GARDEN YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE WITH MELINDA MYERS
Reduce your stress , lower your blood pressure , improve your mood and save money while working on your green thumb . Research shows gardening can do all this and more .
Gardening can help you lose weight , tone your muscles and increase flexibility . Improve your fitness . Burn calories and increase muscle tone and flexibility . The arthritis foundation encourages movement and gardening is one great way .
And don ’ t worry if your skills and space are limited . Everyone can increase the beauty in their environment whether just a balcony or several acres , without a big increase in their budget .
Start small . This is especially true if you ’ re new to gardening . It is better to build for the future than become overwhelmed and give up gardening . And seasoned gardeners can look for new ways to increase their satisfaction and fun .
Convert underutilized and overlooked areas into beautiful spaces used as small outdoor living spaces , entertainment areas or a quiet getaway . Container gardens , green walls and window boxes add planting space to once unplantable areas .
Brighten the indoors . Everyone , especially those with no access to the outdoors , should consider windowsill gardens and planters filled with herbs , greens and houseplants . Not only will they feed your gardening desires and add life to your décor , they ’ ll also help cleanse the air , removing harmful volatile organic compounds .
Share with a friend . Find friends and family members that share your love for or budding interest in gardening . Experienced gardeners will swap advice and plants , while new gardeners can benefit from others experience and new perspective . And with everyone ’ s busy schedules it ’ s a great way to combine a visit with improving your landscape .
Make it an event . A plant swap , weeding round robin or garden tour makes gardening fun and lightens everyone ’ s work load as you help each other with planning , planting and weeding . And be sure to include some light refreshments , table decorations and recipes using your homegrown produce .
Include some herbs . Add flavor to your meals and fun to your dining experience . Have friends pluck fresh mint to flavor their ice tea or mojito . And grow some lovage . The celery flavor and hollow stems make this the perfect straw for your tomato juice or Bloody Mary .
Grow some fruits and vegetables . Not only can you save money on your grocery bill , but you can ’ t beat the flavor or nutritional content of fresh-fromyour-garden produce . And you control the chemicals used on your plants .
Mix it up a bit . Add flowers to your edible containers to create an attractive display . Add bulbs to your perennial plantings to increase the flower power and reduce your workload . The perennial foliage will mask the unsightly fading leaves of the bulbs . And don ’ t hesitate to include a few annuals with your perennials . They provide continuous bloom while temporarily filling in space by new plantings or voids in established gardens .
Make it convenient . If your garden tools and gloves are handy , you are more likely to take a few minutes to weed or deadhead your garden . Spending ten or fifteen minutes every day in your garden , not only keeps it looking good , it improves your mood and lowers your blood pressure .
And most importantly , relax and have fun .
For more gardening information visit www . melindamyers . com
Melinda Myers has written over twenty gardening books , including Small Space Gardening . She hosts The Great Courses How to Grow Anything DVD Series , including Food Gardening For Everyone ( thegreatcourses . com / courses / how-to-grow-anythingfood-gardening-for-everyone . html ), and the nationally syndicated Melinda ’ s Garden Moment TV and radio program . Melinda is also a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms Magazine . Visit melindamyers . com for more of her tips on gardening and landscaping .
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