Winter gardening to boost your wellbeing

Any experienced grower will tell you about the physical and mental transformations that occur when tending to plants in the garden or allotment. In fact, research earlier this year by Squire’s Garden Centres showed that 94 per cent of gardeners surveyed said that they feel horticulture has a positive impact on their mental health.

After a year where there has been such a reliance on getting outside, re-connecting with nature and absorbing our green surroundings our gardens have become even more important.

This is taken to a deeper level by handling greenery straight out of the soil, giving you an innate sense of connection to the earth. Outdoor work not only improves your psychological state by giving you a different perspective on everyday life, it also releases endorphins as you exercise to revitalise your sense of wellbeing.

Here are three ways to help boost your wellbeing using your magical garden this winter:

1. Create festive containers

For some, the winter months mean prepping the garden for the winter frosts and potentially ‘closing shop’ for the cold season. As the nights grow darker and the mornings colder, it doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your garden until March. You may use gardening as your daily exercise or just love being outdoors, so over the festive period why not bring your garden to life with some vivacious festive containers that will brighten up the winter months? Read more here.

2. Raise your gardening game ahead of next season

Use this time to spruce up your outdoor space ahead of spring. Introducing some raised beds can be a real game-changer as these structures are ideal for growers looking to maximise yield with the ability to control the microclimate. You could build your own, or if you’d prefer an easier life, opt for the quick-to-install EverEdge Easybed. It’s the perfect raised bed for growers of all abilities and for gardens of all shapes and sizes - meaning everyone can enjoy the wellbeing benefits of gardening. Get yours here.

3. Make a plan of attack

If you’re anything like us, it’ll take the most extreme of weather to keep you off your veg plot. But with temperatures plummeting over the next few months, sometimes it is time to admit defeat and stay indoors with a cuppa in the warm. But, you can still use this time productively, by planning ahead for next year. Produce a visual outline of where you’ll be growing different crops next season, make a checklist of tasks to complete when things are slightly warmer, or grab a seed catalogue to order some new varieties!

Want to know more?

Don’t just take our word for it about why gardening is good for you, though. The therapeutic horticulture charity Thrive recommends taking advantage of the restorative powers of gardening, explaining: “Evidence shows time spent in a garden connecting with nature can help overcome low mood, mental fatigue and improve wellbeing. Nurturing plants is a powerful antidote to stress because it’s a meaningful and rewarding activity providing a sense of purpose as well as hope for the future.

“Gardening can boost concentration levels and decision-making, improve physical health and provide social connection to overcome isolation and loneliness. Whatever your abilities, discover ways Thrive can help you use gardening to improve your health here.”

This is an advertorial feature

Share this article