At work we are heading towards the climax of a competition we have been running that any of our operational sites can enter - Depots in Bloom. This started on one contract a few years ago, as a way to get our typically dreary maintenance compounds brightened up a bit, and encourage our staff to think about biodiversity and pollinators.
Now, two years later, it is open to all our contracts around England, and we have started to also realise the mental wellbeing benefits of being involved with this as well. Getting away from a desk or whatever other duties you have for 10 minutes to engage with a gardening task (yes, even weeding), to engage with colleagues doing something other than the regular day job, and just enjoy the way the depot has been enlivened - is giving many of our staff a lift, and a smile on their faces!
The benefits of gardening on our mental health are becoming increasingly well known, through numerous studies, but also for anyone who has been out there and done some gardening - we just know it.
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| Fox in my garden. Photo: James Geraghty |
We now know that it can help with depression, anxiety, stress, and can also combat high blood pressure and help with our physical fitness. But why is that the case? Colin Campbell-Preston, at Capital Gardens, has some ideas on this;
- Responsibility:
- By caring for plants so that they don't die, it gives people a sense of purpose and a sense of worth. By caring for other things, it helps us to learn how to care for ourselves.
- Connects us to nature:
- This is especially true in urban areas - being in a green space helps us to de-stress and relax.
- Non-judgemental:
- Plants don't judge us, which is really helpful if you suffer from anxiety.
- Exercise:
- Studies are showing that 3 to 4 hours in the garden burns the equivalent calories as an hour in the gym. It also releases endorphins, which make us satisfied and relaxed.
- Therapy:
- Getting out in the garden gets us away from those things that are weighing us down, maybe some bad news, or more bills to pay, and we can focus our attention onto a completely different task.
- Venting:
- Gardening can help us vent our anger and frustration. Have a bad day? Come home, grab a spade or some shears, and take it out on that overgrown hedge or weedy vegetable patch!
Ecotherapy:
This is a formal treatment you can get through your GP which research has shown, can help with mild to moderate depression. It combines physical exercise and social contact, with being outside in nature. The focus is on the activity rather than the illness, and people get to do activities and interact at the pace they choose.
National Garden Society:
Is already well known for having open days at gardens around the country, and since 2017 has held a Gardens and Health week in May, to promote the positive impacts of gardens and gardening on mental and physical health.
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| Walking through the grounds at Stourhead is very relaxing. Photo: James Geraghty |
Thrive:
Thrive is a charity specialising in Social & Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) - they say it can help people re-build after illness or a difficult time, and also slow the degradation rates of those with degenerative conditions, through;
- Using plants and gardens to improve physical and mental health, and also communication and thinking skills
- Setting tasks to suit each person - with goals that they want to achieve
- Through improving physical health, exercise also strengthens muscles and helps improve mobility
- Improving mental health by giving people a purpose and sense of achievement
- Gives people the opportunity to connect with nature and each other, reducing feelings of isolation and exclusion
- Offers people a chance to learn new skills - it may even improve their chances in the job market
Even if you have little or now garden to work with where you live, you can still make a start with this by planting a few salad leaves or herbs in a window box or plant pot. You could also consider applying to share an allotment, look for a community garden to get involved with, or even go fruit picking at a local 'pick your own' orchard.
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| Even in the city you can enjoy beautiful places - like this canal close to the heart of Birmingham, Photo: James Geraghty |
Other ways to get enjoyment and therapy from green spaces include making artwork from stuff you have gathered on a walk, such as leaves or bark or feathers. You could also try your hand at drawing or painting scenes from local nature walks you have done, or take photos of your local park or woods and maybe have them as screensavers or wallpaper on your phone or computer.
Research:
https://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/blog/gardening-great-mental-health-wellbeing/
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/nature-and-mental-health/how-nature-benefits-mental-health/#.XWEj0uhKiUk
https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/
https://ngs.org.uk/gardens-and-health/
https://www.thrive.org.uk/how-we-help/what-we-do/social-therapeutic-horticulture
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