Posted June 19, 2025 by Anupreet Kaur, M.D., FAAFP, Medical Director, Care Management and Population Health
We all know the saying: “April showers bring May flowers.” Spring is the season for planting — and perhaps planting seeds for better health.
The benefits of gardening go well beyond flowers in the summer and a harvest in the fall. A regular dose of gardening can do wonders for your mind, body and overall well-being by relieving stress, moving your body, stimulating brain activity, promoting a healthy diet and much more. In fact, gardening is one of the healthiest hobbies you can develop.
Whether you’re tending a small plot or a flourishing greenhouse, SummaCare digs into the 7 health benefits of gardening. So, roll up your sleeves and get some dirt under your nails all for a worthy goal: a happier, healthier life.
Getting outdoors to garden in the sunlight produces a vital nutrient your body needs: vitamin D. This “sunshine vitamin” is essential for calcium absorption and strong, healthy bones. It also supports muscle function, brain cell activity and the immune system.
And it doesn’t take much. About 20 to 30 minutes of sunlight a few times a week will give your body sufficient vitamin D intake. While you can get it through your diet from eating fatty fish, eggs and fortified foods, exposure to sunlight is the most natural and efficient way for your body to produce vitamin D.
Just be careful to avoid skin damage. If you’re planning to be outside for long periods of time, be sure to protect your skin by using sunscreen with at least 15 SPF and wear protective clothing.
Believe it or not, gardening is exercise! And you may burn as many calories gardening as you would in the gym.
Activities like raking leaves, shoveling mulch, pulling weeds and planting flowers can increase your heart rate and boost cardiovascular health. Not to mention, working in the garden uses every major muscle group — not a surprise to those gardeners who have woken up sore the next day. Tasks like hauling potting soil, digging, squatting to weed and pushing around a loaded wheelbarrow challenge leg, arm and core muscles to build strength.
Physical activity is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle to promote weight loss and maintain a healthy weight, increase heart health, relieve stress and boost mood, improve sleep quality, help ward off cognitive decline and so much more!
When tending an edible garden, you quite literally get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Growing your own produce and having access to fresh, nutritious food encourages a healthy, fiber-rich diet. And you’re more likely to make it a habit and include fresh fruits and veggies as part of a well-balanced diet year-round.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables offers your body the vital vitamins, minerals and antioxidants it needs to function at its best and fight disease. A healthy diet isn’t just about maintaining a healthy weight. It also helps to lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer.
Gardening involves planning, problem solving and decision making. You might even learn something new along the way. All of these things stimulate brain activity, improve memory and can help stave off cognitive decline. Just as your muscles get stronger when you exercise and lift weights, so do our brains when we challenge them to think, learn and problem solve.
Gardening is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. For starters, gardening is exercise, which releases endorphins in your brain, the feel-good hormones that naturally reduce stress and anxiety.
In addition, connecting with nature and nurturing plants is a form of meditation. It’s a great way to release negative energy, process emotions and feel better about your problems.
If nothing else, just getting outdoors in sunshine and fresh air naturally boosts your mood. Natural light increases serotonin levels in the brain, which helps with mood regulation by reducing feelings of sadness or anxiety, while boosting happiness to improve overall well-being.
Your plants aren’t the only things growing. When nurturing a garden, you’ll see yourself grow, too. Gardening is hands-on, and each season you’ll experiment, make mistakes, troubleshoot challenges and improve. Finding success and accomplishing your goals always feels good and can build confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, connecting with nature and nurturing plants can give you a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation. And research shows there’s a strong connection between purpose in life and mental stability.
Gardening can bring people together and broaden your support network. If you’re working in a school, community or family garden, it can expose you to people with shared interests and give you a greater sense of connectedness. Friendships can be made over sharing produce, celebrating successes and bemoaning gardening challenges.
Social connections can lead to lower risks of depression, anxiety and feelings of loneliness. In fact, research shows your body releases endorphins during positive social contact, similar to the physical response after a hard workout, which boosts happiness while reducing stress.