We hear a lot about “forest bathing” these days (shinrin yoku in Japanese). Wandering about s-l-o-w-l-y among trees, in the forest, communing with nature. It’s good, no question, the science is there!
But wait a minute… we don’t all live on the edge of woodland and getting in a car to drive to the woods is certainly going to compromise the “stress relief” you are supposed to experience!
There is something better, I think, something I love a lot, which is gardening. Or let’s not say gardening (you don’t need a garden) but nurturing and sharing with plants, getting them to grow and sharing your energetic space with them.
What’s brought this on? Surprise! It’s the Chelsea Flower Show in London, the world’s #1 prestigious annual horticultural event.¹ It’s on all week, twice a day on TV and is thus front and center stage right now for Vivien and I.
For the show, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) moves into the Chelsea Pensioners Hospital (properly known as the Royal Chelsea Hospital), a charitable foundation set up by King Charles II for retired military heroes who are a bit down on their luck. It’s a yearly feast of creative and floral delights which very many Brits look forward to. But it’s not just attended by the home crowd; people come from all over the world, and hordes of A-list celebrities, to be there, to see and to be seen!
Chelsea pensioners in their splendid para-military uniform!
King Charles III (and formerly his Mum), as the president of the RHS always attends the first day, it’s a long-standing tradition. On day 2, the medals are awarded—gold, silver-gilt, silver and bronze for the best show gardens and displays. It really is a fantastic honor for a garden designer to even have a presence on “main avenue”, never mind winning a medal.
This year, one of the special features (I almost said gimmick) is having a separate panel of children as judges. What did THEY think was good? And that’s what set me thinking and why I am writing to you…
Your Kids and Grandkids
You’ve heard me bitch on for years, what a waste of time schooling is. It’s child abuse, no less. Never mind the issues of kidnapping the children, locking them up with adult teachers, many of who are dysfunctional, impoverishing their lives, just at a time when they should be blossoming in their own time, own space and own being.
My biggest complaint is that we don’t teach them anything worthwhile. Even the math is of little value. What the hell use are quadratic equations, calculus or sections of a cone? (as Fran Lebowitz, actor, author (expelled from high school) said: “Stand firm in your refusal to remain conscious during algebra. In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra.”
It’s been wisely said (educator Sir Kenneth Robinson) that the track through schooling only suits someone who wants to end up an academic professor! For everyone else, it’s utterly impractical and almost worthless.
Indeed, you probably know that many great and successful people were school dropouts: Winston Churchill, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Walt Disney and Elon Musk. They all got kicked out, quit or failed. The message is clear: if you want to get on in life, get out of school as fast as is legal.
Instead, let’s teach the kids something worthwhile: like health and hygiene, solvency, how to get a mortgage, parenting, food and perhaps—above all—how to grow plants and vegetables.
Yes, I know some schools have an hour after class on Fridays, teaching kids a little. But I’m talking about serious gardening, where they can learn to raise good, healthy, organic, fresh food for themselves and the whole family. I’m talking about 5 – 10 hours a week teaching!
It’s vital for good health.
And I’m not suggesting you send your kids or grandkids to agricultural college. That’s poison. A green cooperative is the best idea, where a child can participate, feel valuable, learn plant skills and, above all, enjoy free conversation, instead of being told to shut up, hour after hour, which is the child’s usual lot at school.
And of course it will do the parents the power of good too.
• Caring for plants teaches kids and adults about responsibility, because they need to water, weed, and protect their garden. It also instills patience as they wait for plants to grow and produce fruits or flowers.
• Gardening is an enjoyable physical activity that gets kids outdoors, helping to reduce screen time and promote physical fitness. Tasks like digging, planting, and weeding involve various muscle groups and contribute to overall physical health.
• Growing their own fruits and vegetables helps children understand where their food comes from and encourages healthy eating habits. They are more likely to be adventurous and try and enjoy fruits and vegetables that they have grown themselves.
• It also teaches kids about the importance of caring for the environment. They learn about sustainable practices such as composting, water conservation, and the benefits of biodiversity.
• Kids who garden are more likely to grow into adults who value and advocate for environmental conservation.
Hey, and guess what? It instills these same values in adults!
And if those are not good enough reasons to nurture the plant kingdom, we are also raping and decimating our natural world, poisoning the oceans, cutting down forests and turning to GMO foods as a solution to overcrowding (false doctrine). We need to give back to nature and fast!
Mental Health and Hygiene
There happens to be a lot of science showing just how crucial to health it is to be connected with the plant world and animals.
This is not something we can skimp. We MUST learn techniques for better mental health and general health, rather than just biology, physics, math or history. Only those who learn these basic skills can expect to survive and be healthy. Ultra-processed foods are the alternative and—you know what?—they are not even foods. Which is why half the Western world is sick and dosing on meds. The typical American over-65 takes an average of 4 drugs a day.² That’s great for industry profits but not great for self-esteem and family-oriented values.
Growing a few vegetables and placing an orchid or aspidistra on your desk or sideboard is a lot less expensive! If you can go the whole hog and cultivate a full plot, so much the better. Even if you haven’t got a garden of your own, a surging modern trend it the formation of cooperatives or “community gardens” as they’re called. These work just as well in city spaces as rural environments.
Pooling resources, you get both pleasure and satisfaction, a healthy food crop and wonderful friendly social interaction with people like yourself. What’s not to like?
King Charles III meets with children at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
And there’s one more reason to get your hands dirty… Have you heard of the organism Mycobacterium vaccae? Studies have shown that contact with this one organism can mirror the effect on neurons that drugs like Prozac provide. The bacterium is found in soil and may stimulate serotonin production, which makes you relaxed and happier.
There’s one catch: you have to mess up; shove your hands into soil. Get dirty…
Get digging!
To your good health,
Prof. Keith Scott-Mumby
The Official Alternative Doctor
