Why the “Woo” can be good for you.
10th May 2022
Biodynamic Courses 2022 & Biodynamic Gardening for Beginners Jan – June 2024: Waltham Place, Berkshire
8th September 2021
By Rosie Buckley
We all know that there is a strong connection between Nature and our general wellbeing, but there are many ways that you can actually use gardening to improve your mood and mental well-being. Gardening gives you the chance to interact with Nature, feel its power, and become part of the natural world around us.
There are many benefits that gardening can have on your mental health, and here are just some of them:
Physical Exercise
Gardening is a fun way to get (often quite strenuous) physical exercise – and you might not even notice that you are doing it! When you exercise your body, you also release ‘happy’ chemicals in your brain that can help to lift your mood.
Whether you are pottering about in the garden or doing some pruning, this physical exercise can help to keep you both physically and mentally healthier!
Sense of Satisfaction
Even basic gardening tasks can bring a great sense of satisfaction to a budding gardener. Mental health experts suggest that creating a sense of achievement can be a great way to keep us feeling positive, and gardening provides a wealth of these possibilities.
A sense of achievement can be gained through completing both long-term and short-term goals in the garden. Planting a box of bulbs can provide short-term achievement, but also the long-term satisfaction of seeing them grow can be immense. Weeding can also be extremely therapeutic, and creating a wild area buzzing with life can give you a great sense of satisfaction.
Boost your Creativity
Creativity is a great way to improve mental health. Letting your imagination run wild is a brilliant start to getting creative. Allowing yourself to dream, to think about different garden styles, layouts, and plants can do wonders for your mental health; giving you peace and tranquillity away from daily pressures.
Ownership and Responsibility
One of the keys to good mental health is having a high level of self-esteem. An excellent way to build this is through creating a feeling of ownership and responsibility. Gardens need you as much as you need them; giving you the opportunity to nurture and care for something that is important.
By taking ownership and responsibility for your garden, you can not only create a space where you want to be and that you are proud of, but also one that makes you feel great!
Gardening Communities
Another important factor for many people in maintaining good mental health is being amongst other often like-minded people. Gardeners have the opportunity to become part of several different communities, for example, you could get a local allotment, join a local gardening club, visit local gardens, or join our online biodynamic gardening club.
Companionship and friendship can do wonders for your mental health and we think that a community of gardeners would be the ideal way to give yourself that boost (although we might be a bit biased!).
In a world where the stresses and strains of our everyday lives are continually rising, it is essential that we all do what we can to improve our mental wellbeing; and gardening is an excellent tool to have in the box.
