It’s virtually impossible to not notice the living things in our environment on any given day. Their movement, colour, or scent vie for our attention even if we are focused on something altogether different. We may be walking to work or the shops, pounding the pavement for exercise or looking through the window of a vehicle. The world of flora (and fauna) touches on our innate curiosity and draws out our senses like the proverbial Pied Piper of Hamelin.
However, we may have slowly erected habitual walls of resistance to the call of the wild as we tend to the immediate needs of our busy lives task by task, and thus have begun to neglect the attraction of nature. Relegated to the back of our consciousness, we postpone the hour of engagement with the natural world and even miss opportunities to respond to its invitation. A lot of media attention has been given to the benefits of spending time in a green space and our logical minds do resonate with the truth behind this message at some level. Just how do we incorporate this in a doable way and reap the rewards without having to wait for the annual holiday or go through the upheaval of a total sea/tree change event in our lives?
Whether you are rooted in the suburbs, the metropolis or somewhere not even named on the map, there are various ways and means to carve out some engagement with Mother Nature. A step towards a more balanced, healthier experience of life within the swirling cosmos may be simpler than imagined. And here’s the jag: taking the step from thinking about it to doing it is not unlike any other new activity – it takes a little time, a repeated action, and a modicum of commitment, just like hygiene habits, fitness funks or mealtime moderations. Finding a place to start can be the biggest challenge.
Sustainable gardening
The recent focus on sustainable production and food security has spawned a growing movement of individuals linking with public green spaces to address these issues by way of establishing community gardens. By design they are places where nature is in the limelight as locals gather to establish beds growing herbs, fruit and vegetables, or planting flowers, shrubs, and trees. This in turn attracts a plethora of insects and birds and voila! – the neighbourhood is enriched with a naturally biodiverse web of life.
Once established, the plots obviously supply a range of produce for the picking and participants can come to get hands-on, harvest, or just hang out. The inexperienced gardeners and the green thumbs are equally welcome, and a lot of mixing goes on, and not just of the potting type.
Here there is an interface between people and nature which is ripe for enjoyment. Whether vigorously weeding and digging or sitting quietly, one can be taking it all in through senses starved for an encounter with purely natural shade, colour, texture, scent and even taste.
“Just as walking the dog can be a catalyst for connection, a spot of greenery can also bring people together who may not ordinarily have met.”
Biodiversity & its benefits
Sound inviting? But wait, there’s more! The biodiversity mentioned before extends to the humans who visit this habitat and there’s an unequalled diversity to be found amongst them. The rigid boundaries drawn around groups of people by our language and culture melt away under the sun as folks rub shoulders, swap tips, and divide the spoils. Aside from the healthy foods and physical activity, research into the social effects of communal horticulture have found immeasurable personal and collective benefits for stakeholders by way of increased positivity and sense of belonging, along with improved mental health and sense of wellbeing. Essentially one reaps far more than one sows.
Find your garden community
Although there are official Community Garden organisations to connect with at national, state, and local council level, there are also many unofficial groups with similar aims which may be in your locale. Keep an eye out in the street, at public facilities, through volunteer groups, on social media and even ask your friendly nursery for options to explore. This first step done will determine the next. If nothing is happening in your area it may take a little more initial effort. Consider a minor venture such as the kerbside, rooftop or even a shared boundary with neighbours to start a conversation about what might be possible to get growing and sharing. Once the idea has taken root, it’s amazing how just having to be outside opens dialogue in the neighbourhood and with passers-by. Just as walking the dog can be a catalyst for connection, a spot of greenery can also bring people together who may not ordinarily have met. On an even smaller scale, you may not have access to any public or private green space, however just a small collection of plants in pots can be the impetus for new health-giving habits.
Just like people, plants require input at various stages of development to thrive, so regardless of the scale of garden or degree of involvement in the activity, the simple fact that you prepare soil, sow seeds, water regularly and ‘have to’ tend to plants gives you the motivation and repetition we humans sometimes need to incorporate new habits and better connections with our environment and community. The fruits of your labour will surely come in physical form as well as intangible gains.
WORDS: Catherine Clark
This article was originally published in Issue 32 – Storytellers Assemble. You can purchase this issue and enjoy more enchanting content here.
