Benefits of balcony and terrace gardening for homeowners!
Welcome to our gardening blog, where we sow the seeds of knowledge to help your home garden flourish, especially during the relentless summer season in India. In this green-thumbed guide, we will introduce you to the best plants that can withstand the Indian summer’s warmth and provide tips on nurturing them to brighten your living spaces. Gardening is not just a hobby; it’s a way of life that offers significant benefits, and we’ll explain why.
Why is Gardening Important for Households?
Gardening has indeed been found to have therapeutic properties that can help alleviate stress and improve mental well-being. When engaging in gardening activities, the combination of physical activity, exposure to nature, and the satisfaction of nurturing plants can contribute to a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and an increase in feelings of calmness and happiness.
Gardening is more than growing plants. It’s an immersive activity that touches numerous aspects of living:
- Connection with Nature: Being outdoors and interacting with the natural environment can enhance mood and promote relaxation. This connection can help individuals feel more grounded and present.
- Physical Activity: Gardening involves physical work, such as digging, planting, weeding, and watering. Physical activity is known to release endorphins, which are natural mood lifters.
- Nurturing Growth: Tending to the needs of plants provides a sense of purpose and accomplishment when you see the results of your care in the form of sprouting seeds, blooming flowers, or ripening vegetables.
- Mindfulness: Gardening tasks can encourage a mindful state, where one’s focus is on the present moment. Mindfulness is a technique often used to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Creativity and Expression: Designing a garden layout or choosing which plants to grow allows for creative expression, which can be therapeutic in itself.
- Sensory Stimulation: Gardens engage all the senses—sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing—which can be soothing and can help take one’s mind off stressors.
- Social Interaction: For some, gardening can be a social activity, providing opportunities to connect with others who share a similar interest, which can combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.
- Environmental Impact: Plants help in reducing the carbon footprint and improving air quality around your home.
- Educational: For households with children, gardening is a practical way to teach them about nature, responsibility, and the food cycle.
What are the Health Advantages of a Balcony or Terrace Garden?
Indeed, balcony or terrace gardening is a great way to engage in physical activity, and it has multiple health benefits. As with any form of physical exercise, it is important to use proper techniques to avoid injury and to stay hydrated, especially when working outdoors for extended periods. It’s also good to be mindful of the need for sun protection to reduce the risk of skin cancer from prolonged sun exposure.
- Calorie Burning: Gardening can be comparable to other forms of moderate to vigorous exercise. Activities like digging, planting, weeding, and raking can be physically demanding and help burn calories, contributing to weight management and obesity prevention.
- Muscle Strengthening: Gardening often involves a range of motion that engages different muscle groups. For example, lifting bags of soil, pushing a wheelbarrow, or turning a compost pile can build strength in the arms, legs, glutes, and back.
- Cardiovascular Health: The aerobic nature of gardening activities, especially if done for extended periods, can improve cardiovascular health by increasing heart rate and endurance.
- Flexibility and Mobility: Gardening requires bending, stretching, and twisting, which can help maintain and improve flexibility and range of motion in the joints.
- Hand Strength and Dexterity: Using gardening tools and performing tasks like planting seeds can improve hand strength and fine motor skills.
- Bone Density: Weight-bearing activities in the garden, like walking and lifting, are beneficial for bone health and may help prevent osteoporosis.
- Balance and Coordination: Navigating through uneven garden terrain can help improve balance and coordination, which is particularly beneficial for the elderly, reducing the risk of falls.
- Sunlight Exposure: While gardening outdoors, you get exposed to sunlight, which helps your body produce vitamin D, essential for bone health and immune system function.
Which are the most popular Indoor and Outdoor Plants for Homes in India?
Though there is endless list of indoor and outdoor plants, we have made a list of popular indoor and outdoor plants in India, each with their own special characteristics and care requirements. Here is a bit more detail about each plant and tips for their care:
Most Popular Indoor Plants
- Snake Plant (Sansevieria): An extremely hardy plant that requires minimal attention, it can survive low light levels and irregular watering. Snake plants are also known for their ability to help purify the air by removing toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene.
- Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum): These plants are great for beginners due to their ability to withstand neglect. They prefer bright, indirect light and can be watered moderately. Spider plants also help in cleaning the air and are safe for pets.
- Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum): This plant prefers shade and high humidity, making it ideal for bathrooms without direct sunlight. Peace lilies need to be kept moist without overwatering and can benefit from occasional misting. They can remove toxins like ammonia and trichloroethylene from the air.
- Philodendron: With many varieties, philodendrons are popular for their attractive foliage. They prefer medium indirect light and should be watered when the top inch of soil feels dry. Keep them away from pets and children as they can be toxic if ingested.
Most Popular Outdoor Plants
- Bougainvillea: These shrubs are known for their vibrant bracts that come in many colors. They require full sun, well-drained soil, and occasional deep watering once established. Bougainvilleas are drought-tolerant and thrive in warm climates.
- Hibiscus: This tropical plant loves the sun and needs regular watering, but make sure not to overwater it. Hibiscus flowers come in various colors and can be a focal point in any garden. They perform best in fertile, well-drained soil.
- Marigolds (Tagetes): These are hardy plants that can thrive in hot conditions and even resist many pests. Marigolds grow well in full sun and can tolerate most soil types, though they prefer moderately fertile, well-drained soil. They are often used in companion planting for vegetable gardens.
- Jasmine: Known for their sweet fragrance, many types of jasmine are perfect for growing outdoors in warm climates. They typically prefer full sun to partial shade and need well-drained soil. Regular watering and support, like a trellis for climbing varieties, will help them thrive.
Note: Remember that each plant species may have different varieties with slightly varied needs, so always check specific care instructions for the plants you choose. With proper care, these plants can flourish and provide benefits such as beauty, fragrance, and air purification both in and around your home.
Conclusion
Gardening is an enriching practice, teeming with benefits for your home, health, and happiness. Choosing the right plants for the Indian summer and providing them with tender loving care is key to a vibrant home garden. Armed with the knowledge of plant care and the advantages that greenery brings to our lives, you’re ready to transform your space into a flourishing green oasis! Keep nurturing your green corner and watch as life blossoms both around and within you.
At Urban Terrace, we have noticed that rooftops, and sometimes balconies, are the most neglected areas in most homes in India. We promote gardening and other activities on the terraces of the homes we design and build for our clients, making these places the most inviting spaces in every home!