Gardening connects us with our food supply and with nature, can serve as a form of exercise and stress relief, and gets us out into the open air.
For some, gardening is as simple as putting in a few easy-to-grow herbs or planting some bedding flowers for beautification and pleasure.
For others, the science behind gardening challenges the mind and provides stimulation that may delay dementia in the elderly.
“Preliminary studies have reported the benefits of horticultural therapy and garden settings in reduction of pain, improvement in attention, lessening of stress, modulation of agitation, lowering of as needed medications, antipsychotics and reduction of falls,” according to the National Institutes of Health (bit.ly/3UHb6t5).
Whatever your reasons for gardening, there is help at the Cleveland County Wellness Square (The Well) if you want to learn more.
OSU Extension Horticulturist Courtney DeKalb-Myers will teach a spring gardening series that will begin at 9:30