Three Ways to Meet Nature’s Needs Without a Garden

Spending time in the garden is good for you. Whether you’re watering your plants or just relaxing on a lounger, there’s plenty range of benefits which are related to it. These include: improving health and well-being, reduced mental fatigue AND better sleep quality.

Those who are involved in gardening also experience less stress AND more physical activityStudies show that these people even have a tendency to eat more fruits and vegetables.

But not everyone has access to a garden. Inflation squeezing incomesOwning a home with a garden is harder than ever, especially for newborn people, and rented accommodation doesn’t always offer outdoor space.

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This article is part of Quarter Lifeseries about the issues that affect us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of starting a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet, or simply making friends as adults, the articles in this series explore the questions and provide answers as we navigate this turbulent time in life.

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Some English survey 2021 revealed that 16-24 year olds were twice as likely to not have access to a garden or allotment compared to those over 65. My own research team also investigated this issue. We found that younger people and those on lower incomes in the UK were more difficult access to the garden than older and wealthier people.

But don’t lose hope if you don’t have access to a garden. There are plenty of ways to reap the benefits of nature in and around your home without ever stepping foot in the garden. Here are three ways research suggests you can bring nature into your life.

1. Visit the park

The presence of nature – e.g. plants and trees, natural sounds such as birds singingand water – are part of what makes gardens so good for us. Studies show that contact with nature can reduce stress and depression, improve performance at work and at school, enhance well-being and support us live longer.

It’s not just gardens that offer this dose of nature. In fact, nature can be found in many city parks, even in compact ones. pocket parks (compact areas of public greenery).

These parks are more than just tranquil places. They can also be great places to meet up with friends and family, especially if they include cafes, tables and seating areas. Building social relations as you can see, it also brings a number of additional health benefits.

Many people will find a park close to their home. Office for National Statistics estimate that over a quarter of the UK population lives within a five-minute walk of a public park, and 72% within a 15-minute walk.

However, inequalities also exist here. The quality of city parks tends to better in richer areas compared to people from areas with lower socioeconomic status.

2. Buy some potted plants

Houseplants are a great way to bring nature into your home if you don’t have an outdoor space. As with other forms of nature, houseplants are associated with low blood pressure AND lower stress levels.

They also support make the space more attractiveturning it into a place you want to spend time in. one studystudents preferred to study in a room with potted plants than in a room without them.

Many people also appreciate the act caring for potted plants – whether it’s watering, feeding or “haircutting”.

Houseplants can also support if you have to spend long periods of time indoors. For example, during COVID lockdowns, exposure to greenery helped residents of Shanghai, China, reducing loneliness and symptoms of depression.

If you spend a lot of time working or studying at home, houseplants can also improve your work capacity. In the office, people who had plants in their room, he did better while working on demanding tasks. A separate study of Norwegian office workers also found that the presence of houseplants increased productivity and reduced sick leave.

There are so many houseplants to choose from, it can be tough to know where to start. But there are plenty of guides online to support you choose the right one. And for those of you worried about accidentally killing your up-to-date houseplant, know that even qualified gardeners you lose plants regularly – it’s all trial and error.

3. Take advantage of digital nature

If you live in a place where you can’t have houseplants or aren’t ready for the responsibility, try surrounding yourself with digital nature. During the initial COVID lockdown in Israel, a survey of 776 people found that viewing nature images on a computer screen was associated with lower stress levels and fewer negative emotions.

You can also watch some nature documentaries or clips of animals and birdsong on social media. In our recent research, we found that watching nature videos on social media – in particular, clips from the BBC TV series Springwatch and Chris Packham’s (British TV presenter and naturalist) Facebook Live broadcasts – have helped maintain well-being during the COVID lockdowns.

No matter your circumstances, you will always find a way to bring a bit of nature into your life.