The Healing Power of Gardening: How Soil Contact Boosts Wellbeing After 70

For many Australians over 70, the garden has always been part of the rhythm of life. The veggie patch out the back. The roses that took years to get just right. The quiet satisfaction of coaxing something out of the ground on a cool morning.

As it turns out, what felt instinctively good was genuinely good. And science has spent the better part of two decades confirming it.

The Healing Power of Gardening | What the Research Shows

Research published in the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal confirms that nature-based activities – particularly hands-on gardening and therapeutic horticulture – deliver measurable health benefits for older adults. Not vague feel-good outcomes, but specific, physiological changes in the body.

At the centre of this research is a naturally occurring soil bacterium called Mycobacterium vaccae. When you handle soil – digging, planting, pulling weeds – you come into contact with this microbe, which has been shown to stimulate serotonin production in the brain. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter associated with mood regulation, calm, and a general sense of wellbeing. The garden, it turns out, may be quietly lifting your spirits while you work.

Beyond mood, regular contact with soil microbes appears to play a meaningful role in immune function. A 2020 review by University of Queensland researchers found that regular soil contact is associated with a more diverse immune profile and an increase in anti-inflammatory immune cells – a real benefit for people over 70 who often experience a gradual natural decline in immune function.

The Physical Benefits Go Further Than You Might Think

Gardening is classified as moderate physical activity, which means it supports cardiovascular health, joint mobility, grip strength, and balance. These aren't minor benefits – they're the building blocks of staying active and independent as you age.

Regular gardeners also tend to spend more time outdoors, which supports vitamin D production, healthy sleep rhythms, and improved mood through natural light exposure. It's one of those activities where the benefits compound quietly over time, without ever feeling like exercise.

A Garden That's Part of Everyday Life

At Jenny MacLeod Retirement Village in Wallsend, the cottage gardens are central to village life, not an afterthought. Set on seven acres of beautifully maintained gardens with more than 30 acres of natural bushland just beyond our gates, the village offers residents genuine, everyday connection to nature and the soil.

Many residents tend their own garden plots, getting their hands properly in the soil and doing the real work the research says matters most. Others simply enjoy the pleasure of sitting outside among growing things, or taking a morning stroll through the cottage gardens before the day begins.

One of the most common questions from people considering a move in later life is about the garden. Will I have to give it up? At Jenny MacLeod, the garden doesn't stop – it simply changes shape. You're no longer maintaining a full property on your own, but you're still connected to living green space, still able to get your hands in the soil, still surrounded by an environment that is genuinely good for your body and your mind.

To find out more or arrange a tour, call 02 4951 6637 or contact us.

Part of the Jenny MacLeod Retirement Village Wellness Series. For personalised health advice, please consult your healthcare provider.

Jenny MacLeod Retirement Village | Wallsend NSW | 02 4951 6637 | www.jennymacleod.com.au