A letter to the editor in
this mornings Herald (Tuesday 25, 2010) summed it up nicely by saying that it
is good to put our hurried lifestyles on the back burner and enjoy the simple
things again. The writer goes on to
describe how he enjoys planting a
huge garden every year and sharing
it with others who don’t have a garden.
Many of his extra vegetables go to seniors and to food banks, which
could very well be lifesavers for those in need. He also talks about how he enjoys teaching the neighborhood children
about the joys of gardening.
A few weeks ago The Wall
Street Journal (April 6, 2010) ran an article by Anne Marie Chaker about
Horticulture Therapy being used to decrease anxiety while helping people
increase strength and stamina. Gardening
is being used to help people redefine motor skills and develop eye-hand
coordination, while at the same time serving to soothe the senses. A growing number of health care facilities
are using horticultural therapy as part of their treatment programs.
Horticulture therapy is proving to show dramatic and restorative effects on
health.
You don’t have to be in a
hospital or a rehab unit to enjoy the calming effects of gardening. Gardening can be a good form of exercise as
you plant, weed, snip and prune. Studies
indicate that just looking at and working with plants can alleviate stress,
improve your disposition and even lower your blood pressure. How great is that? Whether you are working with containers on
your balcony, digging up a plot in your backyard, or even renting community
garden space, you are promoting something magical. If you love gardening on a large scale
(there are hundreds of seeds in every package) the thought of sharing your
labors with community food banks is a labor of love.
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