Perhaps it’s because, at root, we are all animals. But whatever the reason, getting closer to nature is good for you, and not just in a garden.
A lot has been said and written about the benefits of both being out in a garden and gardening. I won’t even try to summarize it all – you can use a search engine as well as I can – but here are a couple of starters.
With benefits covering physical and mental health and even better quality of sleep, we all gain from getting outside. Fine … but good advice alone doesn’t achieve anything. What’s both practical and possible?
If you have a garden of your own then that’s the basics sorted. But how about any- and everyone who’s living with their parents, or in a flat or a shared house? Not everyone has a garden to get out into.
Thankfully, in Caversham and Emmer Green none of us are that far away from a public park or similar green space. And a walk to a park comes with its own benefits too – a bit of exercise is rarely a bad thing.
No, a park might not be ‘just so’. It might not be how you’d do your own garden if you had one. But it’s not a terrible substitute. Just spending time in a park will bring the benefits, and that’s whether you’re alone or there with friends and/or relatives. The key is to spend your time outside quietly looking, absorbing, appreciating. I say quietly because nature doesn’t enjoy a lot of noise. (And nor will your fellow park-users.) Even a park you’ve been in a hundred times before has something to notice if you take the time to look.
And back at home – however big or small the space you can call your home is – even a house plant or two will make a difference. And if you’re someone who spends a lot of time in your home – say, working or studying – then you’ll gain all the more.
Speaking as a non-gardener, if looking after a plant is new to you, you might be pleased to hear that you don’t have to be an expert. If I can keep a couple of them alive, anyone can. (And bear in mind that even ‘good gardeners’ will sometimes lose a plant. It is just the way it goes.)
You don’t have to spend a shed (ha ha) load of money either. Plants don’t have to be expensive. As to what to buy, you might have a friend or relative who can help guide you. If not, then I reckon the Royal Horticultural Society (The RHS) is a good place to start – it has plenty of free guides for beginners:
So, in summary – if you haven’t already, you can go a bit ‘green’ with your life for no other reason than it’s good for you. Why wouldn’t you?
Related items on this site:
You might find this earlier item about ‘forest bathing’ on the Caversham site interesting too:
