A study published this month in the Journal of Environmental Psychology has shown that time spent gardening is associated with better mental health and higher levels of life satisfaction, particularly in middle-aged and older people.

We’re big lovers of gardening, especially community gardens here at The Illawarra Flame and Thursday editor Susan Luscombe recently introduced us to 8 Great Community Gardens. Lots of our readers enjoy time gardening, which for the purpose of this study was defined as, “an activity in a garden setting to grow, cultivate, and look after plants (e.g., flowers, vegetables) for non-commercial use.”

And we know from other studies that time spent in nature is associated with better health outcomes overall. But how much gardening is enough? If a doctor was to prescribe gardening, what would be the best dosage?

The authors looked at 4919 individuals living in Brisbane, Australia, between the ages of 46 and 80 and found that those who spent two and a half hours or more gardening a week were more likely to report better mental health and life satisfaction than those who did no gardening at all. The findings show that the benefits were stronger for those older than 64 years of age.

And as I’m now sitting, ahem, somewhere in the researched age bracket, looks like I should grab my rake, my watering can and tend to my veggies!

If you're interested in trying on gardening for size, Thirroul Community Garden has its open day this Saturday, 18 March from 10am-2pm. All welcome. See their Facebook page for details