Healthy garden, healthy you.

While this national lockdown which we’ve found ourselves in may be inconvenient, it’s not all bad. There have been a few surprising side effects. We’ve slowed down and avoided the frenetic pace of our usual busy lives. We found new and entertaining ways to connect with the friends and family outside our household bubble. And we’ve found time for those best-intended but never-completed tasks. Like gardening!

But the benefits of gardening far exceed a tidy yard. Apparently, it’s actually good for us too. Here’s why…

• The physical exercise and fresh air associated with gardening and yard work contributes to your daily movement and lowers blood pressure
• Getting your hands in the dirt and interacting with flowers and plants can boost your mood and have a positive impact on mental health
• Being in a calm, green space is associated with lower cortisol levels in the brain
• If you’re actively pulling weeds and lawn mowing, you’re burning calories
• Being outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine means that you’re getting exposed to more vitamin D; which in turn helps you absorb calcium (for strong bones)
• If you’re tending a vegetable bed you’re probably also more likely to eat more fresh, homegrown produce
• Being out in the garden is a great stress reliever; the sense of accomplishment you’ll get from planting or weeding sure beats an overdose of screen time
• It can be a source of personal growth and learning – whether you’re trying to figure out if that green growth is a legitimate plant or weed, or your teaching your kids
•  A few hours spent outdoors gardening is sure to contribute towards better quality sleep
•  Admiring your hard work at the end of the day is great for self-esteem; you’ve not only added value to your property but you’ve invested in your own wellbeing.