Looking forward to National Gardening Week
29th Apr 2022
National Gardening Week, organised by the RHS kicks off on 2nd May and this huge annual celebration of gardening is something we can really get on board with.
Whether you have a window box or a country garden, you can enjoy the many benefits of gardening. Here are just a few of the things we love about gardening...
Seriously satisfying
This year, National Gardening Week is all about sharing the feel-good power of plants and getting your dose of garden joy. We couldn’t agree more with this fantastic theme, there really is something so rewarding about growing and the well-being benefits are huge.
According to a 2020 study we carried out, planting seeds is the most satisfying job you can do around the home and garden. It topped our list of the nation’s most satisfying home improvement tasks, beating mowing the lawn and using a pressure washer (though these scored highly too). In fact, 73% of homeowners told us they consider gardening to be a nice way to de-stress and to relax. It’s hard to argue with the mental benefits of gardening and growing your own food, just ask any gardener. Whether you’ve got a few herbs growing or a thriving allotment, you can’t beat the feeling of seeing your efforts turn into something you can eat and share with friends and family – and that’s the power of plants.
Nature is good for us
It’s not just about the satisfaction factor that comes with garden jobs; being in nature is increasingly being shown to be very good for our overall health. Studies have found that time in nature is an antidote to stress, lowering blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reducing anxiety and improving moods. We found a study by the European Centre for Environment & Human Health at the University of Exeter particularly fascinating. The research found that people who spent two hours a week in green spaces were substantially more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who didn’t.
Mental and physical well-being
In addition to the therapeutic benefits of gardening, there’s also
strong evidence to suggest it’s very good for your physical well-being too. In
2020, we looked at DIY and gardening jobs and found they burn a significant
amount of calories – around 80,000 a year . In fact,
harvesting home grown fruit and vegetables will result in around 3,118 calories
being burnt off per year! Our research found that gardening jobs can be a real
workout, with homeowners burning off 6,384 while
weeding, 3,466 calories when pruning and 3,852 calories while watering the garden
over the course of a year. So that’s another reason to get growing!
Healthy eating never tasted so good
Homegrown fruit and veg tastes great and encourages you to get creative with recipes, whether it’s courgette cake, colourful salads and soups or fruit smoothies. Fresh fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, and growing your own is a great way to motivate children (and adults) to get their five-a-day. For keen green-fingered children, Draper Tools offers a Young Gardener range of hand tools to help them grow their own.
Help pollinators, help the planet
Bees and other insects provide an amazing service by pollinating the plants we grow and it has been widely reported that we all depend on the survival of bees. They make a huge contribution to sustainable development, but they face many threats in today’s climate. You can do your bit to help bees and help the planet by growing flowers that are rich in pollen and nectar and planting a variety that will bloom throughout the year. You can find more tips on creating a bee-friendly garden here.
What do you love about gardening?
How does gardening make you feel? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
Find out more about how to get involved with National Gardening Week on the RHS website. Need some new tools to help you get gardening? You can browse our range here.
