National Gardening Week | 27th April 2020
During lock-down gardens have become a healing place now more than ever. For those without a garden the urge to visit a park or some green space has been more enticing and for some who have a balcony with a window box, the tending and caring for it has helped with nurturing instincts that are currently having to be contained.
From 27th April 2020, National Gardening Week this year is encouraging people to go into their garden or onto their balconies and take their walk through a green area to care for their physical health and wellbeing as it’s a great mood boosting exercise.
A recent poll commissioned by the RHS showed that 52% of people in Britain have experienced feeling alone but more than half of adults enjoy being surrounded by greenery and a further 53% said it boosts their mood in these unsettling and challenging times.
The therapeutic benefits of gardening have long been advocated. Tedworth House is a recovery centre run by Help for Heros for those who have suffered life changing injuries and illness whilst serving their country and spending time outdoors is used as part of their recovery. Forest bathing, walking in a forest or woodland has been recognised by the Global Wellness Institute as a trend that continues to grow in interest and stature. Architects are more conscious of the environment, bringing the outside in and ‘green’ exercise is the continued surge in bringing nature into our homes, schools, offices and hospitals.
Nature immersion and a serious" back to nature" shift has been a not so surprising benefit of a slower pace of life whilst in lock-down. As each day brings renewal with the further onset of Spring, it also makes us more hopeful and aware of our surroundings.
These are some of the things you can do to be involved with National Gardening Week:
- Order some seeds and soil online and plant in a pot or your garden
- hoose a house plant and nurture and care for it
- Grow herbs for cooking in pots on your window ledge
- If you have a garden do some weeding or dead heading to relax and get some fresh air
- Learn about gardening. Look up plant names, notice what is growing well in your location
- Share knowledge, photographs with friends and family
