Tag: gardening is good for your health

Give Gardening a Go Now and Lose Stress

How to Draw Back the Curtains on Your Winter garden

In  February, first thing in a UK morning ,a peak out of the window often yields to the eye a rather grey, green and otherwise colourless vista.What to do, I ask myself, no lifelong gardener- the day is bright but frosty.This time of year is a great opportunity for prepping for spring and ridding the garden of perennial weeds ,and this work will also be good for me .A great amount of scientific research suggests that Gardening isn’t just about making your house look good, although even a little curb appeal never hurts. Caring for plants can also do wonders for your own wellbeing. Even some light work in your garden means you are interacting with nature whatever the season of the year. This is so beneficial to your mood and therefore your mental health.So resist returning to the warmth of the duvet.

Continue reading “Give Gardening a Go Now and Lose Stress”

How you can go to ‘pot’ and live more happily

Going to 'pot'

Gardening is good for you.Yes, its official! Go potting and help your wellness.Gardening could soon be prescribed by your doctor if you are feeling depressed and under the weather.

Potting plants rather than popping pills may soon be the order of the day to deal with depression and related illnesses, with consequential health benefits to the patient ,and significant financial benefit to the UK National Health Service budget.

Sir Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians, and a long time  advocate of gardening as an important alternative therapeutic remedy for depression,has recently confirmed he is strongly in favour of gardening courses being used as an alternative to medicines in many cases. This was said by him recently in the context of greater choice likely to be made available under health reforms going through the UK Parliament.

Whether or not the NHS through the GPs support this development,  the message from many quarters – Alan Titchmarsh is reported very keen on this-is : gardening is good for you , and it is free! You can also catch a news report from last year on gardening courses to help beat depression  from the Daily Mirror.