Why A-List Celebs are hot for horticulture

Is a green thumb the key to happiness?

David Beckham’s doing it. So is Meghan Markle. With a list of fans longer than Jack’s beanstalk, we ask experts if TikTok’s latest hobby could make us healthier.

When you think of Kate Moss, does a pair of pruning shears spring to mind? No? How about Gisele Bündchen? It turns out the supers share more than a talent for the runway, since the notorious nature lovers have been quietly cultivating their veggie gardens for years. And with more than 660 million gardening posts and counting on TikTok, the cover girls seem to have been early adopters of a burgeoning trend for tillage.

It’s 2024 and everyone from Meghan Markle (who has made jam from the fruits of her own garden) to David Beckham with his farming forays in the Cotswolds, is a budding botanist.

As a passion for plants grows on social media (thanks in no small part to these celebs and their high-end horticulture), the ‘green thumb’ demographic is skewing younger than ever before.

Celebs have clearly cottoned on to the benefits, but is it all aesthetics, or is gardening a sleeper hit for mental health? Should we all start bending over flower beds like Beckham?

Scientifically speaking, there’s little doubt that time spent in the great outdoors is good for the noggin. In 2022, a multidisciplinary taskforce from the World Federation of Societies for Biological Psychiatry and Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine included exposure to green spaces in their recommended guidelines for the treatment of major depressive disorders. The report also recommended physical activity – another key component of a good gardening sesh.

Dr Maria-Elena Lukeides, psychologist at The Wellness Fountain, confirms that connecting with nature can offer meaningful psychological benefits, ranging from reduced stress to improved mood and even a sense of accomplishment.

“When people nurture plants, they experience a sense of control and achievement,” she explains. “Then, if we look at the repetitive nature of gardening tasks, this can serve as a form of meditation, helping you to slow down and calm the mind.” And with burnout at an all-time high, it’s no surprise we’re turning to green spaces for some much-needed solace.

This is certainly the case for Lee Sullivan, founder of Urban Veggie Patch, who shares gardening tips with more than 150,000 followers on her Instagram account. “My garden has become a haven. Somewhere I can go when life gets stressful or busy to regain clarity and a sense of peace,” she says.

Sullivan’s passion for plants blossomed in the wake of new motherhood while experiencing mild postpartum depression. “I found gardening was helping me regain a sense of self, lifting my mood and creating new purpose.” But she’s noticed other benefits, too. “Not only are you eating lots of nutrient-dense wholefoods, caring for a garden can also be great cardio!”

A 2024 metanalysis looking into the impact of gardening on overall wellbeing confirms the benefits may indeed stretch further than a healthy mind. Studies included in the analysis linked gardening with lower stress levels, improved emotional resilience, greater community connection and even physical health outcomes – think lower blood pressure and a dialled-down risk of health conditions including type 2 diabetes.

A 2024 metanalysis looking into the impact of gardening on overall wellbeing confirms the benefits may indeed stretch further than a healthy mind. Image: Pexels

Stuck in the inner city with little more than a windowsill to work with? Don’t let that kill the vibe. Dr Lukeides assures me, “Tending to plants indoors still provides similar benefits.”

According to researchers from RMIT and the University of Melbourne, simply sharing your home with greenery might be enough to reap the benefits of what you’ve sown. They found that living with multiple indoor plants can meaningfully enhance both air quality and mental wellbeing.

So, slap on your gumboots, some gloves and a cute pair of op-shop overalls, and get planting. We’re rooting for you.

Originally published as Why A-List Celebs are hot for horticulture