KAROO NEWS - According to Rolux chief executive Stuart Williams, getting your garden back into shape can also give your mental and physical health a boost.
“Being outside makes people happier, eases anxiety, inspires creativity and boosts our immune systems. It’s science and it’s called biophilia – the innate human instinct to connect with nature and other living things,” says Williams.
“In the UK, a survey commissioned by the Royal Horticultural Society revealed that seven out of 10 people surveyed believe that having a garden and engaging in regular activities such as watering or mowing helped their mental health during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
“Gardening also requires us to be fully present in the moment and focused on one thing at a time. This is the opposite of other aspects of our lives where multitasking is valued, and information bombards us from all angles. Psychologists call this the ‘flow state’, It happens when you feel fully engaged in what you’re doing and feel like you’re making progress.”
As we are in autumn, there is no time like the present to get out into your garden and into a flow state. A summer of good rains has no doubt started a growing frenzy in your garden. So now is the ideal time to nip, tuck and trim and get your garden back into shape for the last bit of enjoyment before winter sets in.
Grooming
Shrubs need trimming, topiaries need shaping, and lawn edges need tidying. All these tasks are easy when you have the right tools, so get out your pruning shears, loppers and brush cutters and get to work.
Trimming your bushes and removing dead wood stimulates new and healthier growth and allows neighbouring plants room to thrive. Take the opportunity to check for diseased or pest-ridden areas and remove those simultaneously.
For your benefit, brush cutting gives a moderate workout, and the repetitive yet rewarding nature of the work can induce a meditative state. But, more importantly, you will have the satisfying feeling of a job well done.
Get rid of dead wood
Although the real job of pruning should wait for winter, if the trees in your garden are becoming overgrown and are casting too much shade, or you’ve noticed a lot of dead and diseased wood, now is the perfect time to tame and rejuvenate them.
Removing excess dead wood will make way for new growth. It increases the surrounding plants’ access to light and air. With less shade, plants get more sunshine, which means more growth and blooms for the plants below the tree canopy.
The benefit to you is that you get to be a lumberjack for the day.
Actress Elizabeth Hurley swears by gardening rather than visiting the gym. In her interview with entertainment magazine Extra in 2019, she said that for exercise, she prefers to keep fit by gardening. “Cutting down a hedge, using my chainsaw to cut down a tree, logging, all of that stuff I do.”
So, grab your chainsaw and brush cutter and get a sweat on while reconnecting with nature.
