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You are here: Home / Baby Boomers - Women Over 50 / Home and Garden / Live Longer by Taking Up the Hobby of Gardening
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Live Longer by Taking Up the Hobby of Gardening

by Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski 12 Comments

In many areas of the world, people in their 90s, especially in rural areas pick olives or work in their gardens. They’ve never seen the inside of a gym and do not need to do workouts on YouTube. They get up early to plant seeds, weed, hoe and do other outdoor chores. Walking in their village and climbing up steps is their main exercise. They live long healthy lives without the aches and pains that most elderly people in other places do.

I’ve always enjoyed gardening but when I lived in an apartment and later rented a room I didn’t have the opportunity to have one for a while. Now that I’m living in a home with a large yard I enjoy growing herbs, tomatoes, other vegetables, and local native plants.

If you don’t have garden space or just a small patio don’t let it stop you from enjoying the relaxing hobby of gardening. Grow plants indoors or on a small patio.

Gardeners work every muscle

Who needs hand weights when you can pick up a bag of soil, grab a lemon out of a tree, or dig a hole in the ground? Gardening is a whole-body exercise that is outdoors where you can get a healthy dose of vitamin D from the sunshine. If your knees ache, you can kneel on a flexible gardening bench.

A garden is a peaceful place to meditate

What could be better than sitting outside in green surroundings watching birds and squirrels X about? It sure beats Xing on Twitter or “X” as it’s now called. You can turn your garden into a personal meditation zone. Add a trickling fountain, layered stones, or even a labyrinth if you have the space.

Miraval AZ rock garden
Rocks in a garden at Miraval in Tucson, AZ

If the only area available for your garden is a tiny patio or balcony, you can still turn it into a relaxation space by adding potted plants. Make communing with your plants a ritual as it can be cathartic.

You never have to worry if your food is organic

Nothing is tastier than home-grown tomatoes or fresh garden herbs that you can add to soup or stew. Store-bought does not compare to zucchini picked when small and then sauteed gently with olive oil. You have control over what you put in your garden soil and what will be consumed by your body.

Make your garden an outlet for your creativity

The garden I share with my two roommates is filled with crazy knick-knacks that were once used as props for movies, were inherited, or found at thrift stores. We have everything from bowling balls to roadrunners to gnomes. It’s fun and quirky.

Dog and bowling ball
Welcome dog and bowling ball
Gnome in tree swing
Gnome in a tree swing
Garden decor
Moon-like garden decor

We also have a cat garden so the cat doesn’t have to interact with the dog. It’s filled with tall cactus and native plants.

We built a raised bed with discarded bricks for tomatoes and vegetables. It’s not an elegant garden, by any means, but it has a party atmosphere that is fun when people come over.

Sunnydaze sells an array of outdoor garden raised beds, planters, and other outdoor and indoor garden needs available on Amazon.

Sunnydaze Glazed Ceramic Plant Pot
Sunnydaze Hexagon Pattern Pot by Sunnydaze

Teach your grandchildren the joy of gardening

A home garden can be a family affair especially if you have little ones to share it with. Teach them how to plant seedlings and grow them.  It will distract them from TV or video games for long hours and give you and them some bonding time.

Michelle Obama created a garden for children at the White House. The White House kitchen staff used the vegetables from the garden.

Your pets will love it too

Nooks in your garden are relaxing havens for dogs and cats especially if they have comfy places to hang out in.

Meditating dog on garden patio
Cat in his nook looking for lizards

Teach your thumb to be green

If you think you kill every plant you look at, think again. You can learn how to have a green thumb. Start with easy-to-grow plants like herbs or succulents and gradually move on to more complicated plants like orchids.

Do you enjoy gardening as a hobby? Please leave a comment below.

Gardening for Baby Boomers and seniors

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Filed Under: Home and Garden Tagged With: Fitness over 50, garden, Nature, reduce stress

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About Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski

Rebecca Olkowski is a travel/lifestyle blogger and founder of BabyBoomster.com, for active older women over 50. She is a purveyor of all things fun, loves to venture out in the world, is a foodie, and lives in Los Angeles.

Comments

  1. Rita says

    February 28, 2021 at 3:40 pm

    Keep us posted on how your garden is growing. I love gardening. Nothing beats organic vegetables. I always marvel at that grows well in some years, and lags in others. Zucchinis are one of them.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

      March 1, 2021 at 8:34 am

      I will. For now it’s just nice being out of the sunshine.

      Reply
  2. Carol Cassara says

    February 28, 2021 at 6:43 pm

    My husband is the gardener in our family.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

      March 1, 2021 at 8:35 am

      That’s cool, Carol. Glad he enjoys it.

      Reply
  3. Meryl says

    March 1, 2021 at 6:13 am

    I can’t wait to get back out to my garden. It is small enough not to frustrate me, but big enough to get exercise and fresh air.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

      March 1, 2021 at 8:35 am

      I hope it warms up where you are and you can get back to it soon, Meryl.

      Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    March 1, 2021 at 6:14 am

    I loved gardening when we had a house or a condo. But, for now, we’re in an apartment complex and there is no gardening space. Worse, we only get reflected light on our patio, not direct sunlight so there are very few plants I can grow. But we did get an air planter for Christmas and we’re planning which cooking herbs to keep in it.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

      March 1, 2021 at 8:37 am

      I know the feeling, Jennifer. I was in an apartment for quite a while. You just need shade loving plants like ferns.

      Reply
  5. Laurie Stone says

    March 1, 2021 at 6:47 am

    Sounds wonderful. I wish I had a green thumb, but really admire people who do.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

      March 1, 2021 at 8:38 am

      It’s always a crap-shoot Laurie. Sometimes things work and other times they don’t. Herbs are pretty easy, though, smell great, and you can cook with them.

      Reply
  6. Beth Havey says

    April 15, 2024 at 2:56 pm

    Hi Rebecca, yesterday was our first big event in the garden…for this season. It was raking and cleaning up sticks and leaves. It was hearing a Cardinal high up in our apple tree, but also sitting in the sun digging out dandelions. It’s all good. It is what gardeners do. Thanks for your enjoyable post, Beth

    Reply
    • Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

      April 15, 2024 at 4:13 pm

      Thanks, so much, Beth. I’m glad you enjoy gardening too.

      Reply

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