We all know that gardening is good for you so if you are looking for a New Year’s Resolution to benefit your health, instead of giving up this or that why not resolve to do more of something that you actually like? Yes, more Gardening!

As well as mild physical exercise there is a proven benefit to mental calmness, resilience and concentration from spending time outdoors in a natural environment.  And if gardening alone is good, then gardening with other people is even better.  A bit of time working with a community gardening group is definitely time well spent.

As well as greening up our towns, community gardening projects open up all the benefits of gardening to people who have never had a garden at home and allow those who can no longer maintain a plot of their own to keep on gardening as little or as much as they want.  There will always be someone on hand to give tips because, for an experienced gardener, there is a huge satisfaction in helping someone who has never gardened to discover the joys and overcome the frustrations.  And, however much gardening you have done before, you are certain to learn something because everyone does things differently and you are likely to come across new plants and try out new skills and tools.

Gardening is also a social activity and this is where a community project can offer so much.  In fact it is oddly sociable as there is no obligation to chatter away to the person working next to you; a companionable silence over a shared weed bucket is a fine thing.  And no gardening session is complete without a tea break and biscuits with the chance to share progress and discuss future plans for the garden.

The number of these great projects is increasing and all are run by volunteer-power. So do yourself a healthy favour, improve your local environment and spread the joy of gardening this New Year and consider giving some time to a community project.

Happy Gardening in 2017, Alison