Back To Nature and Peace Of Mind
... Healing With Garden Therapy

Guest Contributor: Maria Cannon

Living in the modern world can be tough. Our constant connectedness might improve productivity, but for many people, social media dependency and living behind myriad screens also increases symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Feeling at peace in the greenhouse. Photo by Brooke Cagel, Unsplash.com

Throw in a sedentary lifestyle, and it’s clear that some aspects of our work culture do little to alleviate the effects of chronic disease and mental illness.

However, experts know that garden therapy relieves tension, drops blood pressure, and normalizes heart rate, and reduces stress. And you don’t have to be an avid camper to reap the benefits of taking in the ‘great outdoors.’ Here are green tips that will have you feeling fit, emotionally balanced, and environmentally responsible.

Gardening Decreases Symptoms Of Depression

Many of us have been taught to keep our hands clean - and not to get filthy frolicking in the mud. But sometimes, getting our hands dirty helps us connect with the earth and our higher selves.

Garden therapy hands on. Photo Gabril Jimenez Unsplash.

Time spent in nature actually increases serotonin levels, helping to regulate mood and feelings of well being. Basically, serotonin is your brain’s “happy chemical.” It’s a naturally-occurring anti-depressant that regulates your neurological chemistry and strengthens your body’s natural immunity. Without serotonin, your mood can swing rapidly, resulting in depression or anxiety.

For many, garden therapy and other light physical activity provides the antidote. Gardening offers a hobbyist alternative to traditional exercise that doesn’t require a lot of expensive camping equipment or experience. And for those who are outcome-driven people, gardening is satisfying because it improves quality of life and beautifies one’s immediate surroundings. Spending time nurturing new plants can act as a type of meditation, and connect you to the present moment.

Some are even using gardening and horticulture as a way to help relieve the symptoms of those with PTSD. This is because garden therapy actually reduces cortisol - the brain’s stress hormone. This might be because gardening presents a stable environment devoid of stressful sensory details.

Plus, the method by which one produces plants and vegetables remains relatively unchanged. A seed, cultivated in the same fashion - tended, watered and fertilized - usually yields the same result.

See this article for an excellent discussion: Horticultural Therapy: the Healing Power Of Gardening

Adding To Your Immediate Environment Creates A Sense Of Purpose

Living in line with your values helps give life direction. And nothing makes you feel more in control of your circumstances than growing your own food and actively contributing to your local ecosystem..

Growing beautiful, healthy cherry tomatoes. Photo by Elaine Casop - Unsplash

Consider creating a vegetable garden. Even if you live in an apartment or some residence without access to much land, container gardens, raised beds, and community gardens offer an opportunity to connect with nature in a low-key way.

Reduce Your Impact On The Planet

Another way to reduce your carbon footprint is through backyard composting. There are several different methods by which you can get rid of kitchen waste, food scraps, and garden debris.

The first method is by creating a compost bin. This can be achieved by repurposing old pallets - you can often pick these up for free on trading sites like Craigslist, or even at your local lumber yard - or building one from scratch.

Another method requires the use of worms to recycle excess food and organic material into “black gold,” aka nutrient-rich soil. This is also called vermicomposting. Basically, worms consume food scraps, which become compost after they are digested by the worms.

One of the keys to composting is striking a balance between carbon and nitrogen-rich materials. Nitrogen-rich materials are often referred to as greens, because of their green or vibrant hue. These are your fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, and anything that could be considered “fast rotting.” On the other hand carbon-rich materials are brown in color - and they include newspaper, cardboard, sticks, egg shells and other organic, hardy materials.

Living your values - like reducing your carbon footprint - is a big part of mindfulness, which helps contribute to a sense of happiness. And as more and more people join the zero-waste movement, the prospect of living a self-sufficient, environmentally-conscious life becomes more and more attainable.

Garden Therapy Supports Living Out Loud, Outside

Dark red pompom type Asters. Photograph from Pixabay.com

Gardening, composting, and living a life outside relieves stress, helps to regulate neurological problems, and decreases symptoms of chronic disease. But don’t take our word for it. Tell us about how gardening has affected your life in the comments below.

Thank you to Maria Cannon for her article about garden therapy and the pleasures of getting back to nature.

Ms. Cannon believes we're never too young to dedicate ourselves to a hobby. She created Hobbyjr.org to encourage young people to find a hobby they love.

References:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-gardening-helps-mental-health-the-benefits-of_us_59679175e4b0524d8fa7fb78https://mrsmindfulness.com/how-to-live-your-truth-identifying-your-values-mastering-mindful-living/
http://www.homecompostingmadeeasy.com/carbonnitrogenratio.html
http://permaculture.com.au/why-gardening-makes-you-happy-and-cures-depression/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335516301401
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/02/17/147050691/can-gardening-help-troubled-minds-heal
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/11/health-benefits-gardening/7971047/
https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/landscaping-terminology/

Fine Art Prints and Note Cards To Bring You Joy Today

Note cards are another means to enjoy nature's gifts to us. How long is it since you got a card with news from a friend in the real mail? In times when I'm down and I receive a card from a good friend, my mood skyrockets.

Do you remember when mail came in a real envelope and a mail person came to deliver it? Checking the mailbox and finding a beautiful card from a good friend.

A joy to hold in your hands and read a handwritten, personal message. And I've created nature cards that have beautiful images of flowers and gardens, along with the bees and butterflies.

There are all sorts of magnificent flowers for your pleasure when you visit here. Send one to a friend and show them some love.

Here's where you'll find the sea lions and herons playing. The fishing boats are hard at work and there are seashells on the beach.

I live ocean-side on Vancouver Island and I get daily opportunities to witness and photograph our indigenous birds, sea life... all the treasures on the beach and the fishing boats. How do you like the artistic touch I give my photos? The unique painterly style combines my photos and painting.

If you would like a picture that you don't see in my "print shop", contact me and I'll be happy to let you know if it's available in the size print that you need or as a note card.

The images on this page are not available for sale.