A few sums. Digging, mowing the lawn and planting new seedlings all require significant physical effort, especially if the garden is fairly large. The average calorie consumption for someone weighing 75 kilos is around 330 calories an hour, comparable to playing golf or a session of light jogging. 

Active muscles. Legs, back and arms are the parts of the body that are most used, even if workloads can greatly vary. Obviously when digging up an area comprising several square metres the energy consumption is far higher than when cutting the grass with a lawn mower.

Fresh air and sunlight. Spending time in the open air, provided you are not near polluted areas and wearing the proper skin protection, is healthy both for lungs, that can make use of the oxygenation deriving from the turnover of air, and bones, that receive energy supplies helping to stimulate the production of Vitamin D needed to strengthen them.

Stimulating the senses. Apart from physical exercise, gardening offers fulfillment in other ways: above all for the sight, with the pleasant combination of the different shapes of the scenery, to the palate for the organic fruit and vegetables that can be grown and finally for the sense of smell, from the penetrating odour of the earth to the fragrance of the flowers and aromatic herbs. It's a natural and enveloping total sensory experience.

Basic requirements. For visible gardening results, apart from the necessity of a suitable space, a minimum of time and patience are needed. At least a few hours per weekend should be put aside, especially in the spring months when plants need more looking after. During the summer the main focus is on frequent watering.

Garden, vegetable patch, or both? The first thing to decide is what you want to use the ground for. It could be that you are exclusively interested in an ornamental garden, or that you don't want to give up on the idea of a vegetable patch. If the whole area is not very big then it's best to opt for a lawn surrounded by plants, which will give a greater sense of space.

A green carpet. An English lawn calls for particular care. The ground should be prepared by eliminating any weeds or stones, and then treated with a roller (avoiding any sunken footsteps) and finally, fertilizer. This is the point when seeds should be sown, in the spring. Watering should be regular but light. The first mowing should take place when seedlings are at least 8cm in height, after which it can be carried out more frequently, up to 1-2cm growth. If the lawn is not trampled upon it can be left to grow up to 4cm. For healthy grass make sure you always use sharp, clean blades to cut it, otherwise it will run the risk of succumbing to parasites.

Flowerbeds and romantic pathways. If you like flowerbeds with colourful tulips, hyacinths and crocus you should get on with planting bulbs early, in the first half of November. For other plants spring is early enough. If there is sufficient space put aside an area for you to sit and relax, read and admire the landscape. You could also build stone pathways.                        

The joys of a vegetable patch. Preparation is also important in this case. The ground should be free of stones and parasites, carefully dug with the help of a rake and fertilized properly. Mark out small squares for each plot surrounded by pathways in beaten earth for easy access. The choice of vegetables is based on the season and personal taste. In April carrots, beans, lettuce, peppers and courgettes can be sown; it's also the right month to plant young tomato seedlings. A proper vegetable patch should include kitchen herbs such as basil, marjoram, oregano and parsley, all of which should be bought or sown in the spring.

Equipment for gardens and vegetable patches

• Lawn mower motorised, in different sizes depending on the size of the lawn.
• Hedge cutters motorised, essential for pruning hedges.
• Rake for gathering cut grass or stones, removing dry leaves, tidying pathways.
• Pruning knife for cutting grass the lawn mower won't reach.
• Shears and clippers for pruning branches and shrubs.
• Work gloves to protect hands from grazes and calluses.
• Shovel with a square end for gathering earth and stones and tidying flowerbeds.
• Hoe for breaking up clods when the earth is very hard (with either a triangular or square end).
• Spade necessary for turning earth (with a sharp end and of medium size).
• Trowel with the blade bent like a spoon. Useful for removing plants deeply embedded in the ground.
• Stakes made of wood, metal or plastic to support young, delicate seedlings and to help vegetables such as tomatoes, peas and beans to climb.
• Watering can and watering apparatus, with either a rotating or fixed spout, which is joined to a tube, attached to a tap. Made of plastic or metal and in varying shapes, these are also very useful for watering the lawn.