April is National Garden Month, a time to kick winter to the side and embrace sun, health, and new life. And if we’ve ever needed a time to leave cabin fever behind–baby boomers and older adults alike–it’s 2021!
It may surprise you that National Garden Week has been around for more than 30 years. It began in 1987 when President Reagan signed the proclamation to kick off the first annual celebration. This yearly event is supported by The National Gardening Association.
If you’d like to join the celebration, here are some ideas to embrace this season:
Stop and smell the roses!
Find a community rose garden, park, or nature conservancy. Pack a lunch, sunblock, and water, and enjoy the free dose of vitally important Vitamin D. According to Sharp Health News, being outdoors can improve your mood and focus, lower blood pressure and stress, and help you heal faster and age gracefully.
Plant something
Plant a seed and watch flowers, fruit, or vegetables come to life! This is a project you can share with grandchildren; they’ll be more apt to taste produce they help grow. April can be a great time to plant tomatoes, beets, corn, basil, and more. A Tower Garden is perfect for beginning gardeners as well as more experienced ones. It uses only 10% of the space and 2% of the water required for traditional gardening, and you’ll have veggies and herbs ready for your table three times faster!
Turn your garden into your personal retreat
Add flowing water, tinkling wind chimes, and colorful furniture to transform your outdoor space into a relaxing paradise. Add alyssum, daylily, goldenrod, lavender, marigolds, verbena, and a host of other nectar- and pollen-rich flowers to attract butterflies and bees. And don’t forget your favorite scents; be they roses, jasmine, honeysuckle, plumeria, or gardenias, find the plant that brings your senses true bliss!
You still have two weeks in April, plenty of time to enjoy outdoor greenery, food, and health benefits! For more information about getting plenty of fruits, vegetables, and berries into your life, reach out to me!