It’s National Gardening Week (26 April – 2 May 2021), which is run by the Royal Horticultural Society to raise awareness of gardening and horticulture, and to encourage more people to get outside and involved.
With the pandemic still ongoing, spending time in your garden (if you have one) is the best place for you at the moment, to keep infection rates low. The past 13 months have made us all appreciate our outdoor spaces more than ever, so it’s a great time to take more of an active interest in gardening.
Research has also shown that gardening can significantly improve our wellbeing and with April being Stress Awareness Month, it’s the ideal time to explore ways of enhancing our mindset and lower our stress levels.
One of the largest studies to date on gardens and gardening, funded by Innovate UK and National Institute for Health Research, found that people who spent time in the garden are significantly more likely to report general good health, higher psychological wellbeing and greater physical activity levels than those who do not. This research, which was conducted by the University of Exeter and the Royal Horticultural Society charity, analysed data from nearly 8,000 people collected by Natural England between 2009 and 2016.
National Gardening Week is the nation’s biggest celebration of gardening and highlights the difference that gardens and gardening can make to people’s lives. It inspires the next generation of gardeners to experience the joy of growing and creating beautiful green spaces.
This year’s theme is ‘Get your dose of Vitamin G’. Vitamin G is the act of connecting with nature, with the ‘G’ standing for green space. We can experience this in many ways including enjoying a view of green space, spending time outdoors or even walking barefoot across grass.
Research has focused on highlighting the importance of the relationship between exposure to green environments and wellbeing. This has demonstrated that mere exposure to views of nature can improve people’s health and wellbeing by providing restoration from stress and mental fatigue.
Whether you have a big garden, small garden, balcony or window boxes, you can order some seeds and soil online and get some plants, flowers or herbs on the go. Plants can take up as little or as much space as you have, so there are options for everyone.
Spring is here! The temperatures are warming up and we’ve had a great few weeks of sunshine and blue skies, so be sure to get out there and enjoy it! Even if you don’t feel like taking on a big garden project right now, why not do a bit of weeding and tidying to get some fresh air and enjoy a bit of warmth on your back?
Most of us have at least one friend or family member who knows a lot about gardening, so why not pick their brain for hints and tips? Give them a call to find out what you need to know – you could even go for a video call to show each other what you’ve been up to in the garden!
With the advice being to still avoid contact with other people as much as possible, why not stay home and get on with that garden project you’ve been dreaming of? Perhaps you want to re-turf the lawn, replace the patio or clear out some shrubs and bushes – whatever it is, now could be the ideal time!
Is your garden crying out for a bit of attention? Invest in a skip and get it cleared – now that we can have small garden gatherings again, you’ll want yours to look its best. It’ll feel great to get the job done and your garden will look so much better for it!
Get involved by sharing your gardening photos on social media using the hashtag #NationalGardeningWeek.
If you’re undertaking a garden project, why not utilise our skip hire services and let us take care of the waste disposal for you? We can also provide grab hire and supply any aggregates you need – for more information, please get in touch.
