The Great Benefits of Gardening
By Desirea D. Caucci, PT, DPT
Gardening is a hobby and family past time for many of us. I appreciate the knowledge and expertise of the
green-thumb folks especially since so many attempts of my own have ended up wilted, withered or overrun with
weeds! Despite several of my own failed attempts at flower gardens, it is still a hobby of mine and I can relate
to all of the people out there who enjoy reaping the many benefits of gardening.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t start of the list by mentioning the physical benefits of gardening. Gardening burns
approximately 272 calories per hour (the same amount of calories in about one Grande Starbucks caffe latte, ½
of a Big Mac, 3 ½ glasses of wine, one snickers bar, 1.3 cans of Coke, or 9 carrots). You also strengthen nearly
all of the muscles of your body with the movements involved in planting, weeding, maintaining, etc. You are
exercising and not even realizing it! (Just be sure to protect your back by using a gardening bench or by
kneeling instead of repeatedly bending over.)
Being outdoors also allows you to soak up vitamin D from the sun’s rays. Vitamin D is vital to keeping your
bones strong and for promoting immune function. (Just be sure to protect your skin from burning by applying
sun-screen prior to gardening and staying in shady areas whenever possible.
Improving your home’s landscape also provides the benefit of increasing the value of your home. The
landscapes you create are an artistic expression for you and others to enjoy each and every day. It provides an
instantaneous uplifting feeling that brightens your day and an ongoing feeling of pride in the beauty that you
have created. It assists nature in attracting beautiful insects, like butterflies, for pollination and you get the
added pleasure of having them around. If vegetable gardens are your preference, the bounty of vegetables and
herbs are the reward for your taste buds and for your pocketbooks!
If you are unable to garden outdoors, you can always bring the outdoors in to get the benefit of year-round
enjoyment. Houseplants also serve to improve the air quality in your home. According to Feng Shui, plants
connect us to the natural world and increase the flow of positive energy throughout our homes. With creativity,
you can design container garden arrangements, terrariums and indoor herb gardens that require less
maintenance and time for upkeep, but still provide many of the same benefits as outdoor gardening.
Thank you to the gardeners out there who make beautiful displays out of their lawns and gardens. There are
many of us quietly admiring all of your hard work, and thus, you are providing us, your neighbors, with some of
the benefits, too!
By Desirea D. Caucci, PT, DPT
Gardening is a hobby and family past time for many of us. I appreciate the knowledge and expertise of the
green-thumb folks especially since so many attempts of my own have ended up wilted, withered or overrun with
weeds! Despite several of my own failed attempts at flower gardens, it is still a hobby of mine and I can relate
to all of the people out there who enjoy reaping the many benefits of gardening.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t start of the list by mentioning the physical benefits of gardening. Gardening burns
approximately 272 calories per hour (the same amount of calories in about one Grande Starbucks caffe latte, ½
of a Big Mac, 3 ½ glasses of wine, one snickers bar, 1.3 cans of Coke, or 9 carrots). You also strengthen nearly
all of the muscles of your body with the movements involved in planting, weeding, maintaining, etc. You are
exercising and not even realizing it! (Just be sure to protect your back by using a gardening bench or by
kneeling instead of repeatedly bending over.)
Being outdoors also allows you to soak up vitamin D from the sun’s rays. Vitamin D is vital to keeping your
bones strong and for promoting immune function. (Just be sure to protect your skin from burning by applying
sun-screen prior to gardening and staying in shady areas whenever possible.
Improving your home’s landscape also provides the benefit of increasing the value of your home. The
landscapes you create are an artistic expression for you and others to enjoy each and every day. It provides an
instantaneous uplifting feeling that brightens your day and an ongoing feeling of pride in the beauty that you
have created. It assists nature in attracting beautiful insects, like butterflies, for pollination and you get the
added pleasure of having them around. If vegetable gardens are your preference, the bounty of vegetables and
herbs are the reward for your taste buds and for your pocketbooks!
If you are unable to garden outdoors, you can always bring the outdoors in to get the benefit of year-round
enjoyment. Houseplants also serve to improve the air quality in your home. According to Feng Shui, plants
connect us to the natural world and increase the flow of positive energy throughout our homes. With creativity,
you can design container garden arrangements, terrariums and indoor herb gardens that require less
maintenance and time for upkeep, but still provide many of the same benefits as outdoor gardening.
Thank you to the gardeners out there who make beautiful displays out of their lawns and gardens. There are
many of us quietly admiring all of your hard work, and thus, you are providing us, your neighbors, with some of
the benefits, too!
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