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National Gardening Week: 29 April – 5 May

The Royal Horticultural Society – National Gardening Week

Run annually by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) – which works to help improve the health of people and nature – this is National Gardening Week.

This year the theme of the week is ‘Knowledge is Flower’.

Here at Love Your Gut we delighted to be celebrating National Gardening Week as getting out into nature and exercise are great for keeping our gut happy!

What’s it all about

All week, experts at the RHS will be on hand with tips and myth-busting advice on all aspects of the wonderful world of gardening.

If you are just starting out or have been gardening for years – everyone is welcome to join in the fun to learn new skills, make new friends and discover the joys of gardening.  There is something for everyone to enjoy. For further information see: https://www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/national-gardening-week

 

Tips to get you started

If you are new to gardening, see our top tips on getting started below:

  • Start small, you can grow lots in pots.

You can grow almost anything in a pot, from flowers to veg and even small trees. Don’t forget to ensure you have drainage holes in the bottom of your pot and water regularly in spring and summer.

  • Grow what you like to eat.

It’s more satisfying to grow something you like to eat; however, don’t be afraid to try something new to diversify your diet, your gut will thank you for it.

  • Keep a diary on what went well – to help you plan for next year.

Keeping a diary and taking photos on your phone is a great way to remember what you did, what worked and what didn’t!  It will give you a head start when you do your plan for next year.

  • Keep weeds under control.

Weeds will stop your plants from growing – reducing their food and light. Have a regular weeding schedule to keep them under control.

  • Don’t forget to water your plants.

Water is essential for the growth of your plants. The best time to water plants is early in the morning before the sun is at its hottest or later in the evening as the sun goes down so the water does not evaporate in the heat.

  • Enjoy yourself – take time to sit and enjoy your garden.

After all your hard work, take some time to just sit, watch the wildlife and enjoy your garden.

Further RHS Guides for beginners can be found here

 Making a difference to our lives

Research from the Kings Fund (1) shows that being outside doing activities such as gardening improves our health and wellbeing.

Getting outside into our gardens and into the sunlight increases our levels of Vitamin D, and can improve our mental wellbeing and reduce our stress. (2)

In addition, gardening can give our whole body a workout and help us get fit!(3)

Getting gut healthy

All of which is good news for our gut health, read more about getting gut healthy here: https://loveyourgut.com/getting-gut-healthy/

Happy gardening!

 

References:

  1. Buck D (2016) Gardens and Health Implications for Policy & Practice. London: The Kings Fund.
  2. Soga M et al. (2016) Gardening is beneficial for health: a meta analysis. Prev Med Rep S:92-99.
  3. CDC General Physical Activities Defined by Level of Intensity. Available at: cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/pdf/pa_intensity_table_2_1.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024)