What a Major Meta-Study Shows – And Why So Many People Are Getting Their Hands Dirty Again Right Now
A meta-analysis by Soga, Gaston, and Yamaura (2017), evaluating 22 international studies, shows that gardening is associated with a significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as higher life satisfaction.
A recent umbrella review analysis from 2024 confirms these findings: the evaluation of 40 studies shows a clear positive effect of gardening activities on well-being and quality of life (Panțiru et al., 2024).
The world is upside down.
This is the motto of the Lower Austrian Provincial Exhibition 2026 in Mauer bei Amstetten. You don't have to work in social institutions to feel it: many people have the feeling that many things are changing simultaneously right now.
Technology, climate discussions, societal tensions – plus the permanent flood of information from news and social media.
It's as if everything is spinning faster and faster.
And perhaps it's no coincidence that precisely at this time, something else is regaining importance: the garden.
More and more people are starting to garden, plant vegetables, build raised beds, or spend time caring for flowers and herbs.
What long seemed like a quiet hobby is increasingly becoming the focus of science.
Because a large meta-study shows: gardening can measurably contribute to mental health.
What science has discovered about gardening
An international meta-analysis by Japanese environmental scientist Masashi Soga evaluated 22 scientific studies on the effects of gardening on health.
Meta-analyses are considered particularly conclusive in science because they summarize and jointly evaluate many individual studies.
The result was astonishingly clear.
People who regularly work in the garden
- report fewer depressive symptoms
- have less anxiety
- experience more life satisfaction
- feel more socially connected
- and generally show better mental health
The effects were evident regardless of whether it was small private gardens, community gardens, or therapeutic garden programs.
Simply the contact with soil, plants, and natural growth processes seems to have a stabilizing effect.
Why earth and plants are so good for our brains
Researchers see several reasons for this effect.
1. The body gets moving again
Gardening is a gentle form of physical activity.
You dig, loosen soil, carry water, plant, weed.
The body moves – but without performance pressure.
This form of movement has been shown to lower stress hormones and support the production of mood-boosting neurotransmitters in the brain.
2. Nature calms the nervous system
The sight of plants, leaves, and natural structures has a proven relaxing effect on the human nervous system.
In environmental psychology, this is referred to as "restorative landscapes" – environments that reduce mental exhaustion and restore attention.
The garden is an ideal place for this.
3. Experiencing growth strengthens self-efficacy
A seed becomes a plant. Something grows because you care for it.
This experience can be surprisingly powerful – especially for people who currently feel exhausted or overwhelmed.
Science calls this feeling self-efficacy: the experience that one's own actions can make a difference.
Green spaces themselves also have an effect
Another large analysis from 2023 examined the connection between green spaces and mental health.
The result:
Even a 10% higher proportion of green spaces in the surroundings was associated with a significantly lower risk of depression and anxiety disorders.
So nature works not only through active gardening – but already through regular contact with a green environment.
Perhaps we are looking for solid ground again
When the world becomes confusing, something interesting happens. People turn back to things that are slower, more natural, and more tangible.
The garden is exactly such a place. Different rhythms of time apply here.
Seeds don't germinate faster just because you're in a hurry. Tomatoes don't grow because an algorithm decides it. Nature follows its own laws.
And that's precisely what seems to be good for many people right now.
A small garden is enough
The studies also show: You don't need a large farm.
- a raised bed
- a few herbs on the balcony
- a small patch of soil in the garden
Even small gardening activities can strengthen the feeling of being connected to natural rhythms again.
Perhaps that is the real message
When the world turns upside down, people look for something to ground them again.
And sometimes, that answer is surprisingly close.
A patch of earth. A few plants.
And the simple experience that life grows. And takes care of itself.
Nature works so well precisely because it is accessible in small steps.
1. Just step outside for a moment
Sometimes a very small step is enough: go outside for five minutes.
Without a goal. Without an obligation to move. Just step out the door for a moment and notice:
- how the air smells
- if you hear birds
- how the light changes
Even a few minutes of daylight can stabilize the circadian rhythm and mood.
2. Take care of a single plant
When everything seems too much, an entire garden is too big.
But one plant is manageable.
- a basil pot
- a houseplant
- a small herb pot
Daily watering becomes a small routine – and you see that something is alive and growing.
3. Find a "nature spot"
A place you always return to.
This could be:
- a bench under a tree
- a patch of grass
- a forest path
- a small stream
Many people report that simply returning to the same place creates a feeling of familiarity and calm.
4. Take something from nature
A stone.
A leaf.
A piece of wood.
A small object from nature can later lie on the table and remind you that a larger world exists outside.
5. Touch the earth
Contact with earth has a special effect.
Many people describe feeling "more grounded" when working with soil.
This can start very small:
- loosening soil in a pot
- sowing seeds in a glass
- caring for a small bed
Direct contact with earth often has a surprisingly calming effect.
6. Look at the sky
This is also contact with nature.
Many people rarely look up these days. Yet, even a short glance at the sky – clouds, light, expanse – can help open up thoughts.
7. Listen to nature sounds
If a walk is too much, nature sounds can also help:
- birdsong
- wind in leaves
- water
Our brain reacts very sensitively to such natural sound patterns.
8. Make a small observation
Not "having to experience nature," but just observing.
- How does a blossom open?
- Which insects come to a plant?
- How does a tree change during the week?
These small observations gently bring the mind from brooding to awareness.
A quiet realization
Many people eventually realize: Nature demands nothing.
It does not judge.
It expects no performance.
It simply is.
And perhaps that is precisely why so many people return to nature precisely when the world seems heavy.
Personal Perspective
As a psychologist, I grew up on a farm – right next to a psychiatric facility. Even as a child, I saw how difficult life can be for some people and how much they seek support.
Later, I went out into the world, advised organizations, and trained executives in leadership and communication. For many years, I have worked with people who bear responsibility, make decisions, and often face great pressure in their self-optimization.
What always becomes clear:
For our well-being, it is crucial whether we experience self-efficacy – meaning we feel that our own actions can make a difference. And that we are part of something greater.
Sometimes this feeling begins very simply.
When you put your hands in the soil.
Plant something.
Or walk barefoot across a meadow.
Nature reminds us that we are part of something larger.
And that we can surrender to it – to a process that we can only influence to a small extent.
Perhaps that is exactly where something begins:
Unfolding.
Allowing.
And sometimes a quiet feeling of gratitude that something new is allowed to grow.
Sources on Gardening, Nature, and Depression
1. Meta-analysis on gardening and health
Full Source (APA-like citation format)
Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., & Yamaura, Y. (2017).
Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 92–99.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007
Brief description of the study
- Meta-analysis of 22 international studies on gardening and health.
- A total of 76 comparisons between gardeners and non-gardeners were evaluated.
-
The studies examined, among other things:
- depression
- anxiety
- stress
- life satisfaction
- Body Mass Index
- quality of life
Key findings
The analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between gardening and health. Particularly clear were:
- reduction of depression and anxiety
- less stress
- higher life satisfaction
- better quality of life
- stronger sense of community
The authors conclude that regular gardening can make a measurable contribution to public health.
2. Current Meta-Analysis / Umbrella Review on Gardening and Well-being
Full Source
Panțiru, I., Ronaldson, A., Sima, N., Dregan, A., & Sima, R. (2024).
The impact of gardening on well-being, mental health, and quality of life: An umbrella review and meta-analysis.
Systematic Reviews, 13, 23.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-024-02457-9
Brief study description
- Umbrella review and meta-analysis (analysis of existing reviews).
- 40 studies on gardening and horticultural interventions were evaluated.
-
Examined were:
- psychological well-being
- quality of life
- general health
Key findings
- Gardening showed a significantly positive effect on well-being.
- Effect size of the meta-analysis: ES = 0.55 (95% CI: 0.23–0.87).
- Programs with horticultural activity or garden therapy were particularly effective.
The authors conclude that gardening can be an effective nature-based intervention for promoting well-being and mental health.
