In this post, we’re sharing how owning an allotment in London can enrich your life and improve mental wellbeing.
The hustle and bustle of the big city can be exciting but equally damaging if we’re not taking time for ourselves and finding joy in the simple things.
Forming new friendships, caring for your body and nurturing living things can boost our mental health and contribute to a more positive outlook on life. Tending to an allotment encompasses all three of these positive lifestyle components and can have a profoundly positive impact on your mental wellbeing!
Owning an allotment in London is your own personal escape from the big city lifestyle. Stepping onto the lush green grass and being hit with a whiff of fresh air transports you to a world away from the all too familiar stresses and demands of London life. Owning an allotment in London provides you with the best of both worlds; a vibrant city full of adrenaline-fuelled excitement and a secret sanctuary full of natural wonders.
In a big city like London, it’s hard to take time out and appreciate the smaller things in life.
1. Making Time For Your Mental Health
We’re always finding reasons to not take the time to care for our mental health; “the kids need my attention” or “work is super busy right now” are all too familiar excuses. When we’re moving with the motions and living the same day every day, it can be difficult to push ourselves out of our physical space and into a better headspace. Renting an allotment gets your physical body moving and positions you in a place outside your regular stress-inducing daily routines.
2. Looking Out For the Natural World
Not only does looking after an allotment force us out of our stagnant familiar spaces, but the act of nurturing and caring for living things can have a significant effect on our mental wellbeing. Growing and nourishing plants and flowers inspire appreciation for the smaller things in life. Getting the opportunity to watch tiny seeds grow into life-giving plants can help increase our sense of purpose and sense of appreciation for the wonders of the natural world.
Owning an allotment in London is your own personal escape from the big city lifestyle.
3. Finding Friendship
Caring for an allotment doesn’t need to be a solitary task. Whether you’re used to the busyness of people in London or you’re craving the quiet countryside from outside town, allotment owners often seek out companionship.
The allotment is a communal space full of individuals and families with the same passions and interests. It’s no secret that making new friends in a busy city isn’t always the easiest venture; caught up in their own worlds, Londoners often overlook the pleasure of making new friends. The slow nurturing environment the allotment inspires helps you connect and share with those around you. You’ll have a group of fun-loving, dependable allotment friends in no time at all!
4. Improving Your Lifestyle And Diet
Maintaining a healthy, flourishing allotment results in one of those rare occasions in life where you actually get out more than you put in. Although looking after an allotment isn’t an easy feat, the rewards are endless. One of the most substantial rewards being the physical produce you can acquire. Nurturing an allotment full of garden-fresh, unprocessed fruits and veg will dramatically improve your diet and overall wellness.
We’re all aware of the vital role the food we consume plays in our overall physical and mental health. Eating freshly grown fruits and vegetables guarantees a hearty diet, and therefore, a healthier body and mind.
What’s Next?
The benefits of owning an allotment are endless. Take a step out of the big city and into a green paradise that’s only a walk or tube ride away from your home!
How do you own get an allotment?.
If you’re ready to take the time for your mental health and appreciate the wonders of the natural world once more, find out more on the government website. The price of allotments in London will vary. Using the government’s easy tool, enter your postcode to find out the cost of an allotment in your area.
There are an estimated 300,000 allotments in the UK. That’s individual plots.
When you’re ready to apply, you do so using the same government website. Once you’ve been approved and there’s an allotment space free, it’s time to free your mind and get your fingers green.
Happy growing!!
Sign up for your free Le Gist newsletter.