“If listening to the birds for five minutes makes you feel better, good for you”: Wellbeing, Gardens and Environmental Activity - Camilla Royle and Lily Whittle

Welcome to the fifth series in the annual podcast programme from Academic Archers, bringing you papers from our 2024 conference.

This episode looks at the connections between nature, gardening, and wellbeing, through research and the experiences of Ambridge residents.

“If listening to the birds for five minutes makes you feel better, good for you”: Wellbeing, Gardens and Environmental Activity - Camilla Royle and Lily Whittle

When Ambridge’s local police officer Harrison took part in the Wildlife Trust’s 30 Days Wild Challenge, he reflected a wider truth: many people turn to nature to cope with stress. Natural England reports that 90% of adults in England consider green and natural spaces to be good for mental health. But the relationship between gardening, environmental practice, and wellbeing is more complex.

Drawing on interviews and surveys with gardeners, this paper explores how practices such as composting, water use and encouraging wildlife connect to wellbeing. Like Kirsty in The Archers, many gardeners find joy in sustainable approaches and in feeling they can do something in response to climate change. For others, the limits of gardening’s impact can dampen the sense of control and reduce its mental health benefits.

About the speakers

• Dr Camilla Royle is a political ecologist and Teaching Fellow at Durham University. Her research explores how societies shape the environment and how environmental change in turn shapes human life.
• Lily Whittle is an undergraduate student at the London School of Economics, currently spending a year abroad in Social and Behavioural Sciences at IE University, Madrid. With a personal love of gardening, she is particularly interested in the links between gardening and mental health.

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