watch the garden flourish and grow. Harvesting is our favorite as we admire the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that we have worked together to create as a family. We love the sense of “grounding” ourselves, no phones or tv – just coming together to grow. Gardenuity taught us this – the act of coming together to grow is wholesome and fulfilling. Honestly, gardening is good for people because it’s good for the soul. You have to educate yourself, learn from mistakes, be steadfast with care for the garden – then, reap the benefits of creating something amazing!
Cara Kershner
“Gardening distracts the mind from the daily stress we all experience from time to time. It gives us the excuse to step outside in the sunshine and breathe in the fresh air. It brings people together with conversations of gardening tips and tricks, sharing harvests with friends, or growing a community garden with neighbors. Gardening is a rewarding activity for everyone!”
Max Boswell
“Gardening is a great way to relax and rewind. In the busy day to day lives that many of us live it’s great to have some time where you can appreciate the simple things in life that so many of us seem to forget.”
Rachel Andes
“Gardening is a practice that has something to offer to everybody. If you’re struggling with stress, lack of focus or trying to channel more positive energy, you can find a solution for all of these things in your garden. On top of that, having a garden is such a beautiful addition to your living space! My garden and plants make my apartment somewhere that I love to be.”
Grow with your Garden
The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, or that you need an excuse to step outside, consider taking a moment with your garden. No matter whether you live in the city or the countryside, plants will be there to encourage you to grow right alongside them. Start growing with your garden today; it’s never too late. Browse our garden kits and see how you can grow today!
