Importance of gardening

Gardening is often touted as an important way for people to decompress and reduce stress and I agree wholeheartedly. I get some of my best Ideas when I am simply puttering around and pruning. I also like sharing tips, seedlings and cuttings with my friends. I was reading this in the cdc.org reduce your stress section and I find it rings very true: "Horticulture can be very therapeutic to people of all ages and backgrounds. Gardening offers many different healing benefits such as exercise, stress reduction, structured learning, social interaction and leisure activities. Garden-grown food and flowers have much to offer gardeners because of their beauty and tangible rewards. People with special needs or mental illness greatly benefit from a practice called horticultural therapy. It brings people to a reassuring environment and allows them to get comfortable and interact with nature and the plant world."