What is Gardening therapy?

“Gardening therapy” is an activity that brings you into contact with nature by planting, cultivating and caring for both flowers and ornamental plants, as well as plants for food use. This art can be enjoyed in both indoor and outdoor spaces, so you can work with this concept inside any home just by making sure that the plants and flowers you choose are suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

In situations such as the isolation that we are experiencing in these strange times, gardening therapy is the perfect way to combat the anxiety and stress that we’re all feeling due to being cooped up inside. It’s also an ideal activity for families with kids at home, as it’s a perfect task to do with your children. It’s a game for them and gardens require frequent maintenance and inspection, so they’ll have something to do for a while every day.

What are the main benefits of gardening therapy?

Numerous studies recognise the mental, emotional and even physical benefits of this hobby, and highlight the therapeutic effect in people with high levels of stress and anxiety. Most specialists agree that these benefits arise from the emotional connection that people get from taking care of plants, when we acknowledge both plant and person as life forms that coexist in harmony. These emotions are closely linked to the different processes, with the greatest satisfaction being at times of flowering and harvest when you see the results of a job well done. Furthermore, caring for a garden is a recreational activity, so people who do gardening work ultimately feel the satisfaction and pleasure of seeing the fruits of their work.

Below is a summary of the most beneficial aspects of garden therapy:

1- Gardening is an activity that can be great fun and entertaining for children and adults alike. It improves everybody’s mood and creates pleasant memories of activities shared by parents and children.

2- Being in contact with nature and its elements helps you reduce stress and reconnect with the Earth, something that is increasingly necessary given the pace of life in modern-day society.

3- Although it’s an activity that requires effort and attention, it ends up becoming something tangible, giving you a great feeling of personal fulfilment and satisfaction. These qualities will help you with many other aspects of your life.

4- It greatly improves your patience, commitment and discipline, which are values that you have to adopt to make sure your work bears fruit.

5- If you plant a kitchen garden, you can even introduce kids to healthy and organic food.

6- Gardening is a physical activity after all, so working in the garden helps to keep you active and improve your general fitness.

7- Improved cognitive skills (e.g. memory, attention, retention, concentration…)

8- It turns your surroundings into a more pleasant place to look at, particularly the inside of houses and more urban areas.

9- Planting and cultivating plants directly helps to improve the environment.

10- Finally, you get to see with your own eyes the show put on by nature in its purest state. Watch your garden grow each day and feel a greater connection with it.

So now you know! All hands to the pump and turn your garden into a temple dedicated to relaxation and connecting with Mother Earth! And one more thing! Don’t forget that we’ve got a home delivery service, so there’s nothing to stop you getting started with gardening therapy. Just give us a call.

We look forward to hearing from you!