In the midst of the reality of things

In the midst of the reality of things

Being engaged in the natural world is a regenerative experience and in particular the benefits of gardening are a powerful force for good – a personal viewpoint from Philippa Evans-Bevan

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The pandemic-induced incarcerations have shone a bright spotlight on the human need to derive energy and balance from nature.

As Voltaire said back in 1769 - ‘When life bristles with thorns, I know no other remedy than to cultivate a garden.’

The practical skills and demands of gardening contribute significantly to the healthy functioning of our blood circulation and flexibility, our immune system, and co-ordination. The activities of an enthusiastic gardener increase their physical strength, reduces bone loss, and assists with weight loss too. Just the simple task of wheeling a loaded barrow from A to B captures all these physical perks.

I find that all physical exercise makes me feel good no matter how gentle or testing, as the endorphins are released in the brain, delivering a sense of happiness. But there are many other things going on in the garden that also contribute to our greater wellbeing.

Here, close to the earth, profoundly important processes are at work as we set about a genesis in a natural space. Nurturing plants is a pursuit that research in neuroscience suggests also nourishes our emotional, spiritual and mental health.

Plants release oxygen, which helps our brains to function better. The chemical messengers, dopamine and serotonin, help regulate many bodily functions, performing important roles in good sleep and memory, as well as metabolism and emotional wellbeing.

Dopamine -‘the happy hormone’ - is considered to be a primary driver of the brain's reward system, it spikes when we experience something pleasurable. It is easy to see how the beauty and sense of pride, purpose and fascination of working with plants in a garden can cause a combustion of contentment.

The concentrated scents of lavender and rosemary and lemon balm, to name a few, are triggers for these chemical releases and medicinal qualities of all essential oils are derived from plants.

As well as boosting our mood and self esteem, gardening is, of course, a way of caring for something. The anti-stress effects of connecting with the rhythms of nature in a quiet place, working with your hands, weeding, clipping and tending to plants, allows us to hear our thoughts and free our minds to work through problems at a slower pace. The task of watering is especially calming and can refresh you as much as the plants themselves.

Enclosed and walled gardens are increasingly used as healing environments for veterans suffering from PTSD where they feel a sense of safety, free from surprises and with a good sight line to the entrance.

In the human realm of upheaval and uncertainty, a garden is unperturbed. The scents, colour, the sounds of birdsong and the seasonal tones of buzzing and breezes continue in, and despite of, a sometimes crazy world.

Solitude can be a sanctuary, but when we are gardening, we are never alone as we tend to our plants’ needs and observe the constant change. They in turn respond and an unspoken conversation develops which is a reciprocal health-bestowing relationship – one that is about to be renewed as our gardens burst into spring.

Everyone will have their favourites and relationships with particular plants, and of course the rose is an inspiring and much adored plant.

‘A rose by any other name’?

Well, since you ask, try the name ‘health benefits’ – these are phenomenal.

It was Wordsworth who delivered the title of this article: he said that to walk through a garden is to be ‘in the midst of the reality of things’.

So, while there is an element of escaping to a garden, it also represents the eternal cycle of birth, life and death in a way that balances the human mind to cope with life and the earthly realism and evolution of our beings.

In times of deep crisis people over the centuries have turned back to the earth. Enlightened governments of the 1920s set up agricultural and horticultural rehabilitation facilities for World War One soldiers, not only for vocational training but also because they recognised the physical and mental health benefits of working with the land.