Spending time in the garden is good for health

Space to grow message for planners

THE NATION’S enduring love affair with gardening and the outdoors may be beneficial for health and psychological well-being, according to a new study.

Academics who conducted the research have claimed that spending time in the garden may have significant health benefits.

The report, which was published yesterday, stated that these benefits apply to people who are gardening or even simply relaxing.

Professor Alistair Griffiths, director of science and collections at the Royal Horticultural Society and a co-author on the paper, said: “This work adds to the increasing body of scientific evidence on the health benefits of gardens and gardening.

“As the current Covid crisis has demonstrated, there’s an urgent need to include the provision of private gardens in the planning process to better support the UK’s preventative health agenda and the well-being of our nation.”

The findings in the report have been based on an analysis of data gathered from more than 7,000 people as part of a survey by Natural England.

The research, published in Elsevier’s Landscape and Urban Planning journal, found that people who spend time in the garden are far more likely to report general good health, higher psychological well-being and greater physical activity levels than those who do not spend time in the garden.

Dr Sian de Bell, of the University of Exeter Medical School and the lead author on the study, said:

“Our findings suggest that, whilst being able to access an outdoor space such as a garden or yard is important, using that space is what really leads to benefits for health and well-being.”

She said their study is one of the largest to date to analyse the health benefits of gardens and gardening specifically.

The researchers looked at data

Prof Alistair Griffiths, director of science and collections at the Royal Horticultural Society. collected between 2009 and 2016 from 7,814 people from the Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) survey, which gathers data on people’s weekly contact with the natural world.

They found that, compared with no garden access, access to a private garden was associated with higher psychological wellbeing.

They also found that people with access to a private outdoor space such as a balcony, yard or patio were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines.

The authors wrote in the paper: “These findings indicate that domestic gardens are a potential health resource and are not necessarily substituted for by other natural environments, highlighting the importance of their provision alongside green space in urban policy and planning.”

In addition, the team found that people who regularly spend time in their garden were also more likely to visit nature elsewhere once a week.

The importance of spending time outdoors has been accentuated by the coronavirus lockdown, with the public’s fascination with nature heightened while they are unable to spend long periods away from home.

Dr Anna Jorgensen, who researches the connection between environment and well-being at the University of Sheffield, claimed that the current crisis has switched people’s focus “out of normal existence and into survival mode”.

GPs have prescribed nature experiences, including a healthy walk or planting mint to nurture and grow, for patients with depression and anxiety.

Urgent need to include private gardens in the planning process.