Garden as therapy

More and more Swedes report that they grow edible plants because it makes them feel good, according to the report Plant Trends 2024 - Everyone can grow, which Plantagen produces for the thirteenth consecutive year in collaboration with HUI Research. Last year, the number was 25 percent, this year it has increased to 34 percent. In a turbulent world, the own garden can be a safe space.

- For many, the garden becomes a sanctuary where one can relax. Putting your fingers in the soil, cultivating and slowly watching it grow and getting something edible in return is a perfect activity for recovery, says Ulrika Bjurström, marketing manager at Plantagen.

Being outdoors in nature has a positive effect on both our physical and mental health.

- Within 15 minutes in nature, you can see improvements in mental well-being, you experience more positive and fewer negative emotions, and you feel less stressed. If you stay longer in nature, you can also experience more creativity, says Liisa Tyrväinen, professor at the Natural Resources Institute.

Simply being outdoors in nature is enough to see positive effects, but even greater effects are achieved by actually working with plants and gardens. Horticultural therapy and Green Rehab have been shown to be effective methods in rehabilitation for mental health issues.

– In the method Green Rehab, the garden is used as part of rehabilitation for stress-related exhaustion. The team consists of a physiotherapist, psychotherapist, occupational therapist, and also a gardener. Nine out of ten people who received green rehabilitation were able to return to work after being on long-term sick leave, says Eva-Lena Larsson, biologist and co-founder of Green Rehab.

In July, the soil and air are warm in most places, which means that everything that does not require cold to germinate or has such a long development time that they must be pre-grown early in the year can be sown.,Fast-growing root vegetablesArugulaRadishesPeas and beansAsian vegetables

Since 2012, Plantagen has produced the annual report Plant Trends. The report is based on a consumer survey about plants and gardening, as well as interviews with a variety of experts in the areas relevant to the trends. The consumer survey has a nationally representative sample of 1,019 respondents in Sweden. In 2024, the report focusing on plant trends will be released at four different times throughout the year, with a focus on four different themes:Indoor Trends - Starting the year with plantsOutdoor Trends - Everyone can growAutumn Trends - Best time to plantChristmas Trends - The power of plants during the holiday season