At Rhino Greenhouses Direct, we are passionate that people of all ages can get involved in gardening, whether it be the older generations to the youngest generations of your family, gardening is the perfect way to relax and unwind from the stresses of daily life.
And with RHS Chelsea Flower Show unveiling their “No Adults Allowed Garden”, a garden designed by children, for children, there seemed like no better time to discuss the importance of gardening for young people.
Changing attitudes to gardening within young people
What once was seen as a hobby for the older generations, attitudes to gardening amongst younger people has begun to switch. With 83% of young people now seeing gardening as “cool”, and 54% of young people stating they would rather go to a garden center over a nightclub.
But why are so many young people ditching their dancing shoes in favor of shovels and seeds? Keep reading as we discuss not only the importance of gardening for young people, but why we believe more and more young people are getting involved in planting.
Health and Wellbeing Benefits
Access to green spaces, such as gardens, is crucial to the development of young people, both for their physical and mental health. A study conducted by Gov UK and Natural England has concluded that access to nature activities, such as gardening, positively impacts the mental health and wellbeing, not throughout their adolescence, but the benefits can be seen into their adulthood.
Young people who frequently access green spaces, and nature activities, have been seen to have an improved capacity to concentrate, better academic performance, greater levels of self-esteem and crucially a reduction, and in some cases recovery, from conditions such as stress and anxiety.
Evidence of this has been seen in the Northeast, where the ‘Roots to Health Project’ ran by The Children’s Foundation, supports students who are frequently absent from school due to their mental health, by offering them access to community allotments. Young people who have access to the allotments, have credited them for helping them remain calmer, especially in school environments.
A sense of responsibility
Alongside benefitting young people’s health and wellbeing, gardening also builds a sense of responsibility amongst young people. With gardening, young people are now not only responsible for themselves, but are tasked with the job of nurturing their plants. For instance, they will need to remember to regularly water their plants, to ensure that they do not dry out, and will need to monitor their plants for signs of new growth and potential pests.
Growing trends in gardening
As we are now living in a digital age, many young people are spending roughly two hours a day scrolling on TikTok, according to Business Insider. And with over 263 million posts under the title of “Gardening” on TikTok, young people are becoming more and more exposed to gardening related content in their day-to-day lives. Simon Akeroyd, a gardening TikTok creator and author with over 600k followers on the platform, stated that he believes that TikTok will be aspiring the next generation of gardeners, as the app allows new audiences to explore the wonders of gardening, from the comfort of their own home.
How can you encourage young people to get involved in gardening?
One of the easiest ways to get young people into gardening is to simply get them involved in planting, whether it be with a houseplant in their bedroom, or them taking charge on growing a specific plant in the garden.
Here we have detailed some of our favorite plants that we recommend for encouraging young people to get involved in gardening:
Houseplants
Houseplants are a great way to encourage young people to get involved with gardening due to the fact they do not need access to a garden. Houseplants thrive in environments such as bedrooms and living rooms, making them ideal for young people to care for within their own space.
Spider Plants
Spider plants are the perfect plant to encourage young people to get into gardening, as they are very tolerant plants, making them very easy to care for. Needing minimal maintenance, spider plants are a popular plant for beginner gardeners. Spider plants thrive in indirect sunlight, meaning they are suitable for any room in your home.
Snake Plant
Similar to spider plants, snake plants are brilliant plants to introduce young people to gardening. Requiring minimal watering and maintenance, snake plants are brilliant plants for a young person to care for. Known for its air purification, snake plants are perfect plants for young people’s bedrooms as they release oxygen throughout the night and has been said to improve quality of sleep.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are one of the nation’s favorite flowers and are perfect for young people to plant. Sunflower seeds can be planted throughout April to May and have vibrant blooms throughout summer and autumn. Reaching heights of up to 3 meters high, sunflowers are relatively low maintenance plants for young people to grow, requiring direct sunlight, regular watering, and well-draining soil to thrive. Sunflowers can be grown both within pots and directly into the ground, making them a perfect plant for young people to grow on patios or balconies.
Whether it be caring for houseplants in your bedroom, or growing your own fruit and vegetables, gardening has been proven to have incredible health and wellbeing benefits and can be a perfect way for young people to relieve excess stress in their lives.