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Role of gardening in mental well being
If you want to promote good mental well being for your garden, consider planting these four herbs.
Not only are they beautiful to look at and great to have on hand in your kitchen, but they are also excellent at promoting calmness and reducing anxiety . Two things that everyone can benefit from in their daily lives. Consider this an excellent addition to your natural remedies collection.
Rosemary
A perennial herb that grows well in sun or partial shade. Rosemary is often used for flavoring meats and fish and for salads.
Its aromatic qualities are said to help with depression, mood swings, and even some forms of dementia. Additionally, rosemary oil is often used as a massage oil or bath additive as it promotes deep relaxation.
It can be grown indoors or outdoors but needs regular watering. It’s best to use fresh leaves when cooking with rosemary, the dried variety tends to lose its flavor quickly.
To harvest, simply cut off branches at their base and strip away leaves from stems. Use immediately or dry out on paper towels until crisp before storing in an airtight container for up to six months.
Lavender
In addition to its intoxicating scent, lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is revered for its stress-reducing abilities. The herb has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, as well as improve sleep.
Plus, it also helps balance hormones and kill off bacteria responsible for acne. Plant it in a pot on your windowsill so you can enjoy its scent throughout your home when you’re stressed or trying to sleep.
If you have an area of your yard that gets full sun all day long, consider growing lavender there instead. It needs at least six hours of sunlight each day to thrive.
You can even dry out your leaves and use them as a pillowcase filler for better sleep or create an aromatic sachet with dried leaves and hang them from clothespins around your room for all-day aromatherapy benefits.
This plant is deer resistant, but if you live in an area where deer are common predators, consider covering it with chicken wire until it grows larger. Once mature, however, deer won’t bother with plants over 6 feet tall anyway, so don’t worry about having to cover it up until then!
Chamomile
Known for its ability to ease stress and induce sleep, chamomile is also a popular plant for soothing skin irritations and dryness.
It does not tolerate hot or windy weather well, so it Is a great option for gardens with Mediterranean climates.
You can make an herbal tea from its flowers or leaves, both of which have sedative properties. As an added bonus, chamomile can also attract pollinators like bees. If you want to learn more about growing chamomile, check out this article on how to grow chamomile plants.
Basil
The scent of basil has been shown to increase alertness, reduce depression and anxiety, and enhance cognitive performance.
While basil can certainly be eaten, it also serves as a lovely addition to any garden. In fact, it is one of our favorite fragrant plant varieties.
There are dozens of different types of basil you can try in your yard. Purple Ruffles Basil is stunning, it is purple when it grows from seedlings but will have pinkish flowers when mature.
The leaves are also edible and delicious, we love using them for homemade pesto sauce. Lemon Basil is another popular variety; it smells like lemon without being overwhelming and does well indoors during winter months.
It can grow up to two feet tall, so keep that in mind if you are growing it near a fence or wall. Dark Opal Basil is similar to lemon basil but with dark green leaves instead of light green ones.
It produces small white flowers which are attractive to bees and other pollinators. Finally, Thai Red Basil is best known for its use in Asian cuisine, it adds an exotic flavor and aroma to dishes such as Thai curries and Pad Thai noodles.
If you are looking for something more unusual than common Italian basil, I recommend trying one of these varieties out.
Conclusion
Herbs have been used for thousands of years by human beings for many purposes, including medicinal.
Today, more and more people are turning to natural remedies as a way of promoting positive mental health, and what better place to start than in our own homes?
If you are ready to experience nature-based home remedies firsthand, here are some easy-to-grow plants that will help increase your sense of well-being while also beautifying your property. Happy gardening!