Is Gardening Good Exercise?

Who says staying fit requires a gym membership? Sometimes, all you need is a garden, a spade and a few jobs that need doing.

If you've ever spent an afternoon digging, planting or pulling weeds, only to wake up the next morning with aching muscles, you'll know that gardening can be surprisingly hard work.

So, is gardening good exercise? Absolutely. Many gardening activities count as moderate-intensity exercise, helping you burn calories, strengthen muscles and stay active without setting foot in a gym.

But how many calories does gardening actually burn? And can it really help with weight loss?

Let's dig into the benefits, from calorie burning and muscle strength to how gardening compares with traditional workouts.

Does Gardening Count as Exercise?

Yes, gardening counts as exercise when you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate or challenge your muscles. Activities such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves and digging can provide moderate-intensity exercise, depending on how energetically you're working.

According to the NHS physical activity guidelines, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week, alongside muscle-strengthening activities on two days.

Moderate exercise means your heart beats faster, you're breathing a little harder and you feel warmer. A simple test? You should still be able to talk, but singing would be difficult.

Think about the movements involved in everyday gardening:

• Digging and turning over soil
• Raking leaves and clearing flower borders
• Pushing a lawnmower
• Carrying watering cans and moving compost
• Bending, squatting and stretching to plant flowers

These movements all involve different muscle groups, helping improve your strength, mobility and general fitness.

Of course, gently watering a few pots isn't quite the same as digging a new border. The intensity of the activity determines how much exercise you're actually getting.

How Many Calories Does Gardening Burn?

A person weighing around 70kg can burn approximately 133 calories in 30 minutes of moderately active gardening, or 266 calories in an hour. More physically demanding jobs, such as digging, can burn even more.

The exact number depends on your body weight, the task involved and how hard you're working.

Calories Burnt Gardening: 30 Minutes vs 60 Minutes

Approximate estimates for a 70kg adult, calculated from the 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities. Figures assume continuous activity and are rounded.

Which Gardening Jobs Burn the Most Calories?

Generally, the more physically demanding the job, the more calories you'll burn.

Digging is particularly effective because it engages your legs, arms, shoulders and core muscles. Pushing a manual lawnmower can also provide a surprisingly demanding workout.

Even everyday jobs such as planting and weeding involve repeated movement.

Just remember that an hour spent in the garden doesn't necessarily mean an hour of continuous exercise. Stopping for a cup of tea, admiring your plants or chatting over the fence will naturally reduce your total calorie expenditure.

And that's perfectly fine. Gardening should still be enjoyable!

Can Gardening Help With Weight Loss and Muscle Toning?

Yes, gardening can help with weight management and muscle conditioning. Regular gardening increases your daily energy expenditure while activities such as digging, carrying and squatting work different muscle groups.

Can Gardening Help You Lose Weight?

Weight loss generally happens when you consistently burn more calories than you consume.

Gardening contributes to the energy you use throughout the day, particularly when you're tackling physically demanding tasks.

For example, preparing a new flower border involves digging, lifting soil, walking and repeatedly bending down to position plants.

All that movement adds up.

However, gardening alone doesn't guarantee weight loss. Your diet, overall activity levels and consistency are equally important.

Does Gardening Build Muscle?

Gardening isn't quite the same as lifting weights, but it can help develop muscular endurance and functional strength.

Different tasks work different areas of your body:

• Legs and glutes: Squatting, kneeling and standing while planting.
• Core muscles: Stabilising your body while digging and carrying.
• Arms and shoulders: Raking, pruning and lifting compost.
• Back muscles: Supporting controlled lifting and digging movements.
• Hands and forearms: Gripping tools, using secateurs and pulling weeds.

These are all practical movements that help support everyday activities.

For significant muscle growth, however, dedicated resistance training is generally more effective.

How Does Gardening Compare to Traditional Exercise Routines?

Gardening can burn a similar number of calories to brisk walking or lighter gym exercises, depending on the task. More intensive activities, such as cycling at speed, generally burn more calories in the same amount of time.

Here's how the numbers compare.

Gardening vs Traditional Exercise

Estimates are based on a 70kg adult using the 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities.

But calorie burning isn't the only thing worth comparing.

One of gardening's biggest advantages is that it doesn't always feel like exercise.

Instead of counting repetitions or watching the clock, you're focused on creating something beautiful.

That can make being active feel less like a chore and more like something to look forward to.

The Broader Health Benefits: Why Gardening Is Good for You

Gardening offers more than just a way to burn calories. Spending time outdoors and working with plants can support your wellbeing in several ways.

1. Gardening Can Reduce Stress

There's something satisfying about getting your hands in the soil and focusing on a simple task.

Gardening encourages you to slow down, step away from screens and enjoy your surroundings.

A small study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that gardening helped participants recover from stress, with greater reductions in the stress hormone cortisol than during a reading activity.

Although individual results vary, wider research also suggests gardening can positively influence mental wellbeing.

2. It Encourages Mobility and Flexibility

Gardening naturally involves bending, reaching, stretching and changing positions.

These movements can help maintain everyday mobility and coordination, provided they're performed comfortably and without strain.

3. It Works Your Hands and Grip

Pruning, weeding and handling small plants require hand strength and coordination.

Regularly using gardening tools can help keep your hands active, particularly when you're working on smaller, more detailed jobs.

4. It Gets You Outdoors

Spending time in your garden provides an opportunity to enjoy daylight and fresh air.

During spring and summer, sunlight exposure can help your body produce vitamin D, which supports healthy bones and muscles.

However, remember to protect yourself from sunburn. The NHS also advises considering vitamin D supplementation during autumn and winter, when UK sunlight isn't strong enough for adequate vitamin D production.

Gardening can also be a wonderful activity to enjoy with children. Discover more in our guide to the benefits of gardening for children and the whole family.

Tips to Maximise Your Gardening Workout Safely

If you're hoping to make gardening part of your exercise routine, a few simple habits can help.

1. Start with lighter tasks. Warm up by walking around the garden or doing some gentle watering before moving on to digging.
2. Mix up your activities. Alternate between planting, weeding, raking and pruning to work different muscle groups.
3. Lift carefully. Keep heavier items close to your body and avoid twisting while carrying them.
4. Change positions regularly. Avoid spending too long kneeling or bent over in one position.
5. Use the right equipment. Comfortable gloves, a suitable spade and a kneeling pad can make gardening easier.
6. Stay hydrated. Keep water nearby and take regular breaks, particularly during warmer weather.

If you're new to exercise or have a health condition, build up gradually and seek medical advice where appropriate.

You can also explore our range of gardening tools and accessories to make everyday jobs more comfortable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gardening Exercise if You're Just Planting Flowers?

Yes, planting flowers involves physical movement, including bending, kneeling, squatting and standing. Whether it counts as moderate-intensity exercise depends on how actively you're working.

How Many Calories Does an Hour of Gardening Burn?

A 70kg adult can burn approximately 266 calories during an hour of moderately active gardening. More demanding jobs, such as digging, may burn around 350 calories.

Can Gardening Help With Weight Loss and Muscle Toning?

Yes. Gardening increases calorie expenditure and engages muscles throughout the body. It can support weight management and muscle conditioning when combined with an active lifestyle and balanced diet.

Is Gardening as Good as Going to the Gym?

Gardening can provide valuable physical activity, but it doesn't replace every type of gym workout. Structured exercise is usually better for targeting specific fitness goals, while gardening offers varied movement and an enjoyable way to stay active.

Get Active and Give Your Garden Some Love

So, is gardening good exercise? Absolutely!

From burning calories and strengthening muscles to reducing stress and spending more time outdoors, there are plenty of reasons to get your hands dirty.

And the best part? You don't need a huge garden or years of experience to enjoy the benefits.

If you're thinking about creating a new flower border, our Garden on a Roll garden borders make getting started wonderfully simple.

Whether you're choosing a Sunny Garden Border or transforming a shady corner, every kit comes with carefully selected plants and a biodegradable planting plan showing you exactly where everything goes.

All you need to do is prepare the soil, roll out the template and get planting.

And once your border is established, there's plenty to keep you active throughout the year. Take a look at our guide to winterising your garden borders for more seasonal gardening jobs.

Ready to get started? Shop All Garden Borders and discover how simple creating a beautiful garden can be.

We design it, you plant it.