Gardening is an essential part of many people’s lives since it provides an opportunity to spend quality time outdoors, with nature, while also having a productive experience. Not only does it provide a great stress relieving activity but gardening also helps individuals to experience different types of plants and flowers, involving them in active and creative activities. Gardening can also be beneficial in other more unexpected ways.
For those living in urban areas, gardening can be a great way to have a continuation from the outdoors and nature, into one’s interior living space. Individuals can create warm and inviting outdoor spaces for relaxation and recreation that also bring beauty and serenity to the home. Even something as simple as having a few flower pots on windowsills can add a certain level of warmth and colour to the home that can’t be found anywhere else.
Gardening has also been linked to increasing physical health. The physical activity from gardening can not only have beneficial effects on one’s health, such as reducing the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, but being near nature has calming effects on the mind, allowing for relaxation and a reduction in stress and anxiety.
Moreover, gardening can be a great way to involve the entire family and it’s a great way to learn new skills and spend quality time together. Gardening is a great activity to do with children as it teaches them about new plants and gives them the opportunity to learn how to care for things on their own, with guidance of course. Additionally, gardening gives parents the chance to involve their children in lifestyle changes that will benefit the entire family in the long run, such as eating more natural and healthier foods that come from the garden.
In addition to the above mentioned benefits, gardening can also contribute to a better environment. Many people think growing organic fruits and vegetables requires a lot of work and planning, but simply growing a few plants at home can reduce your carbon footprint. The food you grow does not use a lot of the chemicals used to grow mass amount of food found in supermarkets, but the beauty of gardening is that you have total control over what goes into the soil and what you eat.
Ultimately, gardening is a great way to have a calming, meaningful activity that has a positive effect on the individual and the environment in the long term. It provides an opportunity to be outdoors and near nature while also providing benefits such as providing physical health and producing natural organic food that can benefit the entire family.
