International Men’s Day is being held on 19 November 2024. The UK International Men’s Day team promote this day as an opportunity for us all to work towards shared objectives which are applied equally to men and boys irrespective of their age, ability, social background, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, religious belief and relationship status.The six key pillars of International Men’s Day are:(1) To promote positive male role models; not just movie stars and sports men but everyday, working class men who are living decent, honest lives.(2) To celebrate men’s positive contributions; to society, community, family, marriage, child care, and to the environment.(3) To focus on men’s health and wellbeing; social, emotional, physical and spiritual.(4) To highlight discrimination against males; in areas of social services, social attitudes and expectations, and law.(5) To improve gender relations and promote gender equality.(6) To create a safer, better world; where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential.There are many aspects to men’s health and wellbeing, but improving men’s mental health is a particularly important goal. Although poor mental health does not discriminate between genders, approximately 75% of suicides in the UK are male. It has been suggested that work and financial pressures, feeling less able to talk about mental health, and outdated views of masculinity e.g., an expectation to be “tough” and being told to “man up”, are all contributing factors. Sadly, despite the clear need to support men’s mental health, only a third of NHS mental health referrals are for men.Gardening has recently been used to improve mental health in the UK. GPs are now starting to “prescribe” gardening to patients living with anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Patients are given a plant to look after and are invited to join local community gardening projects with other residents. GPs have acknowledged physical, mental, and emotional benefits from as little as two hours gardening a week.There are many different types of gardening ranging from weeding, mowing the lawn, and deadheading in larger gardens, to maintaining window boxes and balcony gardens which are more common in cities. Speak to friends and neighbours and find out what grows well in your local area. Visit a local garden centre with a friend, colleague, neighbour or relative, and learn more about plants and how to look after them. Garden centres stock a wide variety of houseplants – some are suited to bright suntraps and sunny windowsills, and others prefer a shady corner or more humid environment. Some houseplants require more specialist care than others so be sure to ask for help if you need to.Houseplants have been found to reduce stress. A recent study measured the blood pressure and heart rate of participants while either completing a short computer-based task or repotting a houseplant. The researchers observed lower heart rates and blood pressure for the group performing the repotting task.Several research groups have investigated the effect of indoor plants on productivity and creativity. One study reported an increase in the productivity of college students performing a timed computer-based task when plants were introduced to the environment.There are also many physical health benefits to gardening. For example, there have been studies that suggest the physical activity involved in gardening can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer – a disease that is expected to affect 1 in 8 men at some point in their lifetime. Gardening can help with weight management and can reduce the risk of developing other conditions including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.Talk to friends and colleagues about your houseplants and share tips for looking after them. Share cuttings and recommendations for the best plants to grow. Some houseplants that are particularly good for propagating are spider plants, money plants, monstera, and pothos. If you have one of these and someone says that they like it or it looks like it is doing well, offer them a cutting.Try different types of gardening and see what works best for you. Perhaps you like growing vegetables or flowers from seed – seeing something grow and mature. You could plant bulbs in the spring and watch them come up year after year and spread to different parts of your garden. Maybe you prefer buying little plants/seedlings and potting up containers and window boxes. If outdoor space is limited then try going to a terrarium workshop and making something for your desk.Gardens can also help develop friendships and a sense of community and belonging. Get together with friends and family for a BBQ or picnic in the garden. Join a local allotment and meet other people interested in growing vegetables and cut flowers. Plant native flowers to encourage biodiversity and watch wildlife using your garden. For more information on community gardening groups in your area, check out the RHS community gardening directory.Whatever space you have, big or small, outside or inside, make some time to encourage a relative, friend, colleague, or neighbour to enjoy gardening with you this International Men’s Day.