Grow yourself happy
Anyone with a garden knows that plants and nature improve your mood. As spring arrives, Zia Allaway speaks to three people about how being outside helps with their wellbeing
The Garden Designer
Adam Frost has won seven Gold medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and is co-presenter of BBC Gardeners’ World. He’s also an RHS Ambassador and author of RHS books The Creative Gardener and How to Create Your Garden.
Adam Frost at the opening of the University Hospital Lewisham Wellbeing Garden in June 2022
Adam’s Time To Reflect garden for Chelsea 2014 used restful colours
“I’m still finalising plans for the garden at Colchester Hospital, Essex, which will include curved paths, plenty of seating, wildflower areas and a dry garden with boulders and rocks. Both hospital gardens are a thank you for the support the NHS has given my family in these tough times.
“I think of gardening as ‘moments’ that make me happy. They could be sitting in a sheltered spot in the cool shade of a tree in summer, or walking through a winter garden enjoying the beautiful tree
The Therapeutic Gardener
Ozichi connects those in need to the joy of gardening
“In my early 20s I moved to Somerset for a job at the Paddington Farm Trust, working the land with people suffering from addictions and mental health problems. I’ve also worked for Women’s Aid, and then Advocacy for Croydon, supporting those with mental health issues through the legal system. That role was extremely stressful and after 15 years I felt burned out and knew I needed to get back to nature.
“Combining my experience in mental health and gardening, I support those who’ve been prescribed green therapy by their GP or have been nominated by organisations such as Age UK and Childline. There are many benefits, but most people find the endorphins released when outdoors improves their mood.”
The Shinrin-Yoku Practitioner
People taking part in a yoga session
“When I was introduced to the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, also known as forest bathing, the idea immediately connected with me because it combines the mindfulness of yoga with the woodlands that I love. It’s based on research sponsored by the Japanese government in the 1980s, which aimed to reduce the time people were taking off work due to stress. Dr Qing Li undertook extensive research studies and discovered that walking in a park or woodland for two hours once a month helped to lower stress levels and improved the overall wellbeing of those involved.
He also found that trees emit airborne chemicals called phytoncides, which protect them from insect attacks and possess antibacterial and antifungal qualities that help them fight disease. When we’re exposed to phytoncides, they appear to have an anti-inflammatory effect, helping reduce stress and anxiety. Conifers give off more phytoncides than broadleaf trees and we have a good selection of both here. “I run sessions in our woods and at RHS Garden Rosemoor. Unlike just going for a walk in nature, where your mind may be skipping between the shopping list and picking up the kids, forest bathing is more like meditation with your eyes open. It requires you to be present in the moment, and to really look at the leaves, flowers, grasses, birds and insects around you. However, unlike meditation, where you’re trying not to be distracted, in shinrin-yoku your mind is allowed to wander when a bird, for example, flies by and you follow it to see what it’s doing. The key is to focus on the plant or creature in that moment, but not mull over things in the past or worry about the future.
“One of my favourite ways to de-stress is to go to my ‘sit spot’. In this special place in the woods I simply sit and allow all my senses to engage with the natural world around me, be that listening to a bird singing, watching a bee on a flower, or taking in the earthy scent of the forest floor, while also noticing what’s changed since my last visit. I try to be in the present, but if a thought naturally bubbles up – maybe the smell of mud reminding me of my grandmother gardening – I let it take me momentarily on that emotional journey. You can do this too in your own garden, or any green space, to help you unwind. The only challenge for gardeners is not to be tempted to snip off a dead flowerhead or pull out a weed they spot, but simply to notice their form and beauty.”
The science of wellbeing
The RHS is using the Wellbeing Garden at RHS Garden Wisley to conduct studies into how and why gardening improves people’s moods
The Wellbeing Garden at RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science, RHS Garden Wisley
Lauriane and PhD student Bethany Harries have also compiled a list of elements to improve mental health. “Plants with a diversity of colours, textures, scents and shapes have a positive effect on mood by stimulating all the senses – just avoid toxic or allergenic plants if you want to touch them,” says Lauriane. She recommends features that bring a sense of peace and tranquillity. “Soothing sounds of gently flowing water, tall grasses rustling in the breeze, or even wind chimes help foster serenity, while adding plants that provide food for birds (or a bird feeder) brings in restorative birdsong.”
Including more invigorating areas is helpful, too, so you can retreat to the spot that suits your mood. You can do this even in a small space with plants, colours and structural elements.
The RHS Wellbeing Garden also encourages exploration, which Lauriane says “invokes curiosity and surprise, with its meandering pathways that are accessible to people of all ages and abilities, allowing you to wander at your own pace.”
Lauriane also suggests including elements that are culturally significant to your family. Heirloom plants that remind you of grandparents, colours that symbolise a homeland or a memorial tree to commemorate a person or place evoke fascination, belonging and a sense of safety and familiarity.
Experimenting with these ideas and features helps you see which brings you the most enjoyment. You can also take part in the ongoing research into how natural sounds, smells and colours affect our moods at the Wellbeing Garden and Hilltop Atrium at Wisley.
This page is an adaptation of an article published in the March 2024 edition of The Garden magazine, free to RHS members every month when you join the RHS.
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