This Mental Health Awareness Week 10th – 16th May the theme is ‘nature’ which as you might expect is something we feel very strongly about here at Newquay Orchard.
A recent study found that increasing the amount of time spent gardening had a positive effect on respondents mental health whilst another study discovered 45% of people reported that being in green space was vital for their mental health during the pandemic.
Marketing Officer Jaimie caught up with Hetty, Sustainable Landscapes Manager here at Newquay Orchard, to find out her thoughts on gardening for mental health.
J: Hetty, you’ve worked in horticulture for 21 years, when did you discover the benefits of working outdoors and with nature?
H: : I was lucky enough to live on a farm when I was young so it’s in my nature. However I lost my way a bit I my teens a twenties. Working outside in nature was a massive step in my recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol. It sounds dramatic but Horticulture may have saved my life.
J: What is it you enjoy most about gardening? As we know you do it at home as well as at the day job.
H: I love plants, they are amazing beings, there is so much to learn so much to try out., I love the creativity and the physicality of gardening. It’s like painting on the land, a living breathing canvas. The horticultural community is also a wonderful thing to be part of, plant people are great.
J: Being mindful and present is a proven way to reduce stress and anxiety, how do you think gardening helps people achieve this?
H: For many tasks you need to focus and do the job with care. I can get lost in seed sowing for hours. You find it difficult to think of anything else but the task in hand. Fresh air and even just the colour green are proven to reduce anxiety.
J: Many of the volunteers at Newquay Orchard join volunteering to improve their mental wellbeing, do you think this helps people?
H: I think the camaraderie, making friends, doing a great job together and finding purpose are the main things that help. Gardening is also a great way to get fit.
J: Do you have any tips for people that would like to get into gardening but lack outdoors space or perhaps only have a doorstep?
H: If you have no space then come to the orchard! Or maybe get into house plants, you can grow so much inside, and they help clean the air. Herbs are easy to grow on a window sill, and can be grown in recycled containers.
J: Whilst being present is important hope is a key aspect here at Newquay Orchard, what are you hopeful for in the future?
H: I am so happy to a part of the orchard, being part of this watching the plants and community grow is a real joy and brings me hope for the future.
If you’d like to join in with the volunteering or one of the social programmes here at Newquay Orchard fill out a form now. You can read more about Mental Health Awareness Week on the Mental Health Foundation website.
