Gardening has its benefits

Gardening is a pretty good isolation activity. Just remember to tell someone what you’ve been up to…

How are you doing?

I ask out of genuine concern because, well, if there was ever a time to be concerned about friends and neighbours this is it…

It’s easy to feel anxious and hopeless at the moment. Not only are we confronted by climate breakdown, the extinction crisis and rising inequalities, but now we are living through a pandemic. A microscopic enemy that we can’t see until we start to cough and our temperatures rise. And, as if things couldn’t get any worse, no physical comfort from our loved ones either. We have to self-isolate and hope that someone remembers to leave a cup of tea outside the bedroom door.

But to make matters better (although it might not feel like it just yet) we are all practising social distancing and spending the majority of time at home behind closed doors. At least I hope you are, and not adopting a ‘carry on regardless, we got through worse in the war’ attitude. Just because we’re British, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be taking this very seriously indeed. I’m still wrangling with my mother-in-law who doesn’t like being cooped up, house bound with just her husband for company. Thank goodness dog walking is still allowed. It means she can legitimately go out, providing she doesn’t stop to chat. But she can’t get her head around the fact that all meetings and events have been cancelled; this is hard for an 82 year old who still does weekly aquarobics and considers church a vital life line.

So, while we’re all adjusting to these life changes – call it the ultimate Lent challenge – what should we do to amuse ourselves?

Obviously I’d like to advocate gardening as a splendid isolation activity, or at least it will be when it stops raining. Until then, why not pick up the phone and have a chat with someone; a novel concept that used to be around before they invented Facebook and Twitter and everyone communicating via their phones. Rumour has it that it might be making a comeback…

Gardening is good for you on many levels. It is an effective workout; an hour pulling up weeds and planting flowers burns between 200-400 calories, while mowing the lawn, between 250-350 calories, meaning you can legitimately eat a Mars bar without feeling guilty. Being outside is great for your mental wellbeing too, reducing depression (did I really eat that Mars bar?), anger (yes, I really did) and stress (I’ve now run out of Mars bars, and there are none in the supermarket)

Furthermore gardening can reduce the risk of diseases such as stroke and osteoporosis, as well as improve your immune system, although, sadly, not enough to make you immune to coronavirus.

We take pride in our gardens, we are British after all, and British gardens are famous for being some of the best in the world. So, forget about daytime television and the endless housework to keep you busy, get out there and start tweaking the borders. Then give me a ring, and tell me how you’re doing!