This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, an initiative of the Mental Health Foundation, and this year, the focus is on anxiety.
There are many factors that can lead to feelings of anxiety, and this is why it is important to tackle stigma around this topic, and continue to raise awareness about such feelings and how they can be overcome.
Gardening and spending time in nature is not only beneficial for our physical health, but also for our mental well being. In marking Mental Health Awareness Week this week, we at CoirProducts.co.uk, are sharing thoughts and experiences of other gardeners and growers on how gardening and spending time in nature has helped their mental well being.
In sharing her gardening journey with us, Carol (@fromplot2pot2plate), reflected on how her garden became very much a supportive friend during troubled times. “It certainly feeds the soul and can be a wonderful balm in troubled times. Within the last two years my mother, father and best friend have passed and when it all becomes a bit overwhelming then the garden becomes a shoulder to lean on. It asks a few questions but generally is the quiet supportive friend that lets you just be what you want to be that day – I like and need that.”
For Dawn (@the.rural.tribe), who loves to keep things simple, gardening brings a sense of fulfilment as she says, “nurturing something from seed to plate is an amazing feeling. It’s so fresh and tastes amazing plus it’s reducing the air mileage of my food. The gardening itself is amazing for my physical and mental health. There really are no downsides for me.”
Many gardeners and growers often tell us how spending time outdoors is also very much a mindful activity. Holly (@holly_and_her_allotment) loves how gardening allows her to be in the moment and provides her with a sense of escape, “Being truly present in what I am doing, in awe of what nature can do and give… As a NHS worker, down time is key, and my allotment is the perfect place to come and escape!”
Joe (@Grow_With_Joe) tells us how gardening helps lift his mood, while also reminding us that it is a privilege to spend time in nature. “Being surrounded with and working alongside nature is such a privilege and something I never take for granted. It’s so good for your physical and mental health and never fails to lift my mood when I’m feeling a little down or I’ve had a stressful day at work. I can not recommend this incredible pastime highly enough!”
In fact, various studies have shown the wider benefits of gardening for improving an individual’s mood and life satisfaction. Gardening also becomes a form of therapy. For Kelly (@ohhomelygirl), “it is the best therapy! My quiet place in a noisy world. It is so good for the soul, a bad day is quickly turned into a good one after a spot of gardening.”
This is also echoed by Kerry (@lottie_thyme_), who reflects, “gardening is my favourite and most effective therapy. It has helped support my mental health in ways I could never imagine, and if I’m feeling low the allotment is the one place I can go to recharge. It’s a little pocket of escapism and helps to calm my mind.”
We would love to hear about your experiences of gardening and wellbeing!
CoirProducts’ newly introduced all-purpose coir potting mix, Coir Plus, not only brings you thesustainable goodness of coir, but also comes enriched with NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus,
In a world grappling with food insecurity and environmental degradation, sustainable gardening practices continue to play an important role. With an array of eco-friendly gardening
