Gardening is good for you - LPNI

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Gardening is good for you

Health Topic – March 2022

It has been shown that gardening can benefit four areas of our lives: exercise, relaxation, health and nutrition.

Gardening is a low-impact exercise that can work all the major muscle groups of the body. It can improve strength and endurance, and increases flexibility and mobility. Some studies have suggested that 45 minutes of gardening is equal to a 30-minute workout in a gymnasium – without the gym fees! Half an hour spent digging can burn off 250 calories, while weeding can use up at least 100. Mowing the lawn can use up to 195 calories.

Gardening helps us relax and reduce stress levels. A garden can be a haven from the pressures of life. My late mother-in-law was the wife of a pastor in a busy parish. She was also a very keen gardener. The garden around the manse and church was always a colourful showplace of fuschias, dahlias, lilies and roses. Her husband managed the vegetable garden and was always proud of his beans and tomatoes. Whenever the pressures of parish life started to mount, my mother-in-law would spend an hour or two in her garden, with beneficial results. She always came back inside in a relaxed frame of mind!

Gardening also develops a sense of optimism. We wouldn’t plant a seed if we didn’t expect it to germinate! The actress Audrey Hepburn once said: ‘To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow’.

Some years ago, American journalist and author, Richard Louv, drew attention to what is sometimes called the ‘biophilia hypothesis’. He coined the term, ‘nature deficit disorder’. Supported by research, anecdotal evidence, and personal stories, he promoted the concept that people have an inherent need to interact more closely with their natural environment. Subsequent studies have shown that the physical benefits of getting out in nature or in the garden can range from improved medical outcomes to faster recovery rates … lower blood pressure and lower stress levels, to improved mental health. One study also showed that one to two hours of gardening a day could reduce heart disease and other chronic diseases.¹

Neglecting our inherent need to be close to nature, Louv said, can cause a variety of conditions including reduced concentration levels and higher susceptibility to depression and anxiety.

In Australia, as well as some other parts of the world, there is a trend for people to organically grow their own fruit and vegetables. This significantly improves the freshness and nutritional quality of the produce they eat, as it eliminates the time (and cost) of transport from farm or orchard through wholesaler and retailer to your home. It also means you know what chemicals (if any!) are used on your food.

Lynette T Wiebusch †

Written in 2015 as a ‘Spare’

¹Information derived from a newspaper article by Sophie Thomson, and the Richard Louv website.