How gardening is great for mindfulness

Mindfulness is about being aware of how we are feeling, what we are doing in the outside world, and how we are doing it. According to the NHS, becoming more mindful helps us to understand ourselves and gardening is one of the best ways to do this. Just step outside into your garden, notice yourself taking a look around, and feeling the earth between your hands when you tend to your plants. Below is a list of three other things you can do in the garden to become more mindful:

1. Plant a herb hedge

Get in touch with your senses by planting a herb hedge. The bright, curiously-shaped varieties of rosemary, thyme and lavender are great to look at, smell, feel and taste. You can also sit back, relax and watch the bees that herbs attract. Doing this will help you to connect with the rhythm of the natural world around you.

2. Garden with others

You can become mindful of yourself by becoming mindful of the people in your lives. Gardening is a great activity to do with friends and family. Together you can pick out the crops you want to grow, watch them flourish and share the harvests.

3. Grow fruit and veg

Growing your own helps to show us what we are truly capable of. If you're a beginner grower, you can start by growing simple crops such as tomatoes or cress on sunny windowsills. Over time you will start to feel more confident and grow more varied varieties of crops.

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