Literally, gardening means growing and tending plants. You can grow plants for various purposes, for instance, food, medicinal purpose, ornamental purpose, decorative purpose, etc.
It is believed that human beings started agriculture about ten thousand years ago. Agriculture revolutionized human civilization. The human species not only left nomadic life and started living in a fixed place but also started accumulating wealth. Wealth in that time was the food they produced and the land they tilled. Agriculture basically started as a way to feed the family, but eventually, people started bartering surplus food for other things.
Initially growing plants was basically for growing food, however, when people started living in a fixed place, they also started growing plants for other purposes, for ornamental and decorative purpose. Gardening is as old as farming.
It is interesting to note that human beings have always drawn to gardening and gardening since time immemorial has been an integral part of human civilization. Even in religion, the garden takes the center stage for many important events. According to Christian, Islamic and Jewish traditions, the first human couple lived in the Garden of Eden. Most of the Hindu Gods are depicted as sitting on the flowers, holding flowers, or wearing garlands of flowers. Hindu theologies mention a Garden where one could get everything he imagined. Buddha was said to be born in a Garden. All important landmarks and modern buildings have gardens.
What’s so great about the garden? After all, they are just plants.
It is easy to understand why people grow edible plants, however, why they grow plants that are purely for decoration or ornamental purpose. It is easy to understand why people grow tomatoes, however, what is their purpose of growing lily? There does not seem to be any immediate benefit apart from giving a nice look to the surrounding.
In rural areas and country sites, where people have plenty of lands, they grow garden. However, in the cities and urban areas, where land is scarce, you can see people growing plants on the terrace, balconies, even in the rooms. What might be the reason for such kind of fascination with gardening? Why are human species interested in gardening since time immemorial? Why do people grow and maintain a garden in their homes? What might be the reasons?
Reasons Why We Love Gardening
Primal love for nature: We have invented a lot of things, been to the moon and sent space ships to Mars. We have come so far. However, deep inside us is the love for nature. We love nature so much that we always want to live around plants.
Mental wellbeing: Our love for nature is primitive; however, there is a reason for this. Nature has the power to relax our mind. Gardening is therapeutic, we can distress ourselves when we do gardening work. Just spending time in a garden will calm our mind.
Inner peace: Gardening work and gardens have the power to soothe our mind and body. Human beings discovered how gardens can give you inner peace a long time ago, that’s why ancient spiritualists recommended meditation, yoga, Tai Chi and similar things to be done in the garden.
Escape from hustle and bustle: Even though rural areas are less nosy than urban areas, however, there is still noise there. The world we live in have so much hustle and bustle and garden provide on escape from the sordid world. Even though the experience is momentary, in the garden we find peace. Garden is there as a space for a quick escape from the busy world.
Repairing the damage done to the environment: In the name of modernization and development, we have done a lot of harm to the environment. Somewhere deep inside us is guilt for the wrongdoings we have done to the nature. Gardening is a way to repair our guilt.
Wellness: Health is our ultimate desire, however, in modern times we live an unhealthy life. When we do gardening, unknowingly we also do mental and physical exercise.
Health Benefits of Gardening
If you are not a fan of gardening, here are some reasons why you should immediately get started with gardening.
Burn calories: Gardening is a tedious job, in order to grow and tend plants you have to do a lot of work. Thus you burn a lot of calories. Gardening can help you cut excess weight and remain fit and healthy.
Cures Hypertension: If you are battling with high blood pressure, you need to immediately start gardening because studies have found that those who gardening helps to lower blood pressure. Gardening improves blood circulation, therefore, it is good for the heart.
Improves sleep: Since gardening can give you a good exercise and helps in reducing stress, your sleep will improve.
Can Gardening Boost Mental Heath?
The answer is YES. It has been found that people who regularly work in a garden have a low-stress level and are happier compared to people who do not garden.
According to the World Health Organization, the definition of good health relates not only to the absence of mental and physical illness but also the presence of positive emotions, happiness, quality of life, and the sense of community. Gardening can substantially improve optimism in life because it teaches you to love the beauty of life. Gardening can also make you feel happy and contented because it helps with self-esteem.
If your gardening work is mainly growing food, it also unburdens your financial stress as you are able to save a lot of money on food.
Conclusion
Only gardening can save us because gardening is good for well-being and wellness. We not only save ourselves for also the planet.