VICTORY GARDEN 2.0 Benefits of Gardening with Perennials

Extra, Extra, Important News Flash … Spring is  NOT Cancelled !  And what goes hand in hand with Spring ?? GARDENING ! 

For the past few years, Ritter Perennials, have incorporated the #plantingwithapurpose hashtag in our branding. For the most part, it was used to help educate consumers and novice gardeners about the importance of perennial gardening for the health and habitat of the pollinators. Planting perennials in your garden also helps immensely with the health of our soil and our environment.

Now with these trying times, we also need to remind everyone of  #plantingwithapurpose for both the physical and mental health of us human beings, too ! Many, many studies have been done throughout years showing the many benefits we get from gardening.

1). Gardening is great exercise. It’s actually considered a moderately intense workout– more calories are burned than walking at a moderate pace.  Gardening can even lower your blood pressure, beside the physical activity, your pressure  goes down  by getting more sunlight and decreasing your stress.

2).  Gardening  reduces anxiety and stress. One of the stress hormones, cortisol, is lowered, which is why you feel more calm and less anxious when working in your garden. Bees and butterflies are attracted to perennials for the nectar and pollen. Birds are attracted for the seeds and for shelter in winter. You get a sense well-being and accomplishment when watching Mother Nature thrive in your own backyard. Many long term rehab hospitals, memory care centers and  special needs schools are adding gardens for their residents to enjoy and even take care of  to help them recover faster and restore their confidence no matter their limitations.

3).  Being outside in the sunlight  helps your body produce Vitamin D which in turn helps your body use Calcium more efficiently. This builds your bones as well as your immune system. It’s interesting to note, that during the 1918 Flu Pandemic, the patients who were placed outdoors, due to overcrowding of hospitals, actually improved faster than those patients  inside in the hospital rooms.  Sunlight is also the antidote to certain kinds of depression ( SADD).  Many articles have been written showing the benefits of  how working with soil exposes you to beneficial microbes which, once again, builds up your immunity.

Many new gardeners start off with a few vegetable and herb plants, I’m wondering if we’ll get back to the Victory Garden days of WWII.

But, remember to plant flowers, especially perennials in the garden. By having a cutting garden, you’ll be able to bring the beautiful blooms inside too !

So, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy  & Create your Happy Place !

Plant a Garden!