Healthy Garden, Healthy Self

by Bryce Bradford

The relaxing properties of gardening are not best illustrated by long, wet afternoons dragging up weeds and massacring triffid-like undergrowth, although perhaps it can be considered a form of stress relief – each to their own and so on. So perhaps it is an excellent example of the versatile appeal of gardening after all.

The sanctuary of the garden can be many things – play area, work space, spot for a sneaky nap! The land of garden sheds, climbing frames, ancient trees and lazy evening hazes can reap some unexpected health benefits too.

Atmosphere
As illustrated at the beginning of this article, the garden can be anything you need – frenetic stress relief or peaceful pottering can fit easily into the well designed garden.

The right atmosphere is conducive to a composed mind. Many a gardener has envisaged solutions to life’s little (or big) problems whilst idly pottering away. Scientifically, the brain needs time to subconsciously process and file away experiences, questions, problems, and so on. Mundane activities like a little light weeding, cleaning the garden’s sheds, picking moss off the climbing frame etc help the mind to subtly lose focus and begin its own pottering in its garden of thoughts.

Exercise
The best type of exercise must be that which is done by accident surely! Gardening is a great little all-rounder when it comes to giving the body a gentle but thorough work out through cardio and weights (nothing drastic, just the compost really!)

The flexibility and posture of a gardener is, on the whole, rather encouraged in the right direction (depending on how the gardener works of course) through many of the (occasionally arduous) tasks of a gardener.

Maintained dexterity and stamina also go hand in dexterous hand with the art of gardening, particularly in terms of lighter activities like upkeep of delicate borders and seasonal plants.