Green Therapy: How Gardening Can Help Improve Physical and Mental Wellbeing
Staying healthy and considering our mental and physical wellbeing has never been more important
Grow your own
The idea of ‘growing your own’ is not only a great way to focus your time, but also to have access to fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year, while maintaining your immune system with healthy, home-grown food. Even if you don’t have a large garden, growing produce such as chillies, tomatoes and strawberries doesn’t require a lot of space, and for those who are new to gardening, they’re all relatively easy to maintain and care for.
Getting the family involved
Getting out and about in the garden is an excellent way to keep the kids entertained. Watching something grow from seedling to full bloom is not only incredibly satisfying, it can cultivate a real sense of pride and purpose. Why not get the whole family involved in gardening by starting a sun flower growing competition, or seeing how many birds, insects and other types of wildlife you can spot? Gardening can not only be a great family bonding exercise, but can also help improve young children’s fine motor development, as they learn how important it is to be delicate with plants.
No space, no problem
Even if you have a small city garden, you can still make the most of your outdoor oasis. Whether you have potted plants or a vertical planter (such as GARDENA’s NatureUp!) you can still grow plants and smaller fruit and veg.
How to get started
While this all sounds great, you may be wondering how you can get started? If you’re a novice, or looking to grow a green thumb, there’s lots of useful information and seed retailers online. Discover Living North’s top tips for getting started here.
Appy Days
GARDENA’s recently-launched myGarden app includes a free, extensive plant library. The plant library offers expert advice on how best to care for specific plants, all available at your fingertips.
