How Gardening can help us restore and rebuild
When you think of 2020 what comes to mind? Aside from baking banana bread and evening Zoom quizzes, for many people, it’s the thought of being cooped up in our homes, socially distanced from the world, and hunched over our laptop screens for months on end, all taking its toll on our bodies and contributing to large global spikes of anxiety and stress. But, there was one blossoming trend that helped bring many of us comfort during trying times, and that was the powerful therapeutic activity of gardening, pot planting and connection with the great outdoors.
Gardening was said to be right up there as the second most popular activity in lockdown after watching TV, and a step ahead of cooking, reading and exercising. Yip, you heard right! This is all according to a survey conducted by GlobalData market research.
Not only is gardening excellent for the environment and wildlife, but the combination of some good old Vitamin D, the fun physical aspect of the activity, and the delightful way in which it brings people together all play an active role in benefiting our health. Some doctors claim that a regular dose of gardening can help improve our mental wellbeing and reduce stress levels.
And there’s proof. Just recently, the RHS released research in a survey conducted with 6000 people that revealed those who garden every day have wellbeing scores 6.6% higher and stress levels 4.2% lower than people who don’t garden at all proving the significant link between gardening and improvements in mental wellbeing. It is no denying then why gardening was said to have saved and transformed lives during the pandemic.
We turned to our very own Katie Horodecki, a Manager on our product development team at Heathcote and Ivory who happens to be a self-confessed plantaholic.
“During the lockdown, I really missed nature and being outside. I wanted to find a way to bring nature into my home and create a sacred space for me and my family. And that’s exactly what I did. I now have 110 plants, each plant personally named, and scattered around my home- or should I say my jungle?” Katie went on to say that she seeks solace in her plants that bring her comfort, promote healing and give her purpose as she watches her plants grow and thrive in her home.
“Regardless of age or culture, humans find nature restorative.” A study, provided by leaders in the Industry Clare Cooper Marcus and Marni Barnes, found that 2 in 3 people retreated to nature when feeling stressed.
That is why this month as the lockdowns ease even further, we’re calling for a greater push to greener spaces with less screen time, and more green time as a way for us to re-connect with nature’s powers and help harvest love within our community.
Immersing ourselves in nature can help us restore and rebuild, awaken our senses and offer us some mental respite away from our devices and from the four walls of our living room. Even just simply spending times in parks and enjoying moments of enchantment with nature can be both calming and invigorating and foster our creativity and imagination.
Meet you in the Garden
Let’s set some time aside away from our addictive screens and pull on our gardening gloves as we begin new adventures in the garden. It’s never too late to start discovering the skill of gardening and reaping the rewards. Give it a grow. Who knows, within time you could become a master gardener growing your own vegetable patch?
You can always start small by adding some plant pals to your home. Try visiting one of the many Garden Centres across the UK. You can search for one here https://gca.org.uk/find-a-garden-centre/ or visit Patch Plants online for inspiration.
And if that feels a step too far, simply add a vase of flowers to your table or place some pictures of trees and greenery to your walls. Studies suggest that transforming the space can be hugely psychologically beneficial even when the space itself does not change.
It is time we began to live our lives in full bloom again, in a way that honoured nature, honoured ourselves, and honoured one another.
Are you a Garden lover? Share your story with us. Join the conversation online @_HeathcoteandIvory.
At Heathcote and Ivory, we are all about celebrating the art of gifting and enjoying unforgettable moments that bring people together. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the avid gardener, look no further than our In The Garden collection that includes an array of luxurious and hardworking vegan friendly hand creams, washes, extra rich creams, balms and more.
In The Garden combines art, fine formulations and fragrance, designed to celebrate a therapeutic day spent digging, planting and pruning in the garden.
Formulations contain shea butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, elderflower, rhubarb and blackberry extracts, carrot seed oil, marigold extract and sunflower seed oil specifically designed for pre and post-gardening well-being.
Discover some great gift ideas here that are decorated with illustrations created by a young British artist living happily in the countryside and who, just like us, is mad about flowers, and all things nature.
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