What is National Growing for Wellbeing Week?
National Growing for Wellbeing week is a celebration of gardening and growing your own produce. This is something that brings a lot of joy for so many people, and it’s important to acknowledge the great benefits it can have on our overall wellbeing.
I’m sure a lot of people have experienced the feeling of calm and serenity you get when sitting in the garden. Whether it’s looking at your beautiful flowers, the sound of birds chirping or the feel of the freshly cut grass under your feet. It’s this connection to nature and life that can aid us in feeling not only calm, but more aware.
How can gardening improve my emotional wellbeing?
- Physical Wellbeing: Gardening is great physical exercise – from planting seeds, cutting the grass or watering the flowers. All these things keep you active and help reduce the risk of illnesses such as diabetes. The increased endorphins from this exercise will also help boost your mood.
- Structure: When somebody is feeling depressed or anxious, getting out bed can often feel impossible. Having a special place in your back garden that you can cherish and maintain can add some structure into your life. If you are finding everyday life hard to cope with, gardening could even help you take a first step out of the house.
- Achievement: Gardening is a brilliant way of building confidence and self-esteem, as you can enjoy the results of all your hard work.
- Connection: Gardening not only allows you to feel connected to nature, it also enables you to connect with other people. Whether you join a local gardening club, or spend time visiting local nurseries, it can be positive to meet likeminded people who share the same interests.
- Creativity: Let’s not forget the fun you can have gardening. It allows you to be creative and express yourself.
Getting started
Research shows that gardening can help people through a specific period of difficulty in their lives, helping to restore balance when it feels like your life is veering out of control.
If you are feeling low, we understand that finding the motivation to start something new can be tough. You could try putting aside time in your calendar to focus on gardening, and to also start with smaller tasks such as weeding!
Here are a few ideas – which you don’t even need a garden for – to help get you started:
- Houseplants can be a cheap and easy way to experiment with growing things.
- Try local car boot sales or ask a friend for some cuttings.
- Most garden centres sell seeds and beans for sprouting – try growing your own beansprouts, which will be ready for eating in a week which. Or try radish or cress. These quick growing plants can give you a real boost.
- A chilli plant and herbs will also thrive on a sunny windowsill.
It doesn’t matter how you decide to get started, but it’s important to remember the benefits it could have on your life. After all, it’s not what you grow, it’s how YOU grow!
