South Africans from all walks of life are joined by their love of gardens. That’s why we’re celebrating this country’s first ever Garden Day. Patio potters, veggie farmers, guerilla gardeners, mink and manure dames, avid horticulturalists and green-fingered folk are all invited to enjoy their private heavens on Sunday 9 October 2016.
Garden Day is intended to bring us together to appreciate one of life’s simplest but most profound pleasures.
You can enjoy this day in your own back yard, at your neighbour’s urban farm, or even on a sheltered balcony overlooking the city… It doesn’t really matter how big, or how small, your garden is. The important thing is to appreciate your very own version of a planted paradise and share it with friends and neighbours.
Most of the year we plant, water, weed and mulch – work, in other words. Now, here’s a day where we can reap the rewards of all that labour. Toss down that spade, invite family and friends round, kick back and appreciate the varied reasons why making a garden is so worthwhile!
Besides the sheer pleasure of smelling the roses, science is proving that gardening has distinct health benefits. According to various studies, gardening lowers blood pressure and increases brain activity. It combats stress and anxiety more effectively than any other kind of leisure activity – including reading! It also alleviates angst and depression. For older folk it lowers the risk of dementia, stroke and heart attack.
Gardening can help us recuperate faster. It even seems to calm prisoners in jail! People who garden tend to eat more fruits and vegetables and the same is true for for kids who garden at home or at school.
With all these reasons to celebrate, let’s hope for beautiful weather in the heart of Spring. So hang up the gloves, invite neigbours and friends round for tea and scones, or join them for glass of bubbly, because Sunday 9 October is our first official Garden Day! A day for everyone!
To see what you can do on Garden Day, you’re welcome to visit www.gardenday.co.za. Or follow Garden Day on social media:
@GardenDay [TBC]
#GardenDay [TBC]
facebook.com/GardenDay [TBC]
FACT SHEET
Date: Sunday 9 October 2016 – and then again next year, and the year after that…
Who: Everyone can enjoy Garden Day
What to do: Stop working, invite friends and neighbours to come over and enjoy your spot, or accept an invitation to visit someone else’s garden.
Where: In any private garden or greened spaces – you don’t need a big garden to participate
When: All Day
Why: This inclusive event is intended to foster unity among neighbours, friends and family by linking them through a shared love of gardens and gardening
Price: Free.
Bookings: None needed, but invitations are a good idea: talk to them, call them, email them, FB them.
Essential: A good sense of fun and hospitality
