Gardening weeds out stress

Frequent gardening is as good as cycling or running for physical and mental health, according to a study by the Royal Horticultural Society.

In a survey of 6,000 people, the RHS found that those who gardened two to three times a week reported lower levels of stress and had a greater sense of wellbeing, compared with those who did so less often.

“This is the first time the ‘dose response’ to gardening has been tested and the evidence suggests that the more frequently you garden, the greater the health benefits,” said study author and RHS wellbeing fellow Dr Lauriane Chalmin-Pui.