The psychology of gardening
Sowing the seeds of a wellbeing mindset begins with getting your hands in the earth. Gardening naturally boosts your mood; it nurtures relationships, promotes a healthy lifestyle and reduces your environmental impact.
It also gets you physically fitter. With gardening activities such as pulling weeds and planting, you’ll burn around 630 kilojoules per half hour, according to Fitness Australia, the national health and fitness industry association. And it will help to improve your flexibility, endurance and stamina. When gardening, you’re also being exposed to fresh air and vitamin D, both of which are essential to good health.
In the global pandemic, gardening became a way for many to work their way through the chaos and confusion. They couldn’t control what was happening on the world stage, but they could do something. Seeds and seedlings flew off the shelves as novice gardeners flexed their green thumbs and turned urban patches of dirt into leafy productive gardens to feed their families. Community gardens flourished and friendships bloomed as neighbours swapped seedlings and cuttings.
Amid the flurry of digging, sowing, planting, weeding and harvesting, a collective consciousness emerged. People realised that gardening is also a powerful self-care tool that
