National Gardening Week

It feels well overdue, but Spring has finally sprung in the UK! This week is National Gardening Week, so what better time to get green fingered? In this blog, one of our editors Lauren talks about the benefits of gardening, top tips for starting and how you can get involved with National Gardening Week.

Gardening is a great way to keep active if you’re having treatment for cancer. It can be a really rewarding and fun way to stay fit. It can especially help with some of the effects of treatment, like fatigue and depression. It can also be a great way to relax if you’re going through a stressful time.

Gardening is a good starting point if you haven’t exercised in a while, as you can start slowly and not put pressure yourself. It’s really important to try to be as active as possible during and after cancer treatment. As well as reducing the side effects of treatment, it can help look after your heart, bones and joints, and help you maintain a healthy weight. It might encourage you to eat more healthily if you are growing your own fruit and vegetables!

As with any exercise, it’s important to do it safely and within your limits. Check out our top tips for staying safe while gardening:

• Warm up and cool down: make sure you stretch before and after gardening to prevent straining your muscles. NHS Choices has a guide on what you can do.
• Don’t overdo it: it’s important to take a ‘little and often’ approach as your fitness levels improve. Don’t feel you have to exercise if you feel unwell, and contact your doctor if you have any worrying symptoms.
• Wear appropriate clothes: make sure you’re wearing something loose and comfortable and fitted shoes, like trainers.
• Drink water: drink plenty while you are gardening so you don’t get dehydrated. It’s a good idea to have a healthy snack before and after too.
• Avoid uneven surfaces: make sure there isn’t a risk of falling over or hurting yourself, especially if you have problems with your bones.
• Take care in the sun: if you’ve had treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, you might need to take extra care in the sun. Use a suncream of at least SPF 30 and wear protective clothes to stay safe.
• Bending and lifting: try to avoid bending over too much, as you may get backache. When lifting, remember to bend from the knees and keep the load close to your body.

For more information on low-maintenance gardening if you have a health condition, check out the Royal Horticultural Society.

Keen to get started on a gardening project but don’t have a garden? We have ideas to help you. Here are other ways you can get involved:

• Window boxes: try growing plants in window boxes or containers on a patio or balcony.
• Community garden scheme: the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens can give you more information.
• Hire an allotment: try contacting your local council, as allotments can be popular with long waiting lists.
• Hospital community gardens: Maggie’s Centres offer gardening therapy groups.

National Gardening Week is a celebration of gardening and is encouraging new gardeners to start growing plants. There are loads of different events you can attend, or you could even host your own. For more information on how you can get involved, visit their website. 

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