Nature and growing
And, breathe! Did you know that spending just a small amount of time in nature is linked to lots of benefits for our physical and mental health?
By doing a bit of gardening, or stepping out into a local park for a lunch-time stroll, we can help to reduce our blood pressure and stress, and lower our risk of developing any cardiovascular or respiratory issues.
Getting outdoors amongst plants and wildlife is a great way to unplug from our busy lifestyles and reconnect with the world around us. You could even say that enjoying time outside helps us get more in touch with what’s going on inside (your inner nature).
In Greater Manchester for example, improving the green space along Bridgewater Canal (check it out if you’re close by!) encouraged residents to walk more and have more social interactions, so having access to shared green spaces can help foster community too.
Even if your area isn’t the greenest of places, some small changes to your day-to-day activities can make a big difference when it comes to taking more notice of the environment: whether it’s spending an afternoon in one of Manchester’s 30 parks (picnic anyone?), switching to a more scenic cycle route, or learning how to grow at home, we’ve got a bunch of tips to help make your home and the city greener and wilder.
As well as making us feel good and saving us money (think lower energy use when you swap a short car ride for a walk or having fresh veg from your garden over store-bought), protecting our green spaces can help reduce the effects of climate change by keeping our cities cooler, improving air quality and reducing the risk of flash flooding.
Ready to turn over a new leaf and make a lasting impact? Check out these pages to learn how:
Discover our projects linked to nature and growing:
Get inspired:
Want to grow to the next level? Dive in to our nature toolkit:
Want to get a community nature project up and running? Learn from the best about how to get started.
Check out our wildlife pond guide!
Interested to learn more? Check out these other resources:
Home Grown Guide: how to grow 6 easy vegetables (Sow the City)
Fruit and vegetable planting calendar (Sow the City)
Growing Manchester Webinars (Sow the City)
