Gardening Plants Seeds for Good Cognitive Health

When was the last time you looked forward to weeding? If the answer is never, that might change. Research shows that gardening can have significant benefits for your mood and mind.

In a study that analyzed data from 4,919 adults between the ages of 46 and 80, gardening for at least 150 minutes a week reportedly improved people’s mental well-being and life satisfaction. The results, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology in 2023, found that the mood-boosting benefits were greater in people age 64 and older. 

“These findings contribute to a growing body of research suggesting that gardening can be a low-cost, accessible and enjoyable way to support mental health — especially in later life,” says lead author Selma Lunde Fjæstad at the University of Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences.

Sowing seeds, watering, pruning and other gardening tasks can also help combat stress, a key to supporting mental health. In a study of 38 adults over age 60, those who were assigned to a 12-week gardening group that met for two hours per week saw their stress levels drop by 6.5 percent. A unique feature of the study, published in Behavioral Sciences in 2024, was that the researchers didn’t rely on questionnaires to evaluate participants’ stress levels. Instead, participants wore devices that tracked stress-related body activity, such as heart rate variability and changes in nervous system function.

Gardening can support brain health, too. Researchers looked at data from a long-term study in which 467 participants took cognitive tests at age 11 and again at age 79. The participants, at age 79, also reported how much gardening they did. Those who said they gardened “frequently” had better thinking and memory skills compared with those who said they gardened “rarely” or “never.” The findings, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology in 2024, were independent of physical activity, health and education. According to the researchers, “Engaging in gardening projects, learning about plants, and general garden upkeep involve complex cognitive processes, such as memory and executive function.” 

Lead author Janie Corley, a research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, says the results support the idea that gardening "may help people stay mentally sharp by keeping them physically active, socially engaged and mentally stimulated.” 

Fjæstad agrees. “Gardening not only offers moderate physical activity, it can also foster a sense of purpose, opportunities for reflection and connection to nature and to the community — all of which are known contributors to psychological wellbeing,” she says.