Gardening's hidden benefits: How digging in the dirt could bolster
mental wellbeing
[August 26, 2025]
By JESSICA DAMIANO
If you spend any time gardening, you probably understand what I mean
when I say it feels good — despite the lifting, sweating and straining
involved. Yes, exercise is good for our bodies, but there’s something
about digging in the dirt while listening to a bird soundtrack that
lifts my spirits. Even the scent of the soil and mulch makes me happy.
As it turns out, there are scientific reasons for this.
In fact, there’s an entire field called horticultural therapy that’s
dedicated to using “plant-based and garden-based activities to support
people who have identified treatment needs,” according to Karen Haney, a
horticultural therapy instructor at UCLA Extension in Long Beach,
California.
“Research suggests 20-30 minutes (of gardening) a few times a week can
reduce stress and lift mood, with benefits increasing the more regularly
one gardens,” says Sarah Thompson, a professionally registered
horticultural therapist in Boise, Idaho.
It's not just about being outdoors
Yes, the simple act of being in nature can improve mood and restore
focus, she said, but “the active engagement of nurturing plants, making
decisions and seeing results over time adds a unique layer of meaning
and satisfaction that passive time outdoors does not.”
In addition, Thompson said gardening has been shown to ease symptoms of
anxiety and depression, and fosters a sense of calm, purpose and
accomplishment.
A recent study at the University of Colorado-Boulder backs this up.
The researchers there provided one group of participants with an
instructional gardening class, seeds, starter plants and a community
gardening plot. They had a second group refrain from gardening for two
years.
The gardening cohorts reported stronger social connections, lower stress
levels and about a 7% increase in fiber intake, which have been shown to
reduce risk factors for some physical and mental illnesses, including
depression, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cancer. They also
reported a 42-minute weekly increase in physical activity, which the
non-gardeners did not.
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This Aug. 21, 2025, image provided by Jessica Damiano shows a woman
gardening on Long Island, N.Y. (Jessica Damiano via AP)
 A mindful, rewarding and
versatile activity
Previous studies have arrived at similar findings. In 2020, for
instance, researchers at the University of Exeter and the Royal
Horticultural Society in the U.K. found the health and well-being of
gardeners over non-gardeners to be similar to that of residents of
wealthy communities over those who live in poorer areas.
In addition to encouraging mindfulness, grounding people in the
present moment and providing a sense of achievement, Thompson said,
“research has also shown that exposure to sunlight can boost
serotonin levels, while contact with soil introduces beneficial
microbes linked to mood enhancement.”
So, it seems you just can’t go wrong with gardening.
“Physically, gardening improves strength, flexibility and balance.
Socially, it can foster connection. Cognitively, it engages problem
solving and creativity,” Thompson said, adding that it’s a highly
adaptable activity.
“Gardening can be scaled to any space, ability or age, and its
benefits are accessible to everyone,” she said.
Deep down, we gardeners have always believed this. Now, we have the
science to prove it.
___
Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and
publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter.
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