Benefits of community gardens blooming around Perth

COMMUNITY gardens are blooming all over Perth and the benefits are bountiful.

More than just a place to garden – we don’t all have the luxury of a yard out back – they’re a hub in which people can meet, share, socialise and learn.

University graduate and hobby gardener Hannah Tarrant said they were also a place to improve wellbeing.

She recently studied a program in North Fremantle where an underused bowling green was transformed into an urban micro farm.

Participants, all with a mental health issue, learnt to prepare, plant, grow and harvest organic vegetables for local restaurants.

Gaining more than just physical activity and horticultural skills, they took away a host of surprising benefits.

Participants gained: – Stress reduction – Healthy eating habits – Improved communication skills – Sense of accomplishment – Accountability – Increased self-esteem – Greater resilience to hardships and willingness to seek help – Optimism Tarrant was driven to do this research based on stats that show: – 45 per cent of individuals aged between 16 and 86 will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lives. Tarrant is now advocating for more healthy green spaces across Perth to help people improve their wellbeing.