I can understand how the thought of kneeling in the hot Australian sun, tilling, fertilising, digging holes and pulling weeds seems like more of a chore than a healthy hobby, but you’d be surprised.
There are plenty of reasons to get into the garden and get your green thumb going. For starters, growing your own fruit, veg and herbs can save money on your groceries. That’s an obvious one, but if your place is similar to mine, any attempt to turn what little garden you have into a vegetable patch will surely be ruined by hungry possums!
So setting aside the “grow-your-own” benefit to gardening, what are some of the other perks to pruning your own petunias?
Pros for Your Physical Health
Gardening is a great way to get some Vitamin D. Just make sure you slip, slop and slap when you’re heading outdoors! Beyond that, the light labour involved in gardening is a great way to get the heart pumping and burn some calories. It’s certainly not the same as doing a weight circuit, but research has shown that those who garden regularly have a lower risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
What’s more, gardening can stave off the onset of dexterity and mobility issues in old age. All that digging, planting, weeding and pruning while maintaining a garden gives you a whole body exercise.
Best of all, gardening requires constant maintenance so you’ll probably be gardening long after you’ve gotten out of your underutilised gym membership.
Bring It Indoors!
Depending on where you’re located in Australia at the moment, your ability to go outside and enjoy a good gardening session might be a little, well, restricted. However, there are some easy ways to enjoy many of the same benefits that gardening offers from within the comfort of your own home.
Whether you simply want to liven up the inside of your home, or you’re interested in saving some money by starting your very own little herb garden, there are some easy ways to get started. There are plenty of ways to explore your creativity with indoor gardening, but here’s some initial inspiration to help get you started.
Other Positives?
There’s something magical about watching life flourish before your eyes. That sounds cliché but it’s so true. There’s a special sense of achievement gained from seeing your floral creations come to life.
Gardening is this nexus of creative expression, technical ability and patience. As such, taking up gardening as a hobby can improve your creative thinking and patience, making you less stressed in your day-to-day life.
If we’ve piqued your interest in gardening, but you don’t how to get started, check out this beginner’s guide and these indoor gardening tips. If you still need a bit of convincing, check out this more in-depth look at the benefits of gardening.
Ben Giltrap
– Group Marketing Lead
