Today's Wellness Garden Trend Has Deep Roots

Today’s Wellness Garden Trend Has Deep Roots

Home and garden gurus are calling 2024 “the year of the wellness garden,” promoting backyard plots of land as places to relax, fill your senses, soak in the joy of beautiful surroundings, connect with nature, and bask in your plant-nurturing accomplishments.

While the list is certainly accurate (although it fails to mention the hard work often involved), to veteran gardeners, it’s nothing new; we’ve been plugging the rewards of gardening all along. But, hey, if it brings more gardeners into the fold, that’s what matters.

What’s interesting, though, is that advocates say the rise of wellness gardens started about 2020, during the pandemic.

What they’re calling a new trend actually has roots stretching back thousands of years across various cultures.  

Timeless Practices

From time immemorial people have looked to nature for physical and emotional or mental healing. 

Early records show plants and herbs being cultivated for their curative properties as far back as 3000 BC, when their names were inscribed on clay tablets in Sumer (present-day Iraq). The Ebers Papyrus, dating roughly to 1550 BC and the most extensive surviving record of ancient Egyptian medicine, lists more than 800 plant-based remedies while China’s circa-200 BC Shennong Bencao Jing (Classic of the Herbalist Emperor) documents hundreds of therapeutic plants. 

Though the rise of Western medicine largely replaced medicinal herb-foraging with physician visits and pharmacy trips, the use of herbal medicines never completely went away. Systems like Ayurveda, which aims to promote health and balance in the body, mind, and spirit, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and others that rely heavily on herbal remedies continue to be practiced in many parts of the world. In recent decades, there's been a growing interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the West. This includes the use of herbal remedies alongside conventional treatments.

The Way to Wellness

Treating illness is part of the holistic approach of “wellness,” but much of the emphasis is instead on disease prevention and healthy lifestyles. 

The wellness movement, influenced by time-honored practices like yoga and traditional medicine, gained momentum in the second half of the 20th century, alongside the counterculture movement of the 1960s, the fitness revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, and the rise in “lifestyle diseases” that develop due to the habits and environments associated with modern life (think obesity and Type 2 diabetes, among others).

Gardening in general promotes the concept of wellness in any number of ways, including through:

• Physical activity — Digging, planting, and weeding all provide a moderate workout, improving cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and flexibility.
• Stress reduction — The repetitive nature of gardening tasks can be meditative, promoting mindfulness and reducing stress.
• Mood improvement — Being surrounded by nature and the beauty of flowers and foliage has a calming effect, lowering cortisol (stress hormone) levels and promoting relaxation. Spending time in nature has been shown to increase feelings of happiness and well-being.
• Sensory experiences — Gardening engages all five senses. You can feel the cool soil between your fingers, smell the fragrant herbs, admire the vibrant colors of flowers, enjoy the taste of homegrown produce, and listen to the sounds of nature. This multi-sensory experience can be incredibly grounding and promote mental well-being.

All the Elements

With that in mind, a well-designed wellness garden incorporates elements that promote physical and mental well-being. 

• You can ensure physical activity by including plants of various heights, providing opportunities for kneeling, reaching, and squatting (different heights will also make your garden more visually interesting: On the other hand, raised garden beds will reduce strain on your back while tending to your plants.
• Plant fragrant lavender or chamomile for their comforting properties. You might even give catnip a try: while best known for its effect on felines, it can also soothe people. Ferns and ornamental grasses that move in the breeze can be soothing to watch.
• Take the edge off after a stressful day by nestling comfortable seating in the greenery, providing a quiet space for reflection and relaxation. 
• Looking to lift your mood? Plant lemon balm, mint, or rosemary for their scents and brightly colored sunflowers, zinnia, and roses. Love the fascinating, even playful, nature of butterflies? Reach for native plants.  
• Consider incorporating features that encourage activities you find relaxing or pleasurable. If you love yoga, designate a peaceful area for practice. Enjoy birdwatching (and birdsong)? Bring your avian favorites to your yard with sunflowers, berry bushes, holly berries, and native plants (or well-stocked feeders).
• To appeal to all your senses, include a variety of plants with vibrant colors, interesting textures, and pleasant scents. Create a peaceful soundscape with a fountain or windchimes. And grow your own vegetables and herbs for just-picked flavor. 

While the idea of a “wellness garden” may be called a new trend, the benefits of gardening are tried-and-true. Incorporating these suggestions can make any garden an even better place, and help you feel your best.