Gardening: A Workout, Meditation, and Social Opportunity

Many people also report feeling a sense of meaning and purpose when they garden, which is an important contributor to well-being.

“Working with plants, people kind of see where they fit in the world,” said Emilee Weaver, the program manager of therapeutic horticulture at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. “They see why they’re valuable because of the cause-and-effect relationship that plants so visibly articulate.”

In addition, gardening, especially in community or allotment gardens, can help people build social connections and combat loneliness. In the Colorado study, participants talked about the relationships they developed and said they felt more bonded to their community through gardening.

“They’re fostering social connection. They’re getting more involved,” Dr. Litt said. “They talk about a sense of belonging. They talk about shared learning. All of these processes are really important for mental health.”

If you garden at home, putting a bed in the front yard instead of the back could similarly spur conversation and bring together neighbors, she added.

It’s possible that the act of getting your hands dirty could have a positive effect on your mood, as well. There is some research to suggest that bacteria in soil can alter the microbiome in a way that reduces stress and inflammation.

If playing in the dirt isn’t your thing, just being outdoors in a natural environment can provide stress relief and help people recover from mental fatigue, said Carly Wood, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at the University of Essex in England, who researches the mental health benefits of nature-based interventions, including gardening.

That may be because being in nature activates the mind and senses in a way that takes your attention off other things. “Natural environments are fascinating,” Dr. Wood said. “All their features inherently engage us and kind of distract us, in a way, from our stressors.”

And you don’t need to spend all day outdoors to reap the benefits, she said. “Five minutes is enough to improve your self-esteem and your mood.”

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A Fairy Tale Discovery in Vermont: The Return of False Mermaid-Weed

For many, searching for misplaced keys or phones is the extent of their explorations. However, botanists, like Molly Parren and Grace Glynn, dive into fields and riverbanks in pursuit of elusive plants. This poetic life was exemplified when Vermont announced the rediscovery of false mermaid-weed, thought to be locally extinct.

The discovery began on May 7 when Parren, a turtle biologist, spotted rare wild meadow garlic and sent a photo to Glynn, Vermont’s state botanist. Glynn, however, noticed another plant in the photo: Floerkea proserpinacoides, or false mermaid-weed, not seen in Vermont for over a century.

Excitedly, Glynn and her colleague Matt Charpentier, who had long sought this plant, celebrated the find. Glynn rushed to confirm the presence of the plant and found a dense carpet of it.

Rediscoveries like this are common in botany, where experts constantly seek and document rare plants to protect them. Glynn, relying on reports from enthusiasts, maintains a list of rare species, continually updated based on field findings.

The false mermaid-weed’s reappearance might be linked to recent flooding, which possibly created a more hospitable habitat. To preserve this rare species, Glynn will send seeds to a Massachusetts seed bank.

The rediscovery of false mermaid-weed is a beacon of hope amid environmental challenges, reflecting the perseverance and dedication of botanists.

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Exploring the Secret World of Fungi to Combat Climate Change

 

ALERCE COSTERO NATIONAL PARK, Chile — Dr. Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biologist from the Free University of Amsterdam, is on a groundbreaking mission to study underground fungi, which could play a crucial role in addressing climate change.

Dr. Kiers and her team collect soil samples to analyze the fungal networks beneath our feet. These fungi can store large amounts of carbon, help plants survive droughts, and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers by feeding nutrients to crops. Dr. Kiers aims to create a comprehensive atlas of these underground fungi, highlighting their vital functions.

Fungi, particularly mycorrhizal fungi, form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, exchanging nutrients and carbon. This network acts as a significant carbon sink, essential for mitigating global warming. Despite their importance, fungi are often overlooked in environmental protection efforts.

The expedition in Chile, guided by an algorithm predicting high fungal biodiversity, involves collecting and analyzing soil samples to identify the fungi present and their functions. Dr. Kiers plans to gather 10,000 samples over 18 months to map the global distribution and capabilities of these fungi.

Dr. Kiers emphasizes the urgent need to protect these fungal networks as they face threats from human activities and climate change. Her work aims to document and understand these hidden allies before they disappear, providing critical insights into how they can help us adapt to a hotter planet.

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