Being active in the outdoors has plenty of scientifically proven natural benefits. Being outdoors, breathing in fresh air can boost your energy levels, improve your immune system (breathing in phytoncides increases white blood cells which fight off infections and disease) and when in sunlight you can get your daily dose of vitamin D.
Exercise isn’t the only thing you can do in the outdoors. Gardening is highly therapeutic and productive at the same time; it can be a great workout while achieving beautiful results.
When a task has been completed when gardening there is such a wonderful sense of accomplishment that you can be proud of. Even if your property is rented, that doesn’t need to prevent you from working in the garden. There is always weeding and trimming that can be done and it won’t cost you a penny. Good old-fashioned manual labour can get you a long way. If you don’t want to invest in a “rental” garden, you can still purchase beautiful flowerpots and flowers that you can plant and arrange to your liking.
Take a look around your garden and you are bound to find things that can be done to improve the appearance. Tidy up the trimmings along the grass and path. Make little fairy houses with the kids and lay them around the garden. Are there rocks around the place? Gather them all up and lay your own little path or even build a raised bed if you have enough rocks, concrete blocks or timber.
Get your children involved if they are old enough to help out. Explain the process and the aim, teach them how to identify plants from weeds, show them how to use the various (age appropriate) garden tools. In doing so, you will teach your children to appreciate nature and to understand the growth cycle of plants. A well-rounded education includes horticultural skills. Teach them to not be afraid of a little “clean” dirt under their nails.
