Mindful gardening

REAP THE BENEFITS OF YOUR OUTSIDE SPACE BY CONNECTING TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

FEATURE JAYNE DOWLE

Stepping into a garden almost instantly soothes anxiety, calms a busy mind and eases tension. But what if we want to take this blissful experience a step further and practice mindful gardening? ‘Mindfulness is simply being aware and in a state of alert attention that allows the mind to go quiet,’ says Holly Farrell, RHS Wisley-trained horticulturalist and author of Gardening for Mindfulness (£14.99, Mitchell Beazley). ‘Put simply, mindfulness is paying attention.’ And when mindfulness is applied to gardening, it’s been found to improve mental and physical health. According to a survey by the RHS in 2021, people who garden everyday have wellbeing scores 6.6% higher and stress levels 4.2% lower than those who don’t garden at all. The RHS is now undertaking research on the benefits of ‘therapeutic horticulture’ in collaboration…

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Ideal Home (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2024

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