Doctors prescribe gardening for health reasons – for good reason. Studies have often shown that mind and body get great benefits from taking care of green spaces – whether it’s a rooftop deck, a herb-filled balcony, a vegetable-strewn plot, or a lawn paradise in the country.
The latest research, interviewing more than 6,000 people, found a significant association between frequent gardening and improvements in well-being, perceived stress, and physical activity.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which conducted the study, six out of ten people garden for pleasure and enjoyment, while nearly a third do so for health reasons. One in five says wellbeing is the reason they garden and 15% say it makes them feel calm and relaxed.
RHS Wellbeing Fellow and lead author, Dr. Lauriane Chalmin-Pui said: “This is the first time the dose response to gardening has been tested and the evidence largely suggests that the more gardening you are, the greater the health benefits.”
It has been reported that more people are gardening – especially women – during the lockdown. As restrictions wear off and the urge to get to the pub increases, there are six reasons not to ditch that ladle just yet.
1. Gardening has the same impact on wellbeing as vigorous exercise.
Yes that’s right. Dr. Chalmin-Pui said her study showed that “gardening every day has the same positive effects on well-being as regular, vigorous exercise like cycling or running.”
The key, however, is to keep your gardening habits regular. People who gardened two or three times a week had a 4.1% higher comfort score and 2.4% lower stress than people who did not garden at all. Gardening less than three times a month, however, had a less positive impact on wellbeing.
“Gardening every day has the same positive effects on well-being as regular, vigorous exercise like cycling or running.”
The study, conducted by the RHS in collaboration with the University of Sheffield and the University of Virginia, found that more gardening was associated with more physical activity. Dr. Chalmin-Pui added, “Gardening is like effortless exercise because it doesn’t feel as strenuous as going to the gym, for example, but we can use similar amounts of energy.”
A previous study found that calories burned from 30 minutes of gardening were comparable to badminton, volleyball, or yoga.
2. Gardening is great for your mind.
Mowing the lawn, pulling weeds and planting new flowers are all mindful tasks that can distract you from everyday fears and stresses.
“When we are gardening, our brains are pleasantly distracted by the nature around us,” said Dr. Chalmin-Pui. “This shifts our focus away from ourselves and our stress, thereby restoring our minds and reducing negative feelings.”
Research found that it wasn’t just productive gardeners who benefited from it. People with health problems reported that gardening relieved depression (13%), increased energy levels (12%), and reduced stress (16%).
“Most people say they garden for pleasure and pleasure, so the chances are they will fall in love with the garden, and the good news is that from a mental health perspective, you cannot overdose on the garden,” added Dr. Chalmin-Pui added.
3. It strengthens your body image.
Gardening – and allotments in particular – promotes a positive body image and makes people appreciate their bodies more, as research from Anglia Ruskin University in north London has shown.
The study, published in the journal Ecopsychology and directed by Professor Virus Swami, involved 84 gardeners from 12 urban allotments in north London.
It found that gardeners had significantly higher levels of body awareness, body pride and appreciation for the functionality of their bodies than a group of 81 non-gardeners recruited from the same area of London. The longer the participants worked in the garden, the greater the improvement in body image.
Prof. Swami said: “A positive body image is beneficial because it promotes psychological and physical resilience, which contributes to general well-being.”
4. It can prevent disease.
Gardening could be lifesaving. A study in the BMJ found that higher levels of physical activity – and this includes 20 minutes of gardening, among other things – is strongly linked to a lower risk of five common chronic diseases: breast and colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
5. Gardening can keep you mobile in later life.
Mobility can be a problem with age that leads to a loss of independence. However, studies have shown that light-intensity physical activity – including gardening – can protect the mobility of older women.
Research from the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health at UC San Diego found that women who had no mobility impairment at the start of the study and who spent most of their time doing light-intensity activities were 40% less likely to have lost mobility over a period of time six years.
“Older adults who want to maintain their mobility should know that every movement, not just moderate to vigorous physical activity, counts,” said lead author Andrea LaCroix of the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health.
“We found that in older women, physical activity through light intensity preserves mobility later in life.”
6. The more plants you see, the happier you are.
The co-author Dr. Ross Cameron of the University of Sheffield said having more plants in the garden was linked to better wellbeing.
Previous research has shown that a look at greens and plants can speed hospital patient recovery. And in 2020, a study by the RHS found that adding a few plants to a bare front yard can make people feel happier, more relaxed, and have the same effect as eight mindfulness sessions a week.
So what are you waiting for?
