OUTDOOR PURSUITS
Make re-energising your whole family a walk in the park by getting back to nature for a daily dose of ‘vitamin G’
OVER the last year, we’ve all come to rely on our gardens and green spaces more than ever and rediscovered the importance of connecting with nature for our mental and physical wellbeing.
That’s why for National Gardening Week in 2021 – April 26 to May 2 – the Royal Horticultural Society is celebrating the feel-good power of plants and encouraging families to ‘Get Your Dose of vitamin G’.
Vitamin G is ‘green’, and getting your daily dose is proven to make us feel better.
There are dozens of ways to connect with nature, and you don’t even need to have your own garden to get your vitamin G, says the RHS.
Here are a few ideas from the RHS to get you started:
Take a mindful moment in your garden or local green space to appreciate the new green leaves, listen for birdsong or enjoy the scents of spring blooms to refresh the senses.
Have a go at growing some quick herbs, salad leaves, or tomatoes on a windowsill. They can be ready to harvest in just a few weeks and are sure to make your meals more delicious. Plant up a container to make you smile: choose colourful or scented flowers, tactile grasses and lush foliage to create a cheerful spring display. Green up your everyday: think about how you can get your vitamin G in your day-to-day activities – could you walk or cycle through the park on the way to the shops or on the school run, have lunch alfresco or do a workout in the garden? What about getting arty and making a scarecrow for the garden?
Follow RHS social media for more ideas or go to the website for lots of family-friendly advice on what everyone can do. Go to rhs.org.uk/ national gardening week for details.