Growing an interest in gardening?

For many of us, gardening is in our DNA, and something that has given us profound satisfaction for many years. But what if you’re a bit, shall we say, green? Where do you start, and what, if any, are the health benefits?

Well, before we give you some suggestions as to where to start, it’s worth knowing that developing those green fingers can bring about a whole host of health benefits. For a start, gardening is physical and involves such activity as digging, planting and weeding – all good for improving strength, cardiovascular health, flexibility – and burning up to 300 calories an hour!

It’s also a great way to stimulate your brain as you learn about different plants, flowers and growing techniques, and a very good way of relieving stress – spending time outdoors amongst nature and engaging in a relaxing activity like gardening can significantly reduce stress, whilst boosting your body’s own production of vitamin D – important for healthy bones.

And if you grow your own fruit and veg, look forward to highly nutritious produce you can incorporate into your diet.

Great, but where to start?

Rome wasn’t built in a day – and nor were Kew Gardens! So start small: It’s all too easy to get overwhelmed with a large garden, so start with just a small section or use pots and other containers. This will give you the chance to learn the basics without feeling too daunted.

Meanwhile, choose the plants that will grow well on the type of soil you have – and on the sunlight available. A very good place to get some advice (and get some very competitive prices) is your local garden nursery. Just go on line to search your nearest. Overall, plants that are native to the area are more likely to do well and require less maintenance.

Get tooled- up

Invest in the right “starter pack” of tools, including a spade, fork, hoe, pruning shears and watering can. You can always add more tools later down the line as you get more experienced.

Learn the basics

Research the basics of gardening, such as soil preparation, planting, watering, fertilising, and pest control. To help, as well as many books and online resources, consider joining a gardening class or gardening club, and don’t forget about that wealth of experience and knowledge down at the nursery or decent garden centre.

Above all, don’t forget that gardening is a journey – one where you will learn and improve along the way – as well as helping you keep fit, stress-free and well-nourished!