Gardening is awesome.

IMG_5016It doesn't matter what type of gardening you are into: annuals, perennials, trees, or vegetables, it WILL impact your life positively. As I've been working at the Nursery watering the trees and plants, I've been experiencing the benefits of gardening first hand.

Off the top of my head...here are a few reasons gardening is good for your health:

1. Vitamin D: gardening usually happens outside, where you are soaking up the Vit D from the sun. Vit D is said to help improve mood and decrease depression.

2. Fresh air: its just good to get some fresh air sometimes. i might be making this up, but i think staying in doors all the time only makes it easier to pick up germs and viruses (stagnant air).

3. Exercise: it is inevitable, you will be moving when you're gardening, and may even get quite the workout if you're tilling, raking, hoeing, shoveling, etc. We all know exercise is good for us.

4. improve your relationships: many people garden together, its a great hobby to share with your spouse, kids, grandkids, and friends

some things i love about gardening: 1. i like to be barefoot and feel the dirt on my feet. 2. i like to see the plants change so quickly. 3. i like to eat the things i grow. they taste better than anything you can get in a store. i feel good about eating with the seasons and know that is what nature intended for our bodies. with that, i like to eat the food i preserve all winter long. 4. i like to garden with dave. 5. i like teaching others about gardening, but mostly i like learning from others.

I never realized it before, but gardening has become a huge part of my life and has impacted it positively beyond measure.

I'm in the process of organizing some kind of free educational seminar here at Natural Plus, where I want to share ideas, tips, and tricks with others who may just be getting started or want to learn how. But mostly its selfish, I want to learn about gardening from others.

Any ideas for the first seminar?

BONUS: Here's a good article about the scientific research behind why gardening is good for you.

Mary Hopper