GARDEN RELEAF
08 Oct 2014
An initiative of the Garden Centres Association of Australia, Garden RELEAF aims to get people outdoors and gardening in a bid to help improve their health and wellbeing.
"If researchers had proposed 20 years ago that gardens and gardening could improve medical outcomes they would have been met with derision and skepticism,” says Dr Roger Ulrich from Texas A & M University. However, he and many other academics and medical doctors now agree that this has been proven to be true.
It’s widely recognised that regular physical exercise, which includes gardening and being outdoors, can be good for our health and well-being.
Research1commissionedby beyondblue showed: ‘Children who experience high levels of contact with nature are reported to have higher levels of self-worth and higher cognitive function’. The research also reported this is also true for young people, people on low incomes and older people.
“Science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional wellbeing,” says Dr Jeanette Havilland-Jones2. As part of her research at Rutgers University in the USA, she found that flowers have a positive impact on emotional health, creating feelings of happiness, calm, well-being and intimacy. Good physical health and well-being are important for everyone.
With that in mind, Garden Centres Association of Australia (GCA), is launching the inaugural garden RELEAF event on March 7 - 8 to encourage people to get into their gardens, get the kids gardening, get down to their local garden centre and join in the activities. Funds raised will go to beyondblue to raise awareness of depression and anxiety, and assist people to get help if they think they may be experiencing symptoms of these conditions.
Manager of GCA, Leigh Siebler says: “Feeding your body healthy food and sleeping well are two things that most people aspire to, but a third, equally as important factor should be included – making sure you have access to nature”.
Gardening is good for you. Try it!
For more information about the health benefits of gardening, or to find out more about garden RELEAF and to find your local independent Garden Centre, go to www.gardenreleaf.com.au.
1. Beyond Blue to Green: The benefits of contact with nature for mental health and well-being by M Townsend and R Weerasuriya, Deakin University, April 2010
2. An Environmental Approach to Positive Emotion: Flowers, April 2005 by J. Havilland-Jones, PhD, Rutger University, NJ, USA