Close-up of wild prairie smoke flowers with pinkish-red stems and feathery seed heads, set against a blurred green garden background.

The air wafted, sweet and warm, through the budding branches, over the greening grass, in and about the burgeoning perennials.  The earth was softening, and the landscape was preparing to burst with color and life.  Nature was beckoning us outdoors into her lovely, therapeutic realm.

Close-up of a blooming purple coneflower (Echinacea) with blurred pink flowers and green foliage in the background, taken in an outdoor garden setting.

Amid our new “normal” and lingering effects of the the pandemic, home has continued to serve for many as office and classroom.  Outside the home, social distancing is still encouraged, leaving many to feel isolated, anxious, frustrated and disconnected. Now, more than ever, we need to connect with nature, create sanctuaries, and gardening is the perfect vehicle in which to do so.

Yellow wildflowers bloom in a sunlit meadow with tall green grass and trees in the background. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating a bright and vibrant outdoor scene.

Get Some Exercise & Vitamin D

Gardening provides both anaerobic and aerobic exercise.  An hour of gardening can burn up to 300 calories, and best of all, it’s free!  Additionally, Vitamin D is primarily acquired through sun light, so soak it up!

A garden filled with blooming white roses surrounded by green leaves, with shrubs in the background.

Decrease Stress Levels

Gardening has been known to boost moods while decreasing stress levels.  It has also been shown to decrease depression.

A close-up of a vibrant purple flower in focus, with a blurred background of yellow and blue wildflowers and green foliage in a meadow.

Boost Your Immune System

Friendly soil bacteria, whether inhaled or ingested, has been found to alleviate allergies and asthma while decreasing anxiety, which also helps foster a healthy immune system.

Clusters of cherry tomatoes in various stages of ripeness, from green to red, grow on leafy branches against a blurred background.

Grow Healthy/Safe Food 

You’ll know exactly what’s in your food when you grow and harvest it yourself!

Close-up of blooming lavender flowers with vibrant purple petals, set against a blurred background of green foliage and a wooden bench or deck.

Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Gardening is a wonderful way to express yourself.  Try something new each season.  You are only limited by your imagination!

A close-up of a bee with translucent wings and black and yellow stripes collecting pollen from a vibrant yellow flower.

Enhance Emotional/Spiritual Well Being

Gardens can serve as tranquil retreats.  Many find the act of gardening to be therapeutic.  It can also help boost self-esteem and confidence.

Purple petunias and small white flowers grow among long, green ornamental grasses beside a concrete path in a lush garden setting.

Challenge Your Brain

In addition to exercising the body, gardening can help keep your brain nimble.  Learn how to garden through trial and error, keep a journal, pick up a book, and feed your brain.

A sunny garden with tall green grass and clusters of blue, purple, yellow, and white wildflowers in bloom. Some flowers are in shadow, while others are bright under the sunlight.

Gardens are a feast for the senses, and their aesthetic appeal is undeniable.  You needn’t a large space, or a ton of money – just the drive to reconnect with nature, and in doing so, your health and well being will benefit as well.  Reach out to Sweeney’s, and we’ll help get you started!  We proudly serve the communities of Villa Park, Elmhurst, Oakbrook, Oakbrook Terrace, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Wood Dale, Itasca, and more!

Sweeney’s:  A Plant Based Company

Plant of the Week

Clumps of orange and yellow torch-like flowers with long green leaves grow in a garden bed, with grass and pink flowers in the background.

Pyromania® ‘Backdraft’ Kniphofia hybrid

Spiky, peachy-yellow flowers bloom above grass-like foliage May – August.  Prefers full sun, and moist, well-drained soil.  Grows 24-36″ tall and 24-36″ wide.  Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.  Drought tolerant.  Deer and rabbit resistant.

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.”

-May Sarton

Best wishes,

Kim Sweeney