Gardening, or growing your own vegetables, herbs and flowers, is a great way to improve your health. It also saves money by reducing your food bill and gives you the freedom to choose what you eat.
In addition to these benefits, gardening is a relaxing activity that can help you de-stress and boost your mood. Plus, it can be enjoyed by all ages and is an excellent form of exercise.
Origins
The origins of gardening date back to the first humans who grew their own food. They figured out how to cultivate wild grasses and cereal crops to feed themselves and their families.
When civilized people began to build towns and cities, they had the leisure to garden for ornamentation or recreation. Especially in Egypt and the Middle East, they planted trees, flowering plants, and herbs to create shady gardens for royalty and wealthy citizens to enjoy.
During the dark ages and in Medieval Europe, most gardening focused on practicality, growing plants for food and herbs for medicine. The Renaissance brought more decorative gardening back into European homes.
Aesthetics
Garden aesthetics are essential to the enjoyment and satisfaction of people who use their gardens. They can include the design of trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses. They also include the placement of lighting along walkways and around trees for a more dramatic effect during the evening.
To help improve the aesthetics of a garden, make sure that it is safe for visitors. For example, make sure that any deep pools or water features are safe for children to play in.
Aesthetic gardening can be made fun and easy by experimenting with the colors, textures and types of plants you want to use. For example, try incorporating different leaf shapes, sizes and colors to add more interest to your landscape.
Techniques
There are a variety of techniques that gardeners use to grow food. Some are specific to a particular region or climate, while others are universal and can be used anywhere.
Many of these gardening practices are based on time-honored wisdom and can be applied on a large or small scale. For example, companion planting involves the idea that certain plants benefit each other and enhance their health and yields.
Another popular gardening technique is mulching. This is a cheap or free way to protect your plants from cold weather in the winter and provide nutrients during the growing season.
Another technique is to graft vegetables, which can help increase resistance to disease and better fruit quality. It can also be beneficial for those who have limited space or produce their crops in a greenhouse or high tunnel.
Benefits
Gardening is a fantastic activity that can do so many things for your health and wellbeing, from boosting your mood to reducing anxiety. It can also increase your vitamin D levels and help you control or prevent dementia, among other benefits.
Taking the time to till, weed, prune, or plant and nurture your own plants is also a great way to develop self-esteem. The satisfaction that comes with watching seeds break through the soil, plucking a juicy tomato from your vine, or witnessing the return of perennials each year is deeply satisfying and can give you an incredible sense of accomplishment.
A survey by HomeAdvisor found that people who garden more often had higher overall wellbeing scores and lower stress levels than those who don’t. Even more surprising, the activity can improve sociability.
