Gardens are often referred to as ‘the green gym’ because of the opportunities for healthy exercise out there. But I also think of it as ‘the green therapy room’. If I am worried about something or feeling tense, an hour in the garden will always put problems in perspective and lift my mood.
In 2005, 27.7 million antidepressant prescriptions were written in England at a cost of £338 million. In the same year a group of researchers found that ‘a supervised programme of exercise can be equally as effective as anti-depressants in treating mild to moderate depression’ (Halliwell, 2005; Richardson et al., 2005). There is even a name for gardening as therapy – ‘ecotherapy’. 
Gardening has the following benefits:
- The physical exercise releases endorphins into your blood that boost your mood
- You can achieve small goals for planting and growing which releases the feel good hormone dopamine
- If you grow your own fruit and vegetables they will be fresher and nutritionally superior to shop-bought produce
- Gardening allows you to express your creativity
- Nurturing growing things is motivational
- Improving the environment has a personal benefit
- You can increase your feel good factor by giving some of your produce to others or helping someone else with their garden
If you live in an urban environment and do not have a garden you can still benefit from nature just by going out for a walk and really noticing the trees, plants and birds around you. If there is a park near you go and find a part of it that really appeals to you. Now get up close and look at plants and trees. Touch things, smell things and hug things if you are moved to. Feel more about how you are a part of nature.
Have a great weekend and get out amongst all of that nature around you.
For more information about gardening as therapy see www.thrive.org.uk
