What is World Naked Gardening Day?
For World Naked Gardening Day, on Saturday 4th May 2024, green-thumbed gardeners will strip down to their birthday suits, and embrace the benefits of tending to their gardens in the most natural way possible: by being naked.
World Naked Gardening Day first began in 2005, with the aim to encourage unashamed acceptance of the human body, as well as creating a stronger bond and overall connection with the natural world by being naked in the garden.
In fact, our very own Flower Expert, David Denyer, loves taking part in World Naked Gardening Day and is an advocate for stripping off and pruning!
So can you be naked in your own garden? According to the law, being naked in public isn't illegal - unless you are causing any public distress. So as long as you don’t disturb your neighbours, it’s perfectly okay to strip off in your garden.
To encourage gardeners to celebrate this day, our team at Eflorist have highlighted the 5 top benefits of taking part in naked gardening this World Naked Gardening Day.
The 5 Top Benefits of Naked Gardening
- Nudity brings you closer to nature
It’s widely accepted that being naked brings you closer to nature - by feeling the soil under your feet, and the sun on your bare skin.
From the crisp feeling of leaves to the earthy scents of the soil, every sensation becomes more vivid when experienced by being naked in the garden.
This connection with nature not only enhances our appreciation for the world around us, but also promotes a feeling of interconnectedness with the earth.
- Sustainability
Embracing naked gardening is not only good for personal freedom, but also environmental allyship. By shedding our daily clothing, gardeners can embrace a more sustainable way of life.
Furthermore, the intimate connection with the natural world through naked gardening fosters a deeper appreciation for the world’s ecosystems - inspiring a greater commitment to conservation efforts.
- Community building
Whilst the idea of naked gardening may seem daunting to some, for many, it offers an opportunity to make deeper connections with like-minded, green-thumbed individuals.
World Naked Gardening Day brings together a vibrant community of gardeners, who each share a passion for gardening and a willingness to embrace life's simple pleasures - as well as the joy of self-expression.
- Health benefits
Believe it or not, being naked actually brings along a ton of health benefits.
Nudity helps to evaporate any sweat and toxins from our skin. This natural ventilation process helps to keep the skin clean and clear, reducing the risk of any skin irritations.
Shedding our clothing also holds a greater sense of freedom, and relaxation, which can have a large impact on our overall mental health and wellbeing, as well as reduce our stress levels.
The British Heart Foundation shared that a simple 20 minutes in nature can significantly reduce your levels of cortisol - our stress hormone.
- Body positivity
In today’s digital world, filtered images and unattainable beauty standards can move to the front of any social media feed - creating unrealistic beauty, and body standards for users.
By being naked in the garden, individuals of all shapes, sizes, and ages can embrace the same message - body positivity and self-acceptance - and champion one another.
We also spoke with counsellor, Georgina Sturmer, MBACP, who commented on how nudity can improve overall body positivity: “In our daily lives, clothing generally isn’t an optional extra, and our clothing choices are often determined or constrained by the environment that we are in, and the people who we are with.
“When we are naked, we are literally shedding a layer of clothing, but we are also shedding something metaphorical - something that covers us, perhaps something that shields us, or keeps us hidden.
“So it can feel liberating to shed our clothing, and spend time in our own bodies, as nature intended.
“We might feel more grounded and connected with our own human form and sensory experiences - less embarrassed, more accepting of ourselves, and more positive about our bodies.
“Less embarrassed, more accepting of ourselves, and more positive about our bodies.”