Gardens play a powerful role in the care of our minds and bodies and should be used more systematically in our health and social care system, argues a new report by The King’s Fund that launches today.

The independent report, commissioned by the National Gardens Scheme, calls on policymakers, the NHS, clinicians and local government to recognise and do more to promote the importance of gardens and gardening in improving health outcomes. This includes:

• NHS England and its partners should incorporate the positive role of gardens and gardening in the delivery of its flagship programmes (such as the New Models of Care programme, Healthy New Towns and A Social Movement for Health)
• Clinical Commissioning Groups should consider social prescribing of gardening as part of a range of approaches to improving health
• Local authorities and their partners should explore innovative approaches to sustaining public gardens (for example through new funding models, reciprocal gardening schemes and community gardening on NHS and low-quality public land)

The health benefits of gardens (including active gardening) are broad and diverse according to the evidence brought together for the first time in this report. It suggests that they can play a role in promoting good health and preventing ill-health, with potential long-term implications for healthcare costs. In a wide-ranging review, it shows how access to gardens has been linked to:

• Reduced depression, loneliness, anxiety and stress
• Benefits for various conditions including heart disease, cancer and obesity
• Better balance which can help to prevent falls in older people (a cause of major NHS costs)
• Alleviating symptoms of dementia
• Improving sense of personal achievement among children

Gardens are an extraordinary national resource. Nearly 90% of UK households have a garden and half the population are gardeners; but we could do much more to nurture and maximise the contribution gardens make to enhancing people’s health. Currently the formal use of gardens in England’s health and social care system remains very limited, despite the promising results from a range of interventions, including GPs ‘social prescribing’ gardening, and garden projects in hospices.

At this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, taking place next week, gardens and health will be the main theme. This will be demonstrated in a number of the show gardens and confirm recognition by the gardening world of the health and social care benefits of gardens.

Jane Ellison MP, Parliamentary under secretary of state for public health, said: “Gardening improves your mental and physical health – it keeps you active, it can help people with dementia to feel calm and relaxed, and coming together to tend a garden tackles social isolation. This report will be a helpful resource for local areas as they help people to lead healthier lives.”

Mary Berry CBE, President of the National Gardens Scheme, also commented: “I have long been aware of the therapeutic benefits of gardening and visiting gardens and how being outside in lovely surroundings, in the fresh air, is so good for our wellbeing. If the report helps to emphasise and give greater understanding of these benefits so that they can be put to wider use for people’s health, that would be a great achievement.”

Find out more on the National Gardens Scheme website.