Therapeutic Gardening

An occupational hazard of mine is talking to people about gardening. Whether it be vegetable gardening or flower gardening, more times than not, the conversation expands to folks telling me how good they feel when they are playing in the soil, or better yet, “digging in the dirt.” This made me wonder if there is something scientific about this. Are there any health benefits to gardening? 

More research is being done to examine this concept and there is increasing evidence that there are indeed positive effects on mental and physical health. Gardens have been used in hospitals for hundreds and even thousands of years because of the positive effects on patients, visitors, and staff. If space is not available on the surrounding outdoor grounds, many times, indoor atriums will be utilized. Depending on the space available, adaptations are sometimes made to ease accessibility so the most people can enjoy. Glancing through the landscape today, there are more green spaces and gardens located in and near hospitals, schools, hospices, nursing homes, rest homes, and prisons.

Research in several countries is associating gardening with a lower prevalence of dementia and with positive health effects.^[1] The reason may be simple. People who garden increase their physical activity level. They are exposed to Vitamin D—good ole sunlight—and they are in nature. If you have ever dug in the soil, raked leaves, or even mowed, you have felt how rigorous the workout can be. I would bet this workout might just rank up there with a visit to the gym. 

Over the past couple of years, the NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ (EMG) volunteers have presented therapeutic gardening programs in Surry County. These programs embrace the healing power of nature to promote physical and emotional well-being. Plants are always involved in the programs and are used to connect people with nature. Participants have fun learning and leave the programs feeling better than when they arrived. 

There is a different program theme each month and programs are offered at various locations. During the month of April, participants will have the opportunity to learn from an EMG volunteer about hummingbirds and how to care for them. Everyone will create a hanging basket with favorite hummingbird flowers to take home. One of the most popular EMG workshops, Tomatoes in a Bucket, will be offered in May with a slight twist. Participants will learn how to use an olla irrigation system—an ancient technique using a clay pot. Each person will leave with a five-gallon bucket, a tomato plant, and a unique watering system. The June EMG workshop will focus on Season Pollinator Plantings. Information shared in this workshop will help gardeners select plants for the season and teach them how to help extend the bloom time of their plantings. Participants will take home a container they have planted with various flowers to enjoy throughout the seasons. Everyone is welcome to attend the workshops. Registration is required and all classes are free. 

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^[1] Masashi Soga, Kevin J. Gaston, and Yuichi Yamaura, “Gardening is beneficial for health: a meta-analysis,” Preventative Medicine Reports (Mar 2017): 5:92–99, https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007.