Why owning a garden is good for your health

WHeTHeR you’re digging, pruning or simply sitting there reading a book, spending time in your garden could help protect you from heart attacks and other causes of premature death.

That’s the conclusion of a study by imperial College London, which tracked 233,000 Britons for over a decade to see who died early and what caused it.

Researchers found people who spent time in their own gardens were much less likely to die early from several non-injury causes — such as heart and respiratory diseases — than those who did not.

‘Our finding that private residential gardens substantially contributed to protective associations of total green space and premature mortality has implications for greening policies,’ stated a report in environmental Health

Perspectives, which recommended inequalities be addressed.