Gardening provides a multitude of benefits. Research data shows that when people immerse themselves in nature, they gain a sense of serenity that hastens recuperation from stress and mental fatigue. You can lessen feelings of fear and anger, lower your blood pressure, and ease tense muscles just by looking at plants. Increasing the greenery surrounding your residence by only 10 percent will lower your health issues to the equivalent of being five years younger. When you bring down your level of stress, you strengthen your immune system, and you can recover more quickly from injury and illness. With people experiencing heightened stress during the pandemic, gardening can be hugely beneficial.
The day-to-day routine of tending plants and watching them grow is relaxing. It develops a nurturing spirit and a sense of purpose. You also develop focus and mindfulness, and your work becomes akin to meditation. Seeing your plants thrive brings a sense of wonder, joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction.
Studies also show that gardening is therapeutic for those with serious addictions, and residential programs that rehabilitate people from dangerous substance abuse include horticultural therapy. When patients recover, gardening serves as an important bridge in transitioning to a new life outside the rehabilitation centers.
Another benefit of gardening is providing a routine of physical activity especially for people who lead a sedentary life. Even if the movements in gardening are slow, bending and stretching can prime the body in preparation for a more structured exercise regimen such as aerobic and muscle strengthening exercises. These are necessary to stay healthy and prevent the onset of life-threatening major chronic diseases.
The Winter Furlough
In the fall, the garden begins to look sad as annual plants die. Their seeds that remain scattered on the ground will germinate only in the spring. Perennial plants, shrubs, and trees bear fruit, and their leaves turn yellow, orange, and red before falling off.
When the weather gets extremely cold, even without snow, perennials go dormant, to grow again upon the arrival of spring. Experts warn that although grass remains green in winter, it is dormant and will be ruined if you walk on it. Make sure you make a path that does not go through your lawn.
Only evergreen trees and shrubs remain in winter, but these grow at a much slower rate. A few vegetables can survive the beginning of winter, among these, brussels sprouts, kale, and cabbage.
In the last days of autumn and the start of winter, gardeners deadhead or snip off the flowers of plants that bloom in the fall. They prune dormant trees, deciduous shrubs, and vines. They wrap the plants that are not very hardy in layers of bubble wrap or old bedsheets and blankets. They bring the more fragile potted ones indoors.
An All-season Garden
You can do year-round gardening in a greenhouse. A gardener’s dream is to be able to do this and even lounge around afterward to rest in a glass room or a conservatory with a glass roof and walls.
Such a glassed-in luxurious greenhouse will have state-of-the-art technology that makes glass almost unbreakable and prevents it from shattering if broken. Special layers can enable the glass to help keep the room cool in the summer and warm in the winter, reducing the workload of your air conditioner and heater.
The designer can have a portion of the room encased in glass that filters out UV rays for your protection, and a portion of the room encased in glass that allows full sunlight in for your plants. While tending the plants you can get just enough UV rays to trigger your body’s development of vitamin D, a vital hormone to prevent a severe outcome if you get infected by the coronavirus. Afterward, you can retire to the shaded area to prevent the development of skin cancer.
Your Glass Castle and Garden
This additional room in the house, like a special glass castle, can be a source of comfort in these pandemic times. It expands your space and brings you to the outdoors while providing shelter. It gives you a place to go when you need time away from others in the household, but you can also use it as a place to gather in and bond in relaxation.
A garden for all seasons can have a wider variety of plants, from ornamentals to edibles. You can feast your eyes on flowers and then feast on freshly picked fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Even if you are not a veteran gardener, a protected garden is more forgiving. You can also choose plants that are easier to grow for starters, and then graduate to more demanding plants later. As you move through the seasons, you will grow in your knowledge and skills, as well.
