With 2.7 million new households having started gardening in 2020, we can see through the industry that the love for gardening is still growing – and part of this is due to the natural connection between gardening and health. From endorphins through exercise to the cortizole-lowering effects of being around plants, the benefits of gardening and nature are clear for our wellbeing.
Last week was National Mental Health Awareness Week (10th-16th May) and this year’s theme was ‘nature’ – and it is also the week that Evergreen Garden Care launched Thriving Minds, their internal programme to support the mental wellbeing of their colleagues.
Throughout the week, Evergreen employees have had the opportunity to get hands-on making herb planters, take part in a live ‘Introduction to Mindfulness’ session and were encouraged to practice ‘Shinrin Yoku’ – the Japanese art of Forest Bathing.
A highlight of the week was a live session with Miracle-Gro ambassador and horticulturalist David Domoney, who delivered an online talk with 50 employees about the positive impact of plants and gardening on all aspects of mental wellness, and finished off with a horticultural Q&A session.
The work doesn’t end there - Evergreen Garden Care now has 22 qualified Mental Health First Aiders and last week saw 24 managers attend a half-day mental health awareness session to ensure they have sufficient knowledge and skills to support their teams. There is also a confidential Employee Assistance Programme, where anyone who works for Evergreen Garden Care can talk to someone 24 hours a day, and access range of online resources.
Wendy Baines, HR Director at Evergreen Garden Care, is passionate about developing a culture that supports mental wellness, enabling people to be at their best, both inside and outside of the workplace. Wendy said: “This week’s activities have been really well supported and it has underlined the importance that people place on maintaining their mental wellbeing.
“One in four of us will experience poor mental health in any one year so we need to look after it in the same way that we look after our physical health. Thriving Minds is our commitment to colleagues that their health needs will always matter to us.”
Raising awareness for mental health hasn’t just been happening internally at Evergreen. Under their power brand Miracle-Gro they have collaborated this week with ex-footballer and mental health campaigner Wayne Bridge to launch a national Wellbeing campaign.
Inviting consumers to make a pledge through their website (www.lovethegarden.com), Miracle-Gro is challenging them to promise to spend more time outdoors and in nature – whether it’s 10 minutes a day outdoors or 20 minutes in your veggie patch. For the first 1,000 pledgers, they will receive a free Miracle-Gro Limited Edition Wellbeing Journal, packed with advice, activities, gardening inspiration and recipes.
The campaign has already reached national coverage on ITV 6 o’clock news, Sky Sports, across social media in collaboration with influencers and a wide range of radio stations, spreading the message about the importance of gardening and nature on our mental and physical health.
Mark Portman, MD of Evergreen Garden Care UK & Ireland said: “We put the care of people and our teams at the core of what we do and we are delighted to be supporting Mental Health Awareness Week through the launch of our Thriving Minds initiative for colleagues.
“The last 18 months have shone a light on the importance of good mental health and wellbeing, with so many of us having to manage our own personal challenges during Covid. There are so many tremendous benefits from gardening, being close to nature and plants - we are all lucky to be working in such a wonderfully positive industry.”