5 Ways Gardening can Grow Better Health

Thanks to the warm Colorado sun we still have another month left of summer, and that means there’s still time to get out in the garden. Gardening is a fun and relaxing activity the whole family can enjoy. It beautifies your yard and can be done on any budgets. Beyond providing fresh veggies and gorgeous blooms, gardening can improve health and quality of life. Keep reading to find out how!

Stress Relief. After a long day at the office, getting into your garden and getting your hands dirty can be hugely relaxing. A recent study in the Netherlands found that gardening was more relaxing than reading a book and as this article from the University from Vermont illustrates, there are numerous ways in which gardening can reduce your stress.

Improve Mental Health. Gardening therapy programs have been used in hospitals, domestic abuse shelters, nursing homes, mental health institutions, and prisons. It’s been linked to decreasing depression symptoms, as well as linked to lessening the risk of developing dementia in elderly people.

Exercise. Though not the heaviest most intense work out, gardening is an excellent form of low impact exercise that gets your blood moving. Moving wheelbarrows of soil, digging holes, planting trees, walking around watering flowers—gardening involves many different types of movement and is a great way to stay active.

Kids love it. Simply put, kids love gardening too. Gardening has a tasty and tangible result that gives meaning and purpose to their work, not to mention a furthered appreciation for the amount of work that goes into putting food on the table. It also makes a great classroom to teach children about the different plants, insects, birds, animals, butterflies, soil, and compost that you see on a daily basis. 

Nutrition. One of the most important aspects of gardening is access to healthy and affordable food. There is simply no substitute for a freshly picked tomato. Plus, when it comes to getting children to eat their greens, there is no better way than having them grow their own vegetables. As Ron Finley, a guerilla gardener in Los Angeles, put it in his Ted Talk video “if kids grow kale, they eat kale”.

Gardening can be as simple or complex as you want to make it. Whether starting with a few houseplants or a small container garden, you can still reap the health benefits. The Denver Post just released an eBook detailing the best way to garden in Denver and the best plants to use, you can find information on where to download here: http://dpo.st/1jUCOAu. Visiting your local nursery or garden center is another great way to get access to large amount of resources for your projects. Or you can just take a quick glance around your neighborhood; it’s easy to see who the other gardeners are.