Weeding



Helps maintain stamina and energy levels
Helps to build up mobility level
Keeps up level of confidence
GREENAGES Growing Together Project
Raking



Helps to keep your lungs, heart and circulation healthy
Helps to burn off calories, keeping weight down
Helps increase suppleness, posture and co-ordination
Mowing



Helps with balance and mobility
Helps to boost confidence in moving to prevent accidental
falls
Helps to increase muscle strength and bone density
For more information
Come and visit our backyard garden! Try out a range of easy-grip
gardening tools and look at ways of growing flowers and vegetables
in containers for easy access and low maintenance.
Age UK North Yorkshire, 33 High Street, Northallerton, DL7 8EE
Telephone 01609 771624 www.ageuknorthyorkshire.org.uk
The gardening charity Thrive runs a website that gives lots of
information about how anyone can continue gardening at home.
Telephone 0118 988 5688 www.carryongardening.org.uk
Age UK North Yorkshire is a Registered Charity (number 1124567) and Company
Limited by Guarantee (number 6456185) Registered Office: 46-50 East Parade,
Harrogate, HG1 5RR. 10/15
Gardening: The Health Benefits
What are the benefits of gardening?





Better physical health Just 30 minutes of gardening each
day can help to use up calories, build up strength and
stamina, keep your heart healthy and improve your balance.
It can also help with dexterity and finger and arm strength.
Improved mental health Gardening can give people a sense
of purpose, optimism and achievement as they work through
the processes of nurturing seeds and plants and displaying a
show of flowers or harvesting a crop of vegetables.
Social contact Gardening groups give opportunities for likeminded people to socialise and feel healthier as a result,
helping to reduce isolation and improve self-esteem and
confidence.
Development of skills People can learn new skills through
structured gardening activities. Gardening groups allow
people to exchange knowledge and work together cooperatively.
Access to the natural environment Research has shown
that the natural environment promotes recovery from stress
and as such gardens provide restorative environments.
Growing food on windowsills, in containers and beds provides
a source of vitamins and savings over shop-bought produce.
Gardening activities and their benefits (Thrive, 2010)
Sowing seeds



Gets you and your plants started
Helps hand and finger movement
Helps focus and coordination
Pricking out seedlings



Helps with stretching, relaxing and lengthening muscles
Helps to retain flexibility
Starts to build up confidence
Potting up plants



Starts to build strength and stamina
Helps retain hand and eye co-ordination
Helps improve and maintain sitting balance
Planting containers



Gets you started outside
Tones up muscles
Helps your muscles move as far as possible
Planting outside



Starts to increase energy levels
Helps to improve blood flow around your body
Helps to increase muscle strength and balance
Deadheading and pruning



Helps improve bending and reaching
Helps to keep muscles stretching and relaxing
Helps maintain standing or sitting balance