Mental Health Awareness Month and Garden Conversations

May is mental health awareness month. It’s also the time when many of us are starting to work in our gardens to prepare them for the growing season. For some, this activity takes us outside and connects us with nature, which can be a way to support our mental wellbeing, an important part of our overall wellness. 

​Mental and emotional health can be benefited by spending time outdoors, and in particular during the spring after a long winter season, the warmer temperatures reset our clocks, and bright sunshine lightens our mood. What better way to spend time outdoors than in a garden. Garden activities, such as working in the soil, planting, and even pulling weeds, provide an opportunity for some amount of physical activity and can help to boost our moods. 
Growing vegetables can improve eating habits, creating a positive routine. Doing this helps us look forward to being outside, working among the plants. The more time spent outdoors, the more we can notice the natural life that exists in the garden. Planning special meals around the harvest, sharing what we’ve grown with family and friends, gives a sense of pride and excitement. Swapping gardening stories, advice, and tips with others expands our social bonds.  

​Interested in learning more about gardening and how it can improve your mood?  Please join Healthy Archuleta and the Pagosa Springs Community Garden this year for Garden Conversations. The first meeting is this coming Saturday morning, May 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the Pagosa Springs Community Garden. Garden Conversations is a gathering of local gardening enthusiasts and those just wanting to connect with like minds, happy to just chat about the ins and outs of growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers in Archuleta County.  
The Garden Conversations will happen twice a month from May until September on the following Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 10:00 am: May 17 and 24, June 14 and 28, July 12 and 26, August 9 and 23, September 13 and 27. We hope to see you there!