Oct
Garden Day is a chance for people across the country to spend some quality time celebrating their gardens with neighbours, family and friends. Everyone can take part, regardless of the size of their gardens – rolling lawns, potted window sills, urban rooftops and patio planters – all are welcome.
Celebrate your garden! How?
What you do on Sunday 20 October is completely up to you – the most important thing is to take quality time to relax and enjoy your garden with the special people you’ve invited around to celebrate with you! Some fun ways to celebrate include inviting fellow garden aficionados over to appreciate the beauty. You can also have a “plant club”, where you ask guests to bring rare and interesting plants to swap with others.
Another simple way to celebrate would be to just enjoy lunch or dinner outside with dishes featuring home-grown ingredients. Garden Day will also host a flower crown maker event on the 12th and 19th of October. So if you’d like to wear your very own crown on Garden Day, sign up for a free crown maker station!
Health Benefits of Gardening:
A recent report by The King’s Fund sets out a wide range of the health benefits of gardens and gardening. Who would have thought our favourite pastime would be beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer? Even helping to combat anxiety and stress!
Being in your own piece of paradise is food for the soul.
• Lowers blood pressure
• Increases brain activity
• Has a calming effect on one’s mood
• Positively affects mental health
• Counters stress and anxiety
• Cuts stroke and heart attack risk by up to 30% for those over 60
• Reverses “attention fatigue”
• Gives a sense of purpose, satisfaction and achievement
In a Norwegian study people diagnosed with depression, persistent low mood, or “bipolar II disorder” spent six hours a week growing flowers and vegetables. After three months, half the participants had experienced a measurable improvement in their symptoms. Curiously, this mood persisted three months after the program ended 🙂
We at Happy Earth People are total Earth advocates! Which means nature and gardens are part and parcel of our love for the planet. So celebrate being in Nature on the 20th of October, we too will be celebrating the magnificence of the outdoors. If you are looking for a fresh seasonal dish to create check out this Golden zucchini cherry tomato pasta recipe.