THE BENEFITS OF GARDENING FOR GRIEF

The spring season brings a time of year when many people startup gardens. Some describe

gardening as an art that can feel very therapeutic, particularly so for those navigating grief and loss. In recent years, there has even been research looking into garden-based interventions for mental wellness. Regardless of one’s purpose for gardening, there are benefits associated with the process. The Mayo Clinic lists the following examples of the benefits of gardening: increased exercise, improved diet, increased time in nature, reduced stress levels, and increased social connections. It may be helpful to also consider these benefits in relation to grief.

Increased Exercise: Gardening allows for a very tactile experience of exercise. Whether it is

raking dirt, planting seeds, or watering, we can think about gardening as a form of exercise. A common experience of grief can be feeling like we have limited amounts of energy to put into exercise. Gardening may be an activity we participate in anyways, so it can be helpful to

remember that it is a form of exercise that allows us to get outside and take care of our bodies.

Improved Diet: Gardening increases our ability to control the freshness of the foods we are

nourishing our bodies with. Maintaining a healthy diet can be especially difficult during times of grief. Tending to a garden can act as a reminder that we are allowed to enjoy nourishing foods to ensure prioritizing health during our grief journey.

Increased Time in Nature: By starting gardens in the springtime, it can help us to increase our time in nature that may have been decreased during the winter months. We often feel especially cooped up in the wintertime if we are navigating grief. Tending to a garden usually includes a daily commitment to ensure optimal growth. This encourages us to routinely get into nature to nurture the garden, which may have an added benefit of also nurturing our grief with the increased exposure to fresh air and space to think more clearly.

Reduced Stress Levels: It is common to experience increases in cortisol (the stress hormone)

while processing grief. When considering gardening, the Mayo Clinic highlighted that gardening can lighten mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety. It feels good to go through the process of tending to a garden, which decreases overall feelings of stress.

Increased Social Connection: Grief often leads us to feeling isolated and gardening has the

power of reducing this isolation by bringing people together. Whether if it is through discussions of the shared interest of gardening, working as a family to plant a garden, or finding a community garden plot, gardening can create a sense of belonging and interconnectedness.

If you are someone who has always wondered about starting a garden, perhaps some of these benefits may be especially helpful if you are also navigating grief. A first step can be to become curious about starting a garden by talking with family, friends, or community members who engage in this beneficial activity.

Submitted by: Walking Through Grief Society

Funded by FCSS; City of Lloydminster, Towns of Vermilion and Wainwright, Village of Kitscoty, and County of Vermilion River.