Not many hobbies provide as many benefits as gardening does. Sandra Mason, Unit Educator of Horticulture & Environment for the University of Illinois, realizes the physical and health benefits of gardening. In her article, The Health Benefits of Gardening*, she writes: “What if I told you there is an activity that can provide strength and cardio training and increase flexibility. Plus the activity can relieve stress and provide nutritious food. You get all that and you don’t have to buy an expensive towel rack to do it.” The bending, digging, hauling, and squatting involved in gardening provides physical exercise to strengthen and tone muscles, lose weight, lower blood pressure, and prevent disease – such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes. However, most people don’t garden simply for the health benefits. Exercise is simply an added bonus, like chocolate chips in your zucchini bread – you love it, but you’d eat the bread even if it didn’t have chocolate in it.
Many people derive joy simply from creating something with their hands. Watching a plant grow from seed is like watching a miracle. A tiny seed, the correct mix of water and sunlight, and a green sprout emerges from the dirt. Soon that sprout is a large plant bearing fruit of its own. The act of growing more and more plants – exotic plants and those which are difficult to grow or just a favorite kind – is what makes many people happy.
One major benefit of gardening is the ability to grow your own food. Some people enjoy reaping the benefits of their hard work, while others like that they can save on their grocery bill. Gardeners love to share the fruits and vegetables that they grow with neighbors and friends, whether in raw form or in a recipe, like chocolate chip zucchini bread, for instance.
Mason, Sandra. (2005, January 3). The Health Benefits of Gardening. Retrieved February 9, 2010, from University of Illinois Extension website: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/champaign/homeowners/050103.html
