This year we want to pay extra attention to our well-being and how getting out in the garden can benefit us in so many aspects of life. This month we are focusing on community. Getting involved with the community has many benefits, including helping to tackle loneliness and improving our mental health!
Gardening can help people who are suffering from depression and anxiety break down social barriers by facilitating connections with other people, resulting in a reduction in feelings of loneliness and isolation. Instead of feeling cut off from others, something that can lower mood and further increase the risk of isolation, you can engage in conversation around plants and gardening, building trust and relationships with others in your community!
Community gardens also encourage you to become more socially and physically active and to develop stronger ties to your area. Gardens provide nutritional value through the growing and consumption of fruit and vegetables, in addition to relief from stress and a sedentary lifestyle. The grassroots nature of community gardening initiatives also provides opportunities to learn valuable skills and knowledge, including about health and nutrition.
These gardens provide spaces for community connection between people from different demographics, including people of all ages, families, marginalised communities, refugees and migrants, people who are isolated, disabled, neurodiverse, in poor health, and who are experiencing mental health issues.
