Gardening is a growing passion among Italians, attracting city high-flyers and business executives, as well as pensioners and homemakers, according to a new survey.
A poll of nearly 1000 Italian city-dwellers between the ages of 25 and 60 found that a third were passionate gardeners who devoted regular time to the plants on their balconies and terraces. Gardening has traditionally enjoyed the greatest following among women in Italy, particularly housewives, who spend more time at home. But according to the health monthly that conducted the survey, Salute Naturale, this is no longer the case.
Typically, gardening is now most popular among professional males between the ages of 35 and 45.
In this category, a third say they spend some time each morning on their balconies, before setting off to work, while a quarter do their gardening at weekends.
Fourteen percent head for the plants when they return home at the end of the day, while 8% wait until after dinner. The majority of those polled reported health benefits from gardening, with 27% saying it reduced stress and 26% that it improved their mood and alleviated feelings of depression.
A fifth said they felt more generally relaxed and had less muscular tension, while for 17%, it acted as an energy restorative.
Combining gardening with a busy job leaves gardeners less time to devote to demanding plants, such as orchids and roses. Consequently, "balcony gardens" now usually include cactuses, ficuses, and herbs such as basil, sage and rosemary.
A separate survey of 2,000 Italians recently found that 97% of the population has at least one plant in their home.
Eighty-eight percent said they felt there should always be a plant or a bunch of flowers in the house. Some said greenery around their home gave them a sense of joy, others said flowers and plants were pretty to look at, while more practical respondents cited health reasons.
