Mental Health and Gardening – Why Gardening is Good For You and How You Can Get Involved

Gardening can seem like a simple thing to do, but it has huge benefits for your mental health and wellbeing. From calming your mind to improving your mood, this article will share why gardening is good for you and how you can get involved.

Many people take on gardening as a hobby, and it can be rewarding in many ways. For example, starting a plant from seeds can be hopeful and symbolic of new beginnings, while weeding can be a relaxing activity, as it requires your full attention and allows you to focus on the present moment. It’s also satisfying to be able to harvest vegetables, fruits, or flowers and eat them. And creating compost can be a satisfying way to recycle your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil for your plants.

Horticultural therapy, or gardening for therapeutic purposes, has been used in rehabilitation programs for a long time. This is because gardening has been proven to improve and enhance a person’s overall mental (and physical) well-being, and studies have shown that the positive effects last for months after treatment finishes.

Research has shown that gardening reduces stress, anxiety, depression and increases happiness. It also helps to increase social interaction, which is important for people with mental health issues. Gardening is a fun, relaxing and satisfying activity that can be enjoyed by almost anyone. It’s a great way to spend time outdoors, with family and friends, and it can be done in a variety of places, from small backyard gardens to community garden plots. Gardening can even be done inside, with houseplants and other indoor plants.

It’s easy to get carried away when it comes to choosing a garden space, or buying and planting plants. It’s best to start small and work up to a larger garden over time, so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Gardening can be hard, especially if you’re a beginner, so don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends or family who know what they’re doing. It’s also a good idea to find a local garden group or a gardening community online, and get involved.

If you’re interested in trying gardening to improve your mental health, check out the headspace website for free, confidential support. You can call a headspace centre, or chat online or over the phone with an eheadspace counsellor. If you’re having a hard time, you can also talk to your GP or a mental health professional. You can also find more information on getting help on the Mental Health Foundation’s Get Help page. If you’re in an emergency situation, call 000.