Autumn Season: Get Gardening
Whether you're looking for a new pastime, to alleviate some stress, or to keep fit, gardening could be the solution. There is plenty to be done at this time of year and here are some of the benefits to you too (no Dobbies loyalty card required)!
Anyone who enjoys gardening understands how spending time in the fresh air feels good, but you might be surprised to learn about some of the rejuvenating health benefits of gardening. Horticultural therapy has become a common treatment for many therapeutic and rehabilitative goals, and you can reap many of those benefits just by digging up a storm right in your own garden. So much so, it could even double-up as a workout. So, could planting be your fast-track to a more positive lifestyle? Here are four ways that suggest it might be.
It's a workout
The best workouts are always the ones where you don't realise you're exercising. Cue gardening. Regular gardening can do wonders for your physical shape; just three hours of gardening can compare to around an hour of intensive workout in the gym. According to nutritionists, mowing, digging, and planting for two to three hours can help burn off up to one pound a week, just half an hour weeding can burn up to 150 calories, and heavier tasks like hedge trimming can burn over 400 calories per hour.
It's mood-boosting
Gardening is proven to boost your mood, even after just one session. Staying in the moment and focusing on a single task will reduce stress and calm the nerves by decreasing cortisol—the body's primary stress hormone. Plus, you'll feel significantly more fulfilled working with your hands than if you would spending the same amount of time with your phone in your hand.
It encourages you to eat healthier
There's nothing more satisfying than growing your own delicious, healthy food, and gardeners tend to eat more fruits and vegetables than non-gardeners. You'll find no food fresher than what's growing right in your own garden, and it's pretty delicious, too! It might seem daunting, but you can start small; a pop-up greenhouse is all you need to grow the basics, so, for the sake of the cost, why not give it a try.
It can be incredibly sociable
If you don't have a garden of your own, more community groups are cropping up now than ever before. Broaden your social circle and enhance your gardening skills in one fell swoop by joining one. If you're fortunate enough to have your own garden but would still like to connect with like-minded, green-fingered people, there are a host of Facebook groups you can join, too, where users exchange tips, tricks, and advice. Look for a local one, and why not suggest a meet-up between you all at a nearby park to get the ball rolling.