Spring is here, think about your garden.

It is snowing today and it snowed at the end of the month in the lower mainland of BC, where I live. Although many regions of Canada are still buried under tons of snow, I suspect that gardeners around the country are starting to get busy. I know they are in BC. We are lucky here in my region, the snow will be gone in a few days and the ground will be warming up fast. Many of us are out in the gardening stores looking for inspiration to help us design our gardens and thinking about timelines to execute our plans, and some are about to start their seeds indoors.

Gardening is sometimes considered as a simple hobby, but think again! It is an amazing activity that can have positive effects on health and well-being. You may have heard people mentioning the therapeutic benefits of gardening, whether it is to maintain physical fitness, improve flexibility, coordination and strength, enhance physiological and psychological relaxation, improve self-esteem and depression symptoms, encourage creativity, and create social bonds (and even intergenerational relationships). Well, there is research evidence to support many of these claims!

What the research tells us

McMaster University did a systematic review that identified 22 studies that examined the benefits of gardening for older adults living in the community or in institutions. The majority of studies included in the review revealed that gardening is an activity appreciated by older adults that has positive effects on their physical health, cognitive abilities, nutrition, spirituality and social engagement. Gardening can even improve their level of autonomy and their quality of life.

The review also revealed that gardening allows seniors to reminisce childhood and family memories. It is therefore a comforting activity for older adults who can reconnect with their past, their culture and nature. Gardening activities conducted in a group can also promote social interaction and community support.

While the observed benefits of gardening are promising, they may not be the same for everyone. The review highlighted the need to further explore the effects of gardening on people with dementia and older adults with disabilities.

Getting started

Before taking out your shovels and rakes, take some time to plan your gardening activities:

·       Think about your health and safety: You may have a condition that prevents you from enjoying some gardening activities. You also need to assess your garden and the landscape to identify potential risks for falls, to protect yourself from the sun at all times, and to vary positions when working in the garden.

·       Adapt: The gardening activities, the tools, and the garden itself can be adapted to suit your needs and capacities (for example, installing raised garden beds or using lightweight and ergonomic tools may reduce the physical demand associated with gardening).

·       Socialize: Don’t go at it alone! Take advantage of community or local garden groups to connect with others, and share your passion and knowledge. By sharing gardening tasks with others, you may be able to find tasks that can better suit your needs and capacities (for example, digging, planting, watering, or harvesting fruits, vegetables and flowers). And nothing is better than enjoying the fruits of your labors with others!