Archive
BOTANY HEALS!
28/11/2024
There are many articles in the press about the healing and stress-reducing benefits of nature and being surrounded by plants and greenery[1]. Here are some pointers to enjoying the benefits.
- Take time to spend in lush, biodiverse greenspace with a mix off trees, grassland and other vegetation – at least 20 minutes a day if you can.
[1] The work of Professor Baroness Kathy Willis, CBE is of particular interest. Start at https://www.biology.ox.ac.uk/people/katherine-willis and her recent book Good Nature: The New Science of How Nature Improves Our Health available on Amazon.
- Take an interest in identifying the plants you see and how they behave. There’s lots of help available from books, and apps for your mobile. Why do they grow where they do, what insects are pollinating them, how do they disperse their seeds, which plants tend to grow together in a botanical community? It’s fascinatingly absorbing and will take your mind off worries and problems.
- Use your sense of smell as you wander, to appreciate the many sweetly scented flowers and foliage such as that of lavender, mint and many conifers.
- Observe the birds and other animals and how they interact with the vegetation (roosting, nesting, feeding, hiding, preening, mating). It will help if you get one of the apps that teaches birdsong. Look for the signs of mammals amongst vegetation – of voles, mice, badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, muntjac, etc.
- Gardening is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing hobbies, too, even if it is in winter or only a few pots and containers. Just growing a few seeds or the occasional pot plant brings mental health rewards.
- You could try tree hugging which many people do enjoy but perhaps best on your own as it is inclined to attract strange looks![1].
Betts Ecology work hard to keep the green spaces we own and manage for you full of attractive habitats, lush green environments and stimulating walks.
