Gardens have a certain way of bringing people together by drawing them from their homes. Playing with dirt around the garden amazingly cleanses the mind and heart, an escape to somewhere comfortable and green.

We all have our kind of stress relief exercises and a way of keeping our minds fresh. It may be singing, listening to music, painting, writing about it, dancing, or anything that makes us happy. Anything that makes our hearts happy can be therapeutic. Gardening is one of those too. Being around greenery itself creates an optimistic environment and fresh air and gardening is a way to be around plants helping them to stay healthy and making ourselves healthy too. Gardening itself is an art, it has no specific rules and format and is an expression of love for the plants. Garden helps our physical and mental health as well. It produces nutritious homegrown goodies as a form of relaxation.

In professional practice, it is also specifically known as Horticulture therapy. It is a therapy that uses plants and gardening as a way to improve the health of people. The therapist professionally with any group of people that are benefited by interaction with the plants and this includes children, elderly people, people suffering from addiction, and people with mental health issues. Horticulture therapy has been proved to help people suffering from depression and anxiety. As it is a way to connect to the world in a better way, the smell and environment provide a form of calmness that helps people overcome the sufferings they are going through. We can’t deny that gardening heals people in the easiest way possible. [1] 

If we look around, we can find many people who find help in gardening and peace with plants.

Mr. Madan Neupane, who is a resident in Kusunti, Lalitpur, has been gardening for 20 years. He is now 60 and started gardening when he was 40. He shared that whenever he had time, he used to invest himself in gardening and used to add new plants in his garden. He felt glad to have cared for these plants. He has a beautiful garden with a lot of flowers around. Not only that he trims the hedges and his neighbors visit him which also gives them time for small gatherings. As he is retired now, he can provide all his time gardening and have a walk on the fresh grass. He says one of the reasons he is still fit is because of the gardening. Mr. Neupane also states that you don’t need a large space, a little or more whatever you have is enough but you have to take care of what you decide to plant. “If you love the plants, they will love you back”, he explains.

 

Another individual who thinks gardening has made their life easier is Mrs. Sarala Parajuli. She lives in Bhaisipati and is a housewife. She shared about her journey in gardening and how it has helped her. Mrs. Parajuli used to stay home all day and that is when she thought about doing something productive for herself and her home. She started to plant few plants around her house and her husband encouraged her because of the good results. She then started planting herbs and even trees. She is fond of taking care of the garden but it isn’t just her hobby, it is a part of her life now. She also shares that the garden has always been beneficial to her mentally and physically. “I also lost a lot of weight working in the garden and it has utilized my time. When my husband and children go to work and school, the garden is my friend. I think it has kept me refreshed mentally. I will continue gardening for a long time as it has provided me family time. I am also curious to help people who want to start gardening”, says Mrs. Parajuli. Her husband and children come home stress and to have fresh air, they visit the garden.

Gardening is not always fun as it seems. You have to give it your time and effort both but the result you get back is equally fruitful. Garden is an unpaid therapist for most people. For people who love gardening, it can be helpful while working around it while the others are healed by being around it. The optimism gardening creates in us is amazing. Gardening makes us healthy and fosters our connection with ourselves and with everyone around us. The greenery also improves our eyesight and the memory power of our brain. It doesn’t only humans but the whole system around us. Gardening helps us be responsible and learn about what we are missing right in front of us. Gardening is therapy to us and the world.

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