Important medical advice
If your symptoms are getting worse, contact your GP or call 111. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, call 999.
In the UK, it is estimated that 1 in every 5 people will have a lung condition in their lifetime.
There are many different types of lung conditions. Some of the most common include:
If you have a lung condition, it could have been there since birth or developed at a later stage and need managing throughout your lifetime. Or, if you have a condition such as pneumonia, you can make a full recovery. It may take time to feel back to normal.
Symptoms vary between conditions and individuals. Some of the most commonly experienced include:
Alongside physical effects, it’s common for people with lung conditions to experience mental health symptoms. These may include depression, anxiety and feeling lonely or isolated.
Finding ways to support your wellbeing can be an important part of managing your condition. In this guide, we look at how gardening can help, along with advice to make gardening safe and enjoyable to do.
If your symptoms are getting worse, contact your GP or call 111. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, call 999.
Gardening may not be able to provide a cure for your lung condition. But it can be an enjoyable part of supporting your health and wellbeing.
In 2018, Thrive ran a series of gardening courses, called Breathing Green Air, in partnership with the British Lung Foundation (now Asthma+Lung UK). All attendees were living with lung conditions.
Having learnt a range of gardening activities, from sowing seeds to using adapted tools and techniques, 83% of participants said they would recommend gardening to other respiratory patients.
Gardening gets me out of the house, connecting with nature, getting natural sunlight. It takes me away from using scrolling or using screens. It gives me a sense of satisfaction.
Survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
Gardening for mental health
There is now a significant body of research to support the idea that gardens and green spaces can help with mental health.
Research in Sweden found access to a garden has a significant positive impact on stress. This is true even if the person has a simple balcony.
A report in Nature Medicine found that hobbies such as gardening, reading, and arts and crafts are linked to lower levels of depression in people aged 65 and older.
Thrive conducted research following a series of table-top gardening sessions. This showed that 93% of participants reported improved confidence and motivation and 80% reported better mental health.
People in the group have really made me laugh for the first time in 10 years and I realised that I can now laugh without coughing. It’s really helped my mental health too.
Thrive Life Changers course participant, gardener with COPD
Some people like to garden alone. But it can also be a social activity, helping you connect with others. This could be through getting help with gardening jobs – particularly more physically demanding ones. Or you could share gardening tips, successes (and less successful parts!) with family, friends, and neighbours.
Another way to connect through gardening is to join a community garden or local gardening club. This can become a great reason to leave the house on those days when you feel lacking in motivation.
In a 2023 Thrive survey on gardening and lung conditions, 90% of respondents said gardening helps boost their mood.
Gardening for physical health
Gardens and nature offer the opportunity to support physical health in different ways.
If manageable, physical activities like digging and mowing can help burn calories.
There are also plenty of less strenuous activities that involve flexibility and dexterity. Sowing seeds, deadheading, and pressing flowers are all examples of calmer activities that enhance fine motor skills.
The fear of getting out of breath may put you off doing any activity that makes you more breathless. However, according to Asthma + Lung UK, making yourself breathless through exercise can help improve the symptoms of your lung condition.
Maintaining regular health check-ups is really important with any lung condition. We have observed that gardening may help reduce the need for non-routine medical interventions. Following our Breathing Green Air project, 33% of participants reported a reduction in the number of times they saw the doctor for flare-ups or went to hospital during the course. And 27% felt less breathless at the end compared to the beginning.
Being physically active can often have a positive knock-on effect on mental wellbeing, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.
Always speak to your GP before starting any course of physical activity. They can give specific advice on how to comfortably do it based on your individual situation.
Whether you are an experienced gardener or are just getting started, if you have a lung condition there are a few important things to think about. This can help make gardening more accessible and enjoyable.
1. Pace yourself
It can be very easy to get carried away in the garden and overdo it. It’s important to pace yourself and not get too tired, too quickly.
You could break any activity into manageable steps and just try and do part of it. Gardens are very forgiving and the activity can always be continued another day.
Asthma + Lung UK recommends practicing breathing control to help with breathlessness. This involves breathing gently, using your diaphragm to help reduce the effort needed to breathe.
You could also consider getting help with bigger jobs. This could be from friends, relatives or from a paid gardener.
"Start slowly and work your way slowly. Enjoy each task and don't rush it - you'll be surprised how much you'll get done!”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
2. Be ready for pollen triggers
There are three main types of pollen allergy: tree, grass and weed pollen. Any of these may affect individuals with conditions such as asthma and COPD. It’s a good idea to try and understand which, if any, of these is a trigger for you. The pollen seasons do overlap a little, so it’s not always easy to tell.
If you experience hay fever type symptoms from March to mid-May, it’s generally from tree pollen.
If your hay fever symptoms flare from mid-May to July, it’s generally grass pollen. This is the most common type.
If your hay fever symptoms appear from late June to September, it could also be weed pollen.
Knowing which pollen affects you can help you be prepared with medication. Read advice on managing hay fever here.
3. Review your plants
Plants that have a high level of pollen, or those that are strongly scented, may be a trigger for conditions like asthma.
Some of these may be problematic in your garden:
If any plants cause you irritation, you could replace them. Or, if possible, move them further away from your house.
Some low allergen plants that are still good for insects include salvia, penstemon and foxgloves.
I am allergic to some plants, lavender especially.
Survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
If you would like trees in your garden, blossoming ones like fruit trees and Amelanchier may be a good option.
4. Review your houseplants
As in the garden, there are some plants in the home that are more challenging for people with certain lung conditions. These tend to be the ones with stronger scents.
Some houseplants that may trigger symptoms include:
There are plenty of houseplants that are unlikely to cause problems. In 1989, NASA conducted a Clean Air Study looking into plants that could remove pollutants from the air. While there is some debate about how much this applies to the home environment, houseplants including snake plants (sansevieria) and peace lily did particularly well in the tests.
5. Be weather aware
Very hot and humid or very cold weather can affect some people. Keep a close eye on the weather forecast when planning time in the garden.
Towards the end of spring and into early autumn, there is always the potential of a heatwave. On hot days, save gardening for early morning or late in the evening when the temperature is cooler. Or, let yourself – and the garden - have a rest until the temperature drops.
In the winter, there is generally less activity to do in the garden. It is still very good for the body and mind to get outside from time to time! On very cold days, reduce time outside if you are affected by it. Or wrap a scarf around your nose and mouth when you head out.
You could always use cold days as an excuse to stay in and make a plan for your garden come spring.
Cold weather and bad colds affect my lungs, but I think the pros of getting outside outweigh the cons.
Gardening and lung conditions survey respondent
6. Consider wearing a mask
Pollen, mould, and dust can all be triggers for some people. Activities like digging, raking, and turning the compost soil can stir particles into the air.
Wearing a good quality, well-fitted mask can help minimize risk. You can find specific allergy masks available.
In a 2023 Thrive survey on gardening and lung conditions, time of year / mould spores were voted as having the greatest affect on when people wanted to garden.
7. Have the right tools for you
You may be absolutely fine with the tools you have. Some tools may be more comfortable to use, allowing you to garden in a position where your lungs are more open.
With any tool, if possible, always try and hold it before buying. You want it to be the right length and weight for you.
Lightweight tools will generally take less effort to use.
You may find long-handled tools that allow you to work standing up are easiest.
"Invest in good secateurs and keep them sharpened, it cuts down hand strain.”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
8. Think about what motivates you
We all have days where we feel tired. This can be particularly true if you have a lung condition. Sometimes, it may feel hard to get motivated.
It’s a good idea to have some small, easy activities in mind for these days. This could be some light deadheading, or just getting outside into the garden and looking around.
“Make a comfortable space in your garden where you can sit and relax. The benefits of being outside and part of nature whilst your sitting there become obvious.”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
You may be able to carry out gardening activities without adjusting tools or techniques.
If needed, there are ways to make activities easier to do and reduce potential impact. We share some tips for key gardening activities below.
Digging
Digging can be very strenuous. Many people choose to use a no dig method
instead. This may also come with environmental benefits.
Digging from a standing position using long-handled tools may be more comfortable than digging at ground level.
Find more advice in our guide to digging in the garden.
“Take your time digging. You could persuade someone else to do it while you watch!”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
Watering
A lightweight hosepipe may be less strenuous to use for watering than a watering can. An extendable spray lance is very helpful to reach hanging baskets and containers.
Reduce the distance you need to go by installing water butts or outdoor taps at convenient locations.
Particularly in hot weather, only water early in the morning or late in the evening. This is also better for your plants, helping them conserve water.
Find more advice in our guide to watering outdoors.
“I have installed water butts and enjoy the time I spend leisurely watering.”
- gardening and lung conditions survey respondent
Weeding
Weeding can easily become a big job in the spring and summer months. Little and often is really key here!
If you are affected by dust or mould spores, you may find a good quality, well fitting face mask or wearing eye protection (wraparound glasses) helpful.
To reduce the amount of weeding needed, you could think about your garden design. Growing ground cover perennials, mulching and putting down weed membrane can all help.
Find more advice in our guide to weeding
“Weed a defined area at a time and stand back and admire your work, it feels less overwhelming in chunks.”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
Mowing the lawn
If you have a grass pollen allergy, your lawn – and especially mowing it – may be a trigger.
One option is to replace your lawn. You can still have a beautiful garden based on container gardening on brick or paved areas.
If you are keeping a lawn, whenever the grass is cut remove any clippings immediately. Avoid leaving them sitting around in piles on the lawn.
You may also find this is a good job to get someone else to help with.
Find more advice in our guide to mowing the lawn
“I'm thinking of replacing my small lawn with creeping thyme.”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
Moving things
Gardening can potentially involve a lot of carrying things around!
There are ways to make this easier. Wheelbarrows or trolleys are helpful when moving tools, heavy pots or bags of compost.
Friends and neighbours may be willing to help out with particularly strenuous moving jobs.
Find more advice in our guide to moving things
“I buy lightweight pots and plant them up in situ.”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions
There are a huge number of ways you can enjoy the benefits of gardens and nature.
We have suggested a number of ideas depending on your energy levels and stamina. You can find even more through the Get gardening section of our website.
Seated activities
All of these activities can be done sitting. You might like to try these if you are starting to build strength, or if you are having a low energy day:
Lighter physical gardening activities
If you would like to get out and into the garden, the following activities keep you physically active, but at a gentler pace:
Higher energy gardening activities
All these activities burn calories. You could just choose to do a bit as you build strength. Be aware some of these, like mowing the lawn, may trigger symptoms. Read our tips above for advice on minimizing risk:
Time in nature
You don’t have to do gardening activities to get the benefits of nature. Sometimes, just spending some time in the natural world may be what you need to feel good. You could try one of these:
We all have days where we’re not in the mood for doing much and that’s ok too. The garden and nature will wait patiently and still be there whenever you feel like it.
“Gardening is still a balm for the soul, so just be aware of your own difficulties and work around them.”
- survey respondent, gardening and lung conditions