The number of community garden plots in city parks has increased 44% since 2012. There are now over 29,000 garden plots in city parks in just the 100 largest US cities. That’s a 22% increase year-over-year.
Do you want to connect with your local neighborhood and improve the landscape? Consider creating your own community spaces this year. Community gardening can help you connect to the earth and your local community.
On the fence? Here are seven stunning benefits of community gardens.
After reading this guide, you can make a choice with your local community and mental health in mind.
Discover the amazing benefits of creating a community garden with this helpful guide today.
- Interact With Others
Creating a community garden can help you increase community engagement. You can start connecting with your neighbors on a one-on-one basis.
Many people stay at home and lead a solitary lifestyle. If there are nearby community spaces, however, you don’t remain cooped up. Instead, you can use community gardening to connect with others in the area.
Creating a community garden will help you foster a sense of ownership within your community. You can feel more personally invested in your neighborhood, too.
One of the greatest benefits of community gardens is they create a chance for you to meet new people. You might meet neighbors you’ve never interacted with before. You’ll even have a place where you can learn from one another.
Community gardening could benefit your mental health as a result. Human interaction can help create a sense of belonging. Using gardening for mental health could help you ward off feelings of loneliness and depression.
In fact, gardening could boost your self-esteem while reducing feelings of depression and fatigue. It might even increase your life expectancy.
With a nearby community garden, you can connect with neighbors. Building a support network can help you improve your mental health.
- A Sense of Achievement
Sometimes, you need to take a step back and look at all you’ve accomplished in life. Planting seeds is a great way to look at your accomplishments.
After a few months, you can take a step back from your garden and see how much it’s grown over time. You can take your herbs and vegetables home or share them with neighbors. You’ll literally get a chance to see the fruits of your labor.
Seeing the success of your community garden can become rewarding and fulfilling over time.
- Decreased Stress and Tension
Take a step away from the stress of everyday life and prioritize community gardening instead.
Gardening might even reduce your pain and stress levels. It could boost your immune system, helping your body heal as well.
Otherwise, ongoing stress can cause or exacerbate serious health problems, including:
- Mental health issues (depression, anxiety, etc.)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Obesity and eating disorders
- Menstrual problems
- Sexual dysfunction
- Skin and hair problems (permanent hair loss, acne, psoriasis, etc.)
- Gastrointestinal problems
Don’t let your stress get the better of you. Instead, consider using gardening for mental health benefits. You can keep your stress at bay, improving your mental and physical health.
- Feel Happy and Alive
After a long day at work, you might feel like the only leisure time you have is an hour to watch TV. Binge-watching TV isn’t good for your mental health, though. In fact, it can promote laziness and lead you to consume unhealthy foods.
Watching TV can also create unrealistic expectations of life. It could promote a sedentary lifestyle, too.
Instead, consider the benefits of community gardens. You can step outside and soak up some much-needed vitamin D. Gardening is a great way to get moving without overexerting yourself.
You could feel more alive as a result.
Remember, gardening for mental health could improve your quality of life as well. In fact, interacting with nature can improve cognition. It can also benefit people with depression.
Stepping into nature could evoke positive emotions while helping you recover from mental exhaustion. Your concentration and attention levels might improve as well.
Gardening could reduce feelings of confusion and anger. It might prove conducive to improving your sense of self-worth and self-esteem.
- Improve Your Diet
Gardening will help you obtain fresh produce without driving to a nearby store. You can eat a healthy and nutritious diet without wasting valuable time.
In fact, one of the benefits of community gardens is it helps people live a healthier lifestyle.
Community gardeners consumed fruits and vegetables 5.7 times a day. Nongardeners, on the other hand, consume fruits and vegetables 3.9 times a day.
You’ll feel inspired to eat the fruits of your labor, which could help you eat healthier each day.
- Create a Stunning Landscape
A lot of vacant lots are now either empty or filled with garbage. These spaces can become an eyesore or danger to the community.
Instead, consider turning these community spaces into beautiful spaces.
Creating community gardens could even help nearby property value increase.
Community gardening will benefit the environment, too.
For example, plants naturally add oxygen to the air. They could contribute to cleaner air by removing air pollution as a result.
Plants also absorb rainwater, meaning less runoff in the streets. You could reduce the number of pollutants that are washed into lakes, streams, and rivers.
Consider practicing composting in your community garden to minimize waste.
- Keep Learning
Creating community gardens in your neighborhood will give everyone a chance to discover new educational opportunities.
You can meet people from different religious, cultural, and social backgrounds. You can discuss environmental issues and discover how to live a healthier life.
Local businesses that offer Landscape Services can help you learn more about gardening and the environment, too.
You can use the knowledge you learn from those around you to become a better person. You might even find a mentor among your fellow gardeners.
Dig In: 7 Stunning Benefits of Community Gardens
Ready to get your hands dirty? Consider these stunning benefits of community gardens.
Community gardening will help you connect with nature and with your neighbors. You can continue growing your garden and mind for years to come.
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