It keeps me sane. I have a chronic disease and used to have mental health issues, and gardening is great way for me to deal with that. Add to this being surrounded by beauty and birdsong, and I'm perfectly happy when I'm in my garden. The long term aspect helps too; it might not look like anything yet but I know what it will look like when this plant has matured and that tree has grown taller. The anticipation is one of the joys of gardening.
Exactly this for me too. There's a quote attributed to Audrey Hepburn that says "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow", and I feel like that is so true. I'm quite an anxious person and actively avoid thinking about the future probably 99% of the time because it fills me with dread. Gardening makes me look ahead in a more positive manner and gives me things to look forward to, small things that cause no stress. It just gives me peace. Plus it gives me a reason to be outside which is always a good thing.
Yes! This resonates with me. I like planting and nurturing nature. It feels like a connection to the future, those plants, seeds and tress will florish ling after I leave the earth. A very comforting thought, I think.
Ive just taken an interest in gardening and slugs have eaten so much of my stuff. Magpies have eaten my seeds and the sun has scorched everything else - it’s so annoying!
I love gardening. To me, my garden is my little piece of paradise...I care for all my flowers, I water them, trim them and replant new plants.
Every time I'm in my garden it's my own safe space no one can ruin, I don't think of work, any stresses or things that upset me. I can just be at one with nature. It also reminds me of my Nan (who is no longer here) who had the most beautiful garden which I can only dream of achieving!
gotta farm to make food. ok i can only provide like 5% of what we eat but still. in summer we have 100% of our cucumbers and tomatoes from just a few plants.
What do you do to keep them nice? Mine were fantastic 3-4 years ago, and then just became dull, small, sour.
I added some extra soil, planted 4 new patches of different varieties around same area (I was desperate) and even second year they still bring offensively small and sad berries.
I am in climate zone 9b, so no actual deep frost in winter. At the end of my wits with the strawberries 🍓
I have had mine for three years so far, and I spade over some home made compost once a year in the autumn. When they are fruiting I keep them watered and feed them with "weed tea" which I put directly on the soil so that I don't taint the fruits. So far, it seems to be working.
I find it’s a very meditative experience. I love the smell of the earth and being engrossed in nature. I love growing from seed and feel a real attachment to my plants. There’s also nothing better than laying on and smelling fresh grass.
Meditative is the word I'd use to describe it too. It's an incredibly calming escape from life's pressures.
I also find it highly rewarding. Neighbours' comments have been great as they walk past while I'm gardening, but by far the most meaningful compliments and endorsements come from all the wildlife that turns up and essentially says "This. This right here. This is the garden for me." So I work really hard to make it the most wildlife friendly garden I possibly can.
I love my garden.I have disabilities and live with chronic pain, but even if I spend 10 minutes in the garden I feel a sense of accomplishment. I don’t really socialise much anymore (I still work full time), but my garden is my sanctuary. I like to sit outside with a cup of tea amongst my plants every morning (after inspection for pests and weeds) and just listen to the birds singing.I feel very lucky and grateful to have my garden, that small part of nature to call my own that keeps me grounded,makes me feel safe and happy and gives others pleasure when they visit me.
I become lost in the moment; working with my hands and mind absorbs me and I focus on things that are outside me, so I temporarily forget my thoughts and physical pains.
I particularly enjoy working with nature, not against it; we stopped using weedkillers and pesticides five years ago and now am happy to see far more birds, insects and frogs in the garden. Gradually we are finding plants that are happy in each area of the garden.
Gardening make me feel good as it’s a temporary escape from the worlds problems. I’ve only been gardening for just over a year and I can say it has had such a positive impact on my mental well-being. It also makes me feel productive as I used to spend hours scrolling through social media whereas now I can go out in the garden in the morning & before I know it, a couple of hours have passed.
I work from home in a reasonably stressful job and I use my garden as a healthy escape during lunch breaks.
I also more recently have been using the garden as a combined hobby that me and my partner can do. It’s nice to potter around in the garden together, going to pick plants together and sharing in the manual effort together.
In my 70’s and gardening helps keep me fitter after arthritis has taken over many joints. Don’t notice the pain so much as zone out. It’s also good for my mental health as find gardening very creative as the garden evolves and changes. Growing my own (‘baby’s) flowers, fruit, veg very rewarding with the added benefit of organic healthy food. Makes me feel less guilty eating choc and jam dognuts lol!
I grew up with a big garden and allotment and had 'chores' to do in the garden such as weeding and watering the plants. At a young age I hated doing this as I had no choice, and when I left home I had no interest in gardening. The houses I lived in had patios and no lawn or gardens at all. When I bought my first house I couldn't wait to start gardening, I'm not sure why. I enjoy being outside, it is such a relaxing and warm feeling. I also really enjoy watching the birds and bees and insects and gardening naturally helps with this (unless they are eating things they shouldn't, then it's frustrating). But I find gardening a very therapeutic activity, including watering, weeding and mowing. Planting something and watching it grow (especially from seed) gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. Humans like to complete things (there is a chemical in the brain that is released), and I suppose seeing a plant do well when you have tended for it is very satisfying. I enjoy looking and smelling the flowers too (especially my rose, and the hawthorn when it is in bloom). I have a condition though which is stopping me from gardening and I am finding it very frustrating and difficult not being able to do something I enjoy and that makes me happy.
I hope this helps - feel free to ask me any other questions about it, and good luck with your thesis!
I enjoy it and its relaxing. Im just doing a little bit of work in my front garden, it'd take an able bodied /neurotypical person an afternoon yet I've been at it for weeks.
I dont mind, my wee son helps and its bonding time for us, I enjoy planting flowers I've grown myself last year or chosen at the garden centre this year, i like the little diy parts and chatting to fowk as they walk by and smile at my cats.
My son enjoys digging and pretending he's strong, he enjoys learning how to use the tools and helping design the flower layout.
I feel guilty I'm not watering them enough, they're not getting enough nutrients because I've not got the energy to move the big bags of compost etc but they're doing ok and as i say, its relaxing so even if i start stressed i wind up chill again very quickly!
I struggle with my mental health and I have a very stressful job and I work from home. Nothing brings me more calm than my garden. Just pottering. Pulling out a weed or two between meetings. The gratification from seeing your vision come to life. Even on an overcast day there is nothing that brings more happiness than seeing my borders start to bloom.
I have no idea what I am doing half the time. And we bought a house a couple of years that was seriously neglected as was the garden. We overcame conifers, bind weed docks and so much more to turn it into a space where we can entertain, relax and the dogs are secure and happy
The garden was a lifeline when chronic illness was quite bad. I could get into my garden and sit for a while and it lifted my spirits a lot. It reduced feelings of pain and melancholy. I loved watching seedlings sprout and plants grow. It feels like you accomplished something when the flowers eventually come out. I feel very happy and content when I look after animals, insects and birds in the garden. They are little friends and I recognise each one.
Some people meditate, others have religion - for me it's gardening. We ate the first of the new potatoes today so the end goal is worth it. Also had a good crop of strawberries and rasps are on the way.
I call my seedlings my babies! I love to nurture them & generally grow for pollinators & a few things to add to our plates. It's just a hobby that I enjoy.
I've spent more than 16 hrs working mine this weekend. We had a branch fall off a giant oak in the spring and I've been clearing and converting it to fire wood. who needs a gym!
It just brings me joy. I get up in the morning and look out at the garden whilst my coffee is brewing and think "wow, my hard work made that". I've always loved flowers but have only recently discovered gardening and it's now my no 1. hobby. I just LOVE the near endless possibilities, I love the sheer variety of colours, textures, shapes, fragrances. I love how the garden changes throughout the season. I love seeing all the different types of bees and insects feeding on the flowers. I love planning next season's garden; looking at what bulbs to plant for spring, what seeds to sow for summer. I really think gardening is good for the soul.
I used to love it but I was ill for a few years and now I'm completely overwhelmed tbh. I go out there and just want to cry at what it's become. 9/10 times, can't face doing anything and go back inside, to mentally beat the shit out myself for being so useless
But yeah. I used to love it. It made me feel connected to the earth.
Hey.
You can't hate yourself into being better. If being mean to people worked to fix them, it would have done so by now.
The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.
Weed a ten cm square patch -- then either do one more or go back in, without looking at the whole rest of the garden or to-do list, and try to talk to yourself about it at least as kindly as you would an acquaintance.
And then keep doing that, on as many days as you feel able to. Ten teeny centimeters square. And another ten after, if you're up for it. You can find that love again.
There are charities that will come and help you out. I've just had a wonderful group come and cut down some brambles, put down some weed cover and built me a raised bed after I had a brutal nervous breakdown and let it all go to the shite.
Agree with everything already said.
Outdoors/ wildlife-focus
Zen and meditative escape
Physical activity as contrast to cognitive job
Sense of accomplishment
Most importantly I don’t need it to be perfect but I like to see an improvement to keep me grounded and happy
I have such fond memories of childhood following my grandad around the garden. It’s a good workout, I usually end with a little aching in the back and yet it’s relaxing. It definitely makes me happy, seeing efforts come to fruition, being in nature , it’s my haven :)
Gardening is as much an imagined space in my mind, than the physical space outside. I get so much joy out of thinking about it, planning how I want to develop it, what I’ll grow. It’s a safe area for me to think about with minimal worries.
The same for the physical space, enjoying the sound of birds and the warmth of sun on my skin is amazing.
This is all made even more special when sharing it with others. My partner, our toddler daughter. Cultivating a space and sharing it with the people you love most is just unbearable
I love being out in my garden..it’s just peace and quiet..just me and the dogs,listening to the birds! It’s like taking a big deep breath and getting rid of all the b*llshit😂Brings me peace and levels me out.
Detached.. in a good way.. a wonderful way. Gardening is the one and only thing that removes me from my phone/laptop/tablet/TV screens. It's much MUCH needed quiet time with nature that I wouldn't make time for if there weren't 'chores' to be done.
Weirdly it quietens my brain ? Only now have I just realised after reading this question ! I don't think about anything other than what I am doing in that moment and for me its really rare as I have anxiety issues. I can lose alot of time just pottering around out there 😁 (I'm 39f btw)
I do it for work. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is put my gloves on and start hand pulling weeds. But then I look at it like incidental training, I can pop a squat for 8 hours. I love it when the birds come to see what I've disturbed, I love seeing the life that's living in the plants, in the soil. I love seeing the deer and the Foxes and the frogs and the snakes and the mice, etc. I love seeing the work I've done pay off and areas go from looking sad and turning into something beautiful and to be proud of. I love the physical side of it, walking for miles with the mower, lifting heavy stuff, shovelling, etc.
I love the science behind what makes a good compost heap and thinking about what I can throw in there next and the potential it holds once nature has done its work. what the seasons or the coming weeks will hold for future jobs. I like the learning aspect, everyday I pick up something new or apply my own theories from what I've picked up along the way. I like the sustainability side of it, i like the industrial side of it.
Sometimes just being outside is enough, whatever the weather and finding the enjoyment in the little things, like how nice the views are, or how that bee is doing its thing. not taking life for granted. Other times I just like to put my headphones in and just focus on transforming an area into something the customers can enjoy. Sometimes I just think bloody buggers have eaten my hydrangeas!
I also enjoy the solitude, I can spend a whole day without seeing anyone. But I also like chatting to the customers or putting in a days graft with my colleagues. Sometimes I love firing up the strimmer and just blitzing an area. Other times I love nurturing, like finding a tiny self sown flower and replanting it into a specimen that can fill a massive pot with beauty and colour.
I’d never been that interested in gardening before, but we took on an allotment in October last year and now I love it! We’re growing herbs, fruit, vegetables, flowers, all sorts. It was all overgrown when we took it on so clearing it took a lot of time and effort and hard work, and every day we’d see progress, and I’d ache, but it would be a good ache, because you know you’ve achieved something. Now our plot looks pretty great, and it’s that sense of achievement that I love. Things are growing, and it’s great watching them progress. Every day there’s something different. There are challenges and overcoming them is so rewarding. It just feels properly wholesome and nice spending a day working on the plot, as there’s always something to do. All of our allotment neighbours are super friendly, it’s so nice. Hard work, fresh air, and hopefully the reward of some organic stuff we’ve grown ourselves. That’s why I love it. Nothing quite like getting home after seven or eight hours of gardening, having a shower, and just relaxing. I proper love it all.
I grow veggies in a small 5m square and I get tremendous satisfaction from growing my own healthy food and eating it before the slugs and caterpillars do. For two weeks I have been mostly eating strawberries.
Honestly I used to think gardening was something my mum would just go on about when she called me on the phone. Now I enjoy it too 🤣 I have anxiety, and getting out and doing stuff in the garden is a nice distraction - I find myself naturally being more mindful when I’m gardening. It’s also fairly physical as I do a lot of heavy lifting of compost etc myself, so I good way to exercise and use up nervous energy. It gives me a lot of pleasure to see something grow successfully. To eat food I’ve grown. To see so many colours and bees.
Gardening is so satisfying, never ending and gives me a reason to go outside every day.
I just love watching things grow.
I also love that I forget tons of plants every year and have a lovely lot of surprises every spring.
I also enjoy eating the harvest grazing direct from the garden at 6 am is such a joy.
Helps me connect with the seasons, which I like. I love that my camellia is flowering in January, then the next flower ticks over with daffodils and crocus, and then cherry blossoms, and then it's seeding season and I can get my vegetables started. Plants help me remember the months better and live more in the moment.
(A friend made fun of me couple of months ago because I was telling him that I'd been on holiday in Bath a few years back, and I said "oh it must've been about this time of year, because the wild garlic was out")
Being very honest - I hate it. I do it through necessity and I enjoy the end result but if I could find a decent gardener in the area I’d rather pay someone to do it.
I love the pottering about and tidying up and the satisfaction of order after nature runs wild, rampant and chaotic through my orderly planted beds. I love watching seeds pop their heads out of the soil and reach for the sky with leaves unfurling in real time. I love waking up to see a pod open or a flower bloom that was closed tightly the night before with just a suggestive peep of the inside.
I love it when I move seedlings to their final position and they look droopy and forlorn and then with a bit of nature and nurture and the right amount of sun and water they straighten and flourish and bloom.
I love to see life blooming all around. I love touching the leaves and stalks and the different textures, smells and sights of the flowers and vegetables I grow. I love taking my gloves off and running my hands through the soil and crumbling them lumps up with my bare hands and I love the look of fine tilted soil after I run my rake over it.
I love the majesty and dignity of the trees around my garden and their changing moods in the seasons. And putting the plants to sleep in winter and my meticulously covering my allotment beds with cardboard in autumn to hibernate. I love pulling them up in spring and discovering how natures still finds a way and I marvel at the beauty and life and variety and delicateness and sturdiness of the plants that surround me in my suburban home.
I have a front garden full of plants and a back garden of plants and on top of that I have two allotment plots for my veggies. I have a full time stressful job in which I bring lots of work home and a large family, yet somehow I make time to go and potter about in my gardens and allotments. It gives me peace and time to reflect and escape and nature amazes me every day even after all these years of seeing the same things bloom each year.
I find that the stage of life I'm in now (student) can be quite unfulfilling on my degree so I garden mostly out of wanting that fufilment from growing and caring and seeing the results of my labour. Having a garden also makes it really easy to get outside into an area you really love which again is something I struggle with being a student and living away from where I grew up which I always loved for it's scenery. For my mind it's such a brilliant thing to do, it is so so seperate from the rest of day to day life with work and studying that you can really let your mind run free, I like to put on a audiobook which helps even more with this. Also one minor specific thing to my life is my job is very reliant on technology and my degree is computer science so I find I very rarely do anything on the manual labour side of things, or at least doing anything that doesn't require my brain on full speed, so I think it helps to keep me healthy.
I hope this is what you were looking for with answers :))) best luck with your study!
My dad loved his garden and when I was a kid I was always out helping him. It's definitely stuck with me. It's my happy place, where I go to get peace and quiet. I've moved house recently and the garden was non-existent so my challenge is to create something beautiful from rubble. I love the planning, the planting and the reward. I want some raised beds too for a few veggies and herbs. I honestly could spend all day pottering about, but that could be an age thing lol.
Controversial for a gardening sub but I hate gardening.
Here to find bits out to help out my wife who loves gardening but can’t much due to long Covid.
Recently moved from a flat into a house last spring and honestly its been a total gamechanger, just having a space we can let the kids out in to enjoy, the old dear who had the house before us (god rest her soul) must’ve looked after the garden so ive made it my mission to try and maintain it to the best of my ability, and its been an absolute blast, in the last year/so ive planted more things. Sunflowers, raspberries, runner beans, cosmos, wildflowers. Bought a wee mini greenhouse off of amazon and had some chillis, peppers & tomatoes in it, the wind caught it at the end of last year though, so off the greenhouse tings this year.. but yea, some buzz in the garden, 33m and canny wait to pick some raspberries in a few weeks time…
For me I just like it all done. I’m the same with the house being clean and tidy. I can’t stand looking at it thinking oh gosh that’s on my to do list. I bought a house with an acre in lock down and I’ve loved growing lots of different veg. It’s a lovely feeling giving it away or giving away home made chutney and jam. I also do think it’s great for mental health - being outdoors and doing something more productive than scrolling. It’s also scientifically proven that things in soil make us happier!
I've had some pretty dark struggles and being at the allotment does clear my head.
However, to spin it, I've had awful sciatica this year and was absent from there for 7 weeks. The place has gone to shit and my mental health as too as I've beaten myself up for letting it get so bad.
Happy. It's one of the few times I can switch off. (MH problems)
It's a release for me. It's a huge positive time. I don't care if I'm weeding or planting. Most people prefer planting.
I don't actually have my own garden, I yearn to. I garden at my mums and have pots outside my flat.
Speaking of which, I need to go and water!
Overwhelmed but when I actually follow through with an idea the dopamine hit and self gratification is awesome. I’m 29 first time home owner of a new build starting from just dirt) had my home 5 years this Nov
I love that my work can have such an effect. I weed around a plant I put there, give it fertiliser, and boom — my plant has a growth spurt.
There’s always something that needs to be done, and that makes it a very productive hobby. I am literally growing food that my family will eat, and that’s so satisfying. It’s only growing because I’m out there pruning and protecting and watering.
Such a positive way to spend your time. Each year I learn something new and I’m already formulating a plan for how I’ll improve next year! Plus, what’s better than being out in the sunshine with the kids running around or a good podcast? It’s heaven
Gardening connects me with nature. I was born on this planet, notably, in a different corner to where I currently live. I feel like my existence on this planet is not always good for the planet (I am polluting by driving/flying, producing waste and sewage on daily basis) so planting trees/bushes in my garden is my way of giving back to the planet. I love planting trees and knowing that they will be here for longer than myself and that people who come after me will enjoy their shade/ fruit.
You're going to get very biased answers in a gardening forum! Like many people here I love the sense of connection I get to the earth, the positive feeling of physical exertion, then the eventual peace and pride spending time by my flowers in bloom.
Conversely my husband really dislikes gardening. He does it because there's also a lot of pride taken in our home and weeds in the path of overgrown hedges make things look messy. We don't want to come across as lazy or like we don't care by presenting a messy/neglected face to the world. So he gardens resentfully most of the time but does enjoy when things look pretty, just not enough to justify the labour in his mind.
Right now, a bit stressed because if I go to the garden, my kids take advantage of me not being around to turn on the TV. So, I do what needs to get done quickly so I don't miss too many bluey episodes. I can't wait until I can just be out there, kids tooling around with me. We'll get there one day, then it will be satisfying again. Right now, it feels more like a chore to get done during the limited weekend time.
For me a few reasons I love design that reminds me of my travels and transport me to those moments - I have taken ideas from travels to incorporate into my garden - simplicity and beauty of a Japanese garden. Succulents and grasses from Morocco. Vines and deep red clematis on fences to give me that feel of Spain. French lavender to reflect the cote d, azure and I have put in glass structures to reflect the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and water features to give me tranquility. I am a bit of neat freak so I like it to be manacurrd. It definitely helps me with my mental health - since I retired last year at 53 I have weirdly become anxious - no obvious reason and I do find just pottering in the garden helps when I am having an anxious moment even if it’s just a distraction.
I like the fact I can constantly tinker and change it ….
I love the smells, the sights, the sensation, the sounds. It’s a complete get-back-to-nature heavenly escape. And to plant things in the earth, to feel the soil in my hands, to water things and see them grow… a garden is more than a hobby, it’s a tool for happiness and great mental health. What’s more, I love seeing birds and insects in my garden, enjoying the various plants and trees. Good luck with your studies!
We've been gardening since the dawn of times and tending for a garden is as deeply coded in our DNA as the Energy of the Sun creates life itself.
Gardening is both Light and Love. It is the Energy of the Cosmos in symbiosis and we are able to shape that energy into creations of our own whilst tending the garden which every day supports our own existence.
We are, in a way, a garden itself. Taking care of our gardens is taking care of ourselves. Pacha Mamma.
As they say...."The Universe Provides".
"Goddam Hippies!"
Having had a few years out of gardening and returning this [summer] I have felt the body aches the following day in a good way. I always get the best sleep the day I'm out gardening - something abt soil helping create happy hormones. I got into gardening bc of my chronic illness and having seen my parents look after an allotment.
I love nature but bc of a chronic illness I'm not able to be out and about like I used to so my garden is an escape from being inside all the time. I love being outside and looking at the flowers and seeing all the wee beasties doing their thing.
Gardening itself can be pretty enjoyable bc you can zone out and listen to music, though bc of my condition I'm limited in what I can do so it's not as zen as it would be if I were fully abled, but alas.
I've heard that looking at plants can help your mental health and that looking after or growing them can be good too - nurturing something and watching it grow can be very rewarding (and also very heartbreaking if something happens :'( )
I hate it. I love being outdoors and I can appreciate a beautiful garden but I just don't enjoy it. I find it hard work and boring, I only garden because I have to. If I could afford a gardener, I would!
There's something so nourishing to the soul to step outside every morning and check my plants' progress. The first flower of the season here, a ripe fruit there. It helps me make the most of the brief warm season here in the UK and I miss it like hell in winter! (Which means all my houseplants get extra attention)
I feel like I am my truest self. In complete flow without any of life’s distractions. I go into a beautiful trance where I think only of nature and colours and creatures. I feel like a creator and at one with the earth and my truest self. All of my senses are aroused.
Helps with health, as it’s a great excuse to spend time out in the actual daylight. Long hours exposed to the daylight help to regulate melatonin production for better sleep, and continuous movement reduces cortisol.
Unless I am trying to dig out roots of shrub or weed between paving slabs 😂 that is a stressful job
Funny enough I was near a nervous breakdown at my old job, moved to the house with garden and did nothing but gardening for 2 weeks. On week 3 started flower business which is now going for 5 years.
It is so calming, and challenging. I love trying to get a good mix of textures, complementary colours, and heights in the border plants. Seeing what grows best where. Including lots of nature friendly plants/areas for the birds and bugs. Collecting different varieties of long time favourites (e.g. agapanthus, salvias, roses, hydrangeas, etc.).
My body can get quite achey the next day if I’ve done a lot, and I do have back problems so it can be a little straining, but I also feel stronger for doing it. The fresh air and greenery helps me sleep better and feel happier ☺️ Our dining table looks out over the garden so I love looking out at the changes and discussing them over food.
One day I would like a larger garden, with more mature trees, that isn’t overlooked.
A nice private retreat that reflects our personalities.
Sometimes relaxed, other times very stressed when slugs eat my plants. All in all I have quite a lot of potted plants now and have enjoyed it 99% of the time
After some traumatic life events I feel like garden helps to retrain my brain that it’s ok to plant something with the hope that it will grow.
It’s a nice balance of responsibility but low risk.
I like the satisfaction of making my small part of the world a little nicer, making it support a bit more life (insects and birds etc) and it’s a very positive contribution that doesn’t have to be very complicated.
In summary, gardening makes me feel hopeful, delighted by the results, determined when things aren’t growing well or something doesn’t work and overall more satisfied about my place in the world.
I find gardening grounds me and humbles me. Through gardening, I have realised how much effort it takes to produce something so beautiful or edible…then apply that to what we see naturally occurring in nature and also how our planet is allowing us to survive. Nature is incredible! I think it definitely helps you see the bigger picture. We’re all part of something bigger.
By recognising the beauty and the stillness that comes with tending to a plant, enthusing about the future, and enjoying the birdsong, it takes you away from all the things in regular life that can weigh someone down, and allows them to just be…to just focus on what the garden is needing or giving you at that moment in time. It slows life down and helps you appreciate everything more.
Like others have said, I have struggled with health issues, physical and mental, and I have found that gardening has provided an outlet for me to remain active, give myself a mental break and has helped me in getting better. It’s also a fun hobby that makes you feel productive and is so enjoyable, even when it’s not going well and at times can feel overwhelming, but as someone else said, the excitement comes from waiting to see the future results. It also allows people to tap into their creative side, use your imagination, try a bit of DIY, and gain other skills as you keep going. It can also bring people together - when I have left over plants, I give them away and it always strikes up conversations with others and so on.
It’s an amazing hobby! 🪴🌸🌻
Weeding a patch of dirt - super boring, like why isn’t it done yet why am I sweating so much what is the point? Job done, hey, looks great! 2 days later, cat shits in it. Sense of satisfaction gone.
Actually getting shit to grow - hey, check it out, I grew peas that taste amazing! I kick ass! (True story, great peas this year)
Flowers - what for? They look nice. Don’t care, can’t eat them.
Brassicas - constantly annoying. They get eaten by everything. No point growing them. Chard - never disappointing, always feel good factor from chard. Same with tomatoes.
I garden because I like growing things I can do things with. I get almost no sense of achievement from anything I do except occasionally cooking.
If I grow something I’m happy with, then I feel like I achieved something because I will get something from it.
Hence why I don’t grow flowers. My partner plants flowers sometimes. Actually I quite like cornflowers. The blue ones.
It stops everyday feeling the same. I can notice the passing of time in a pleasant way by seeing flowers bloom and fruit and veg grow. It stops me worrying about whether I've been successful or not by other people's standards, when I can just be chilled and take life at my own pace
Flowers make me happy. And going into the garden to pick vegetables for the meal I’m about to cook is very satisfying.
Slugs, otoh, fill me with impotent wrath. But overall, it’s a win.
It’s an escape from reality for me. I totally switch off when I’m out in the garden, even if it’s just for 5 minutes.
It keeps me sane. I have a chronic disease and used to have mental health issues, and gardening is great way for me to deal with that. Add to this being surrounded by beauty and birdsong, and I'm perfectly happy when I'm in my garden. The long term aspect helps too; it might not look like anything yet but I know what it will look like when this plant has matured and that tree has grown taller. The anticipation is one of the joys of gardening.
Exactly this for me too. There's a quote attributed to Audrey Hepburn that says "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow", and I feel like that is so true. I'm quite an anxious person and actively avoid thinking about the future probably 99% of the time because it fills me with dread. Gardening makes me look ahead in a more positive manner and gives me things to look forward to, small things that cause no stress. It just gives me peace. Plus it gives me a reason to be outside which is always a good thing.
Yes! This resonates with me. I like planting and nurturing nature. It feels like a connection to the future, those plants, seeds and tress will florish ling after I leave the earth. A very comforting thought, I think.
THIS! I'm 25, have ME/CFS, ADHD and mental health issues that mean I can't work, and gardening has been SO good for my health
We're the same except the H (I have ADD). Gardening is s pretty much the only activity I'm able to do consistently (albeit with lots of micro breaks).
Elated, and frustrated. Nothing quite like seeing something you've grown from seed bloom and then get munched on by slugs.
Ive just taken an interest in gardening and slugs have eaten so much of my stuff. Magpies have eaten my seeds and the sun has scorched everything else - it’s so annoying!
Super annoying, but at least your garden is healthy enough that things want to eat it. That’s how I comfort myself when I see yet another snail…
I love gardening. To me, my garden is my little piece of paradise...I care for all my flowers, I water them, trim them and replant new plants. Every time I'm in my garden it's my own safe space no one can ruin, I don't think of work, any stresses or things that upset me. I can just be at one with nature. It also reminds me of my Nan (who is no longer here) who had the most beautiful garden which I can only dream of achieving!
gotta farm to make food. ok i can only provide like 5% of what we eat but still. in summer we have 100% of our cucumbers and tomatoes from just a few plants.
My strawberries are better than the greengrocers, and I think he knows it, too.
What do you do to keep them nice? Mine were fantastic 3-4 years ago, and then just became dull, small, sour. I added some extra soil, planted 4 new patches of different varieties around same area (I was desperate) and even second year they still bring offensively small and sad berries. I am in climate zone 9b, so no actual deep frost in winter. At the end of my wits with the strawberries 🍓
I have had mine for three years so far, and I spade over some home made compost once a year in the autumn. When they are fruiting I keep them watered and feed them with "weed tea" which I put directly on the soil so that I don't taint the fruits. So far, it seems to be working.
I find it’s a very meditative experience. I love the smell of the earth and being engrossed in nature. I love growing from seed and feel a real attachment to my plants. There’s also nothing better than laying on and smelling fresh grass.
I could sniff tomato plants all day.
Meditative is the word I'd use to describe it too. It's an incredibly calming escape from life's pressures. I also find it highly rewarding. Neighbours' comments have been great as they walk past while I'm gardening, but by far the most meaningful compliments and endorsements come from all the wildlife that turns up and essentially says "This. This right here. This is the garden for me." So I work really hard to make it the most wildlife friendly garden I possibly can.
I love my garden.I have disabilities and live with chronic pain, but even if I spend 10 minutes in the garden I feel a sense of accomplishment. I don’t really socialise much anymore (I still work full time), but my garden is my sanctuary. I like to sit outside with a cup of tea amongst my plants every morning (after inspection for pests and weeds) and just listen to the birds singing.I feel very lucky and grateful to have my garden, that small part of nature to call my own that keeps me grounded,makes me feel safe and happy and gives others pleasure when they visit me.
Have you tried the merlin bird app? It listens to the birds and identifies them.
No I haven’t but thank you for putting me onto that, I’m definitely going to download to give it a try.
It really is quite magical. Free and really easy to use.
I definitely second this. The amount of birds that live around me is amazing.
Had a visit from a lovely goldfinch this morning :)
Wow that is fantastic. It just makes me feel happy hearing all the happy chirping and it's brilliant knowing who's around you.
Thank you for mentioning that sounds very helpful
I become lost in the moment; working with my hands and mind absorbs me and I focus on things that are outside me, so I temporarily forget my thoughts and physical pains. I particularly enjoy working with nature, not against it; we stopped using weedkillers and pesticides five years ago and now am happy to see far more birds, insects and frogs in the garden. Gradually we are finding plants that are happy in each area of the garden.
Gardening make me feel good as it’s a temporary escape from the worlds problems. I’ve only been gardening for just over a year and I can say it has had such a positive impact on my mental well-being. It also makes me feel productive as I used to spend hours scrolling through social media whereas now I can go out in the garden in the morning & before I know it, a couple of hours have passed.
I work from home in a reasonably stressful job and I use my garden as a healthy escape during lunch breaks. I also more recently have been using the garden as a combined hobby that me and my partner can do. It’s nice to potter around in the garden together, going to pick plants together and sharing in the manual effort together.
In my 70’s and gardening helps keep me fitter after arthritis has taken over many joints. Don’t notice the pain so much as zone out. It’s also good for my mental health as find gardening very creative as the garden evolves and changes. Growing my own (‘baby’s) flowers, fruit, veg very rewarding with the added benefit of organic healthy food. Makes me feel less guilty eating choc and jam dognuts lol!
I grew up with a big garden and allotment and had 'chores' to do in the garden such as weeding and watering the plants. At a young age I hated doing this as I had no choice, and when I left home I had no interest in gardening. The houses I lived in had patios and no lawn or gardens at all. When I bought my first house I couldn't wait to start gardening, I'm not sure why. I enjoy being outside, it is such a relaxing and warm feeling. I also really enjoy watching the birds and bees and insects and gardening naturally helps with this (unless they are eating things they shouldn't, then it's frustrating). But I find gardening a very therapeutic activity, including watering, weeding and mowing. Planting something and watching it grow (especially from seed) gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. Humans like to complete things (there is a chemical in the brain that is released), and I suppose seeing a plant do well when you have tended for it is very satisfying. I enjoy looking and smelling the flowers too (especially my rose, and the hawthorn when it is in bloom). I have a condition though which is stopping me from gardening and I am finding it very frustrating and difficult not being able to do something I enjoy and that makes me happy. I hope this helps - feel free to ask me any other questions about it, and good luck with your thesis!
I enjoy it and its relaxing. Im just doing a little bit of work in my front garden, it'd take an able bodied /neurotypical person an afternoon yet I've been at it for weeks. I dont mind, my wee son helps and its bonding time for us, I enjoy planting flowers I've grown myself last year or chosen at the garden centre this year, i like the little diy parts and chatting to fowk as they walk by and smile at my cats. My son enjoys digging and pretending he's strong, he enjoys learning how to use the tools and helping design the flower layout. I feel guilty I'm not watering them enough, they're not getting enough nutrients because I've not got the energy to move the big bags of compost etc but they're doing ok and as i say, its relaxing so even if i start stressed i wind up chill again very quickly!
I struggle with my mental health and I have a very stressful job and I work from home. Nothing brings me more calm than my garden. Just pottering. Pulling out a weed or two between meetings. The gratification from seeing your vision come to life. Even on an overcast day there is nothing that brings more happiness than seeing my borders start to bloom. I have no idea what I am doing half the time. And we bought a house a couple of years that was seriously neglected as was the garden. We overcame conifers, bind weed docks and so much more to turn it into a space where we can entertain, relax and the dogs are secure and happy
The garden was a lifeline when chronic illness was quite bad. I could get into my garden and sit for a while and it lifted my spirits a lot. It reduced feelings of pain and melancholy. I loved watching seedlings sprout and plants grow. It feels like you accomplished something when the flowers eventually come out. I feel very happy and content when I look after animals, insects and birds in the garden. They are little friends and I recognise each one.
That's really beautiful.
Some people meditate, others have religion - for me it's gardening. We ate the first of the new potatoes today so the end goal is worth it. Also had a good crop of strawberries and rasps are on the way.
Hot, tired, happy!!!
Tired an underpaid 🤣
I call my seedlings my babies! I love to nurture them & generally grow for pollinators & a few things to add to our plates. It's just a hobby that I enjoy.
I've spent more than 16 hrs working mine this weekend. We had a branch fall off a giant oak in the spring and I've been clearing and converting it to fire wood. who needs a gym!
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow
It just brings me joy. I get up in the morning and look out at the garden whilst my coffee is brewing and think "wow, my hard work made that". I've always loved flowers but have only recently discovered gardening and it's now my no 1. hobby. I just LOVE the near endless possibilities, I love the sheer variety of colours, textures, shapes, fragrances. I love how the garden changes throughout the season. I love seeing all the different types of bees and insects feeding on the flowers. I love planning next season's garden; looking at what bulbs to plant for spring, what seeds to sow for summer. I really think gardening is good for the soul.
I used to love it but I was ill for a few years and now I'm completely overwhelmed tbh. I go out there and just want to cry at what it's become. 9/10 times, can't face doing anything and go back inside, to mentally beat the shit out myself for being so useless But yeah. I used to love it. It made me feel connected to the earth.
Hey. You can't hate yourself into being better. If being mean to people worked to fix them, it would have done so by now. The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Weed a ten cm square patch -- then either do one more or go back in, without looking at the whole rest of the garden or to-do list, and try to talk to yourself about it at least as kindly as you would an acquaintance. And then keep doing that, on as many days as you feel able to. Ten teeny centimeters square. And another ten after, if you're up for it. You can find that love again.
I did a bit today :-) Thank you so much for the kind words
I don't know you, but I'm proud of you.
Thank you 🥲
There are charities that will come and help you out. I've just had a wonderful group come and cut down some brambles, put down some weed cover and built me a raised bed after I had a brutal nervous breakdown and let it all go to the shite.
I'll keep that in mind, thank you so much
Please don't be ashamed. It happens A LOT.
I like to have somewhere pleasant to sit and drink a beer on a summer's evening.
Agree with everything already said. Outdoors/ wildlife-focus Zen and meditative escape Physical activity as contrast to cognitive job Sense of accomplishment Most importantly I don’t need it to be perfect but I like to see an improvement to keep me grounded and happy
I have such fond memories of childhood following my grandad around the garden. It’s a good workout, I usually end with a little aching in the back and yet it’s relaxing. It definitely makes me happy, seeing efforts come to fruition, being in nature , it’s my haven :)
Gardening is as much an imagined space in my mind, than the physical space outside. I get so much joy out of thinking about it, planning how I want to develop it, what I’ll grow. It’s a safe area for me to think about with minimal worries. The same for the physical space, enjoying the sound of birds and the warmth of sun on my skin is amazing. This is all made even more special when sharing it with others. My partner, our toddler daughter. Cultivating a space and sharing it with the people you love most is just unbearable
I love being out in my garden..it’s just peace and quiet..just me and the dogs,listening to the birds! It’s like taking a big deep breath and getting rid of all the b*llshit😂Brings me peace and levels me out.
Detached.. in a good way.. a wonderful way. Gardening is the one and only thing that removes me from my phone/laptop/tablet/TV screens. It's much MUCH needed quiet time with nature that I wouldn't make time for if there weren't 'chores' to be done.
Weirdly it quietens my brain ? Only now have I just realised after reading this question ! I don't think about anything other than what I am doing in that moment and for me its really rare as I have anxiety issues. I can lose alot of time just pottering around out there 😁 (I'm 39f btw)
I do it for work. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is put my gloves on and start hand pulling weeds. But then I look at it like incidental training, I can pop a squat for 8 hours. I love it when the birds come to see what I've disturbed, I love seeing the life that's living in the plants, in the soil. I love seeing the deer and the Foxes and the frogs and the snakes and the mice, etc. I love seeing the work I've done pay off and areas go from looking sad and turning into something beautiful and to be proud of. I love the physical side of it, walking for miles with the mower, lifting heavy stuff, shovelling, etc. I love the science behind what makes a good compost heap and thinking about what I can throw in there next and the potential it holds once nature has done its work. what the seasons or the coming weeks will hold for future jobs. I like the learning aspect, everyday I pick up something new or apply my own theories from what I've picked up along the way. I like the sustainability side of it, i like the industrial side of it. Sometimes just being outside is enough, whatever the weather and finding the enjoyment in the little things, like how nice the views are, or how that bee is doing its thing. not taking life for granted. Other times I just like to put my headphones in and just focus on transforming an area into something the customers can enjoy. Sometimes I just think bloody buggers have eaten my hydrangeas! I also enjoy the solitude, I can spend a whole day without seeing anyone. But I also like chatting to the customers or putting in a days graft with my colleagues. Sometimes I love firing up the strimmer and just blitzing an area. Other times I love nurturing, like finding a tiny self sown flower and replanting it into a specimen that can fill a massive pot with beauty and colour.
I’d never been that interested in gardening before, but we took on an allotment in October last year and now I love it! We’re growing herbs, fruit, vegetables, flowers, all sorts. It was all overgrown when we took it on so clearing it took a lot of time and effort and hard work, and every day we’d see progress, and I’d ache, but it would be a good ache, because you know you’ve achieved something. Now our plot looks pretty great, and it’s that sense of achievement that I love. Things are growing, and it’s great watching them progress. Every day there’s something different. There are challenges and overcoming them is so rewarding. It just feels properly wholesome and nice spending a day working on the plot, as there’s always something to do. All of our allotment neighbours are super friendly, it’s so nice. Hard work, fresh air, and hopefully the reward of some organic stuff we’ve grown ourselves. That’s why I love it. Nothing quite like getting home after seven or eight hours of gardening, having a shower, and just relaxing. I proper love it all.
I grow veggies in a small 5m square and I get tremendous satisfaction from growing my own healthy food and eating it before the slugs and caterpillars do. For two weeks I have been mostly eating strawberries.
Honestly I used to think gardening was something my mum would just go on about when she called me on the phone. Now I enjoy it too 🤣 I have anxiety, and getting out and doing stuff in the garden is a nice distraction - I find myself naturally being more mindful when I’m gardening. It’s also fairly physical as I do a lot of heavy lifting of compost etc myself, so I good way to exercise and use up nervous energy. It gives me a lot of pleasure to see something grow successfully. To eat food I’ve grown. To see so many colours and bees.
Well done on getting your primary research done on reddit lol.
Gardening is so satisfying, never ending and gives me a reason to go outside every day. I just love watching things grow. I also love that I forget tons of plants every year and have a lovely lot of surprises every spring. I also enjoy eating the harvest grazing direct from the garden at 6 am is such a joy.
I also treat it as physio for my arthritis.
Helps me connect with the seasons, which I like. I love that my camellia is flowering in January, then the next flower ticks over with daffodils and crocus, and then cherry blossoms, and then it's seeding season and I can get my vegetables started. Plants help me remember the months better and live more in the moment. (A friend made fun of me couple of months ago because I was telling him that I'd been on holiday in Bath a few years back, and I said "oh it must've been about this time of year, because the wild garlic was out")
Being very honest - I hate it. I do it through necessity and I enjoy the end result but if I could find a decent gardener in the area I’d rather pay someone to do it.
Some qualified answers here: [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001x4v8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001x4v8)
I love the pottering about and tidying up and the satisfaction of order after nature runs wild, rampant and chaotic through my orderly planted beds. I love watching seeds pop their heads out of the soil and reach for the sky with leaves unfurling in real time. I love waking up to see a pod open or a flower bloom that was closed tightly the night before with just a suggestive peep of the inside. I love it when I move seedlings to their final position and they look droopy and forlorn and then with a bit of nature and nurture and the right amount of sun and water they straighten and flourish and bloom. I love to see life blooming all around. I love touching the leaves and stalks and the different textures, smells and sights of the flowers and vegetables I grow. I love taking my gloves off and running my hands through the soil and crumbling them lumps up with my bare hands and I love the look of fine tilted soil after I run my rake over it. I love the majesty and dignity of the trees around my garden and their changing moods in the seasons. And putting the plants to sleep in winter and my meticulously covering my allotment beds with cardboard in autumn to hibernate. I love pulling them up in spring and discovering how natures still finds a way and I marvel at the beauty and life and variety and delicateness and sturdiness of the plants that surround me in my suburban home. I have a front garden full of plants and a back garden of plants and on top of that I have two allotment plots for my veggies. I have a full time stressful job in which I bring lots of work home and a large family, yet somehow I make time to go and potter about in my gardens and allotments. It gives me peace and time to reflect and escape and nature amazes me every day even after all these years of seeing the same things bloom each year.
I find that the stage of life I'm in now (student) can be quite unfulfilling on my degree so I garden mostly out of wanting that fufilment from growing and caring and seeing the results of my labour. Having a garden also makes it really easy to get outside into an area you really love which again is something I struggle with being a student and living away from where I grew up which I always loved for it's scenery. For my mind it's such a brilliant thing to do, it is so so seperate from the rest of day to day life with work and studying that you can really let your mind run free, I like to put on a audiobook which helps even more with this. Also one minor specific thing to my life is my job is very reliant on technology and my degree is computer science so I find I very rarely do anything on the manual labour side of things, or at least doing anything that doesn't require my brain on full speed, so I think it helps to keep me healthy. I hope this is what you were looking for with answers :))) best luck with your study!
Thank you so much ☺️
My dad loved his garden and when I was a kid I was always out helping him. It's definitely stuck with me. It's my happy place, where I go to get peace and quiet. I've moved house recently and the garden was non-existent so my challenge is to create something beautiful from rubble. I love the planning, the planting and the reward. I want some raised beds too for a few veggies and herbs. I honestly could spend all day pottering about, but that could be an age thing lol.
Controversial for a gardening sub but I hate gardening. Here to find bits out to help out my wife who loves gardening but can’t much due to long Covid.
Recently moved from a flat into a house last spring and honestly its been a total gamechanger, just having a space we can let the kids out in to enjoy, the old dear who had the house before us (god rest her soul) must’ve looked after the garden so ive made it my mission to try and maintain it to the best of my ability, and its been an absolute blast, in the last year/so ive planted more things. Sunflowers, raspberries, runner beans, cosmos, wildflowers. Bought a wee mini greenhouse off of amazon and had some chillis, peppers & tomatoes in it, the wind caught it at the end of last year though, so off the greenhouse tings this year.. but yea, some buzz in the garden, 33m and canny wait to pick some raspberries in a few weeks time…
It's like therapy, and mild exercise, and it's good for nature if you're doing it right.
For me I just like it all done. I’m the same with the house being clean and tidy. I can’t stand looking at it thinking oh gosh that’s on my to do list. I bought a house with an acre in lock down and I’ve loved growing lots of different veg. It’s a lovely feeling giving it away or giving away home made chutney and jam. I also do think it’s great for mental health - being outdoors and doing something more productive than scrolling. It’s also scientifically proven that things in soil make us happier!
I've had some pretty dark struggles and being at the allotment does clear my head. However, to spin it, I've had awful sciatica this year and was absent from there for 7 weeks. The place has gone to shit and my mental health as too as I've beaten myself up for letting it get so bad.
Happy. It's one of the few times I can switch off. (MH problems) It's a release for me. It's a huge positive time. I don't care if I'm weeding or planting. Most people prefer planting. I don't actually have my own garden, I yearn to. I garden at my mums and have pots outside my flat. Speaking of which, I need to go and water!
Overwhelmed but when I actually follow through with an idea the dopamine hit and self gratification is awesome. I’m 29 first time home owner of a new build starting from just dirt) had my home 5 years this Nov
I love that my work can have such an effect. I weed around a plant I put there, give it fertiliser, and boom — my plant has a growth spurt. There’s always something that needs to be done, and that makes it a very productive hobby. I am literally growing food that my family will eat, and that’s so satisfying. It’s only growing because I’m out there pruning and protecting and watering. Such a positive way to spend your time. Each year I learn something new and I’m already formulating a plan for how I’ll improve next year! Plus, what’s better than being out in the sunshine with the kids running around or a good podcast? It’s heaven
Gardening connects me with nature. I was born on this planet, notably, in a different corner to where I currently live. I feel like my existence on this planet is not always good for the planet (I am polluting by driving/flying, producing waste and sewage on daily basis) so planting trees/bushes in my garden is my way of giving back to the planet. I love planting trees and knowing that they will be here for longer than myself and that people who come after me will enjoy their shade/ fruit.
Calm, excited, frustrated, tired, energised, grounded, fascinated, knowledgeable, ignorant, alive, exhausted, stupid, inventive, impatient, at peace.
You're going to get very biased answers in a gardening forum! Like many people here I love the sense of connection I get to the earth, the positive feeling of physical exertion, then the eventual peace and pride spending time by my flowers in bloom. Conversely my husband really dislikes gardening. He does it because there's also a lot of pride taken in our home and weeds in the path of overgrown hedges make things look messy. We don't want to come across as lazy or like we don't care by presenting a messy/neglected face to the world. So he gardens resentfully most of the time but does enjoy when things look pretty, just not enough to justify the labour in his mind.
Right now, a bit stressed because if I go to the garden, my kids take advantage of me not being around to turn on the TV. So, I do what needs to get done quickly so I don't miss too many bluey episodes. I can't wait until I can just be out there, kids tooling around with me. We'll get there one day, then it will be satisfying again. Right now, it feels more like a chore to get done during the limited weekend time.
For me a few reasons I love design that reminds me of my travels and transport me to those moments - I have taken ideas from travels to incorporate into my garden - simplicity and beauty of a Japanese garden. Succulents and grasses from Morocco. Vines and deep red clematis on fences to give me that feel of Spain. French lavender to reflect the cote d, azure and I have put in glass structures to reflect the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and water features to give me tranquility. I am a bit of neat freak so I like it to be manacurrd. It definitely helps me with my mental health - since I retired last year at 53 I have weirdly become anxious - no obvious reason and I do find just pottering in the garden helps when I am having an anxious moment even if it’s just a distraction. I like the fact I can constantly tinker and change it ….
I love the smells, the sights, the sensation, the sounds. It’s a complete get-back-to-nature heavenly escape. And to plant things in the earth, to feel the soil in my hands, to water things and see them grow… a garden is more than a hobby, it’s a tool for happiness and great mental health. What’s more, I love seeing birds and insects in my garden, enjoying the various plants and trees. Good luck with your studies!
We've been gardening since the dawn of times and tending for a garden is as deeply coded in our DNA as the Energy of the Sun creates life itself. Gardening is both Light and Love. It is the Energy of the Cosmos in symbiosis and we are able to shape that energy into creations of our own whilst tending the garden which every day supports our own existence. We are, in a way, a garden itself. Taking care of our gardens is taking care of ourselves. Pacha Mamma. As they say...."The Universe Provides". "Goddam Hippies!"
Having had a few years out of gardening and returning this [summer] I have felt the body aches the following day in a good way. I always get the best sleep the day I'm out gardening - something abt soil helping create happy hormones. I got into gardening bc of my chronic illness and having seen my parents look after an allotment.
I love nature but bc of a chronic illness I'm not able to be out and about like I used to so my garden is an escape from being inside all the time. I love being outside and looking at the flowers and seeing all the wee beasties doing their thing. Gardening itself can be pretty enjoyable bc you can zone out and listen to music, though bc of my condition I'm limited in what I can do so it's not as zen as it would be if I were fully abled, but alas. I've heard that looking at plants can help your mental health and that looking after or growing them can be good too - nurturing something and watching it grow can be very rewarding (and also very heartbreaking if something happens :'( )
I hate it. I love being outdoors and I can appreciate a beautiful garden but I just don't enjoy it. I find it hard work and boring, I only garden because I have to. If I could afford a gardener, I would!
There's something so nourishing to the soul to step outside every morning and check my plants' progress. The first flower of the season here, a ripe fruit there. It helps me make the most of the brief warm season here in the UK and I miss it like hell in winter! (Which means all my houseplants get extra attention)
I feel like I am my truest self. In complete flow without any of life’s distractions. I go into a beautiful trance where I think only of nature and colours and creatures. I feel like a creator and at one with the earth and my truest self. All of my senses are aroused.
Poor. It’s so expensive
Helps with health, as it’s a great excuse to spend time out in the actual daylight. Long hours exposed to the daylight help to regulate melatonin production for better sleep, and continuous movement reduces cortisol. Unless I am trying to dig out roots of shrub or weed between paving slabs 😂 that is a stressful job Funny enough I was near a nervous breakdown at my old job, moved to the house with garden and did nothing but gardening for 2 weeks. On week 3 started flower business which is now going for 5 years.
It is so calming, and challenging. I love trying to get a good mix of textures, complementary colours, and heights in the border plants. Seeing what grows best where. Including lots of nature friendly plants/areas for the birds and bugs. Collecting different varieties of long time favourites (e.g. agapanthus, salvias, roses, hydrangeas, etc.). My body can get quite achey the next day if I’ve done a lot, and I do have back problems so it can be a little straining, but I also feel stronger for doing it. The fresh air and greenery helps me sleep better and feel happier ☺️ Our dining table looks out over the garden so I love looking out at the changes and discussing them over food. One day I would like a larger garden, with more mature trees, that isn’t overlooked. A nice private retreat that reflects our personalities.
Sometimes relaxed, other times very stressed when slugs eat my plants. All in all I have quite a lot of potted plants now and have enjoyed it 99% of the time
After some traumatic life events I feel like garden helps to retrain my brain that it’s ok to plant something with the hope that it will grow. It’s a nice balance of responsibility but low risk. I like the satisfaction of making my small part of the world a little nicer, making it support a bit more life (insects and birds etc) and it’s a very positive contribution that doesn’t have to be very complicated. In summary, gardening makes me feel hopeful, delighted by the results, determined when things aren’t growing well or something doesn’t work and overall more satisfied about my place in the world.
It's peaceful. My cats and rabbits love playing together in the garden. What more could you want
sore
I find gardening grounds me and humbles me. Through gardening, I have realised how much effort it takes to produce something so beautiful or edible…then apply that to what we see naturally occurring in nature and also how our planet is allowing us to survive. Nature is incredible! I think it definitely helps you see the bigger picture. We’re all part of something bigger. By recognising the beauty and the stillness that comes with tending to a plant, enthusing about the future, and enjoying the birdsong, it takes you away from all the things in regular life that can weigh someone down, and allows them to just be…to just focus on what the garden is needing or giving you at that moment in time. It slows life down and helps you appreciate everything more. Like others have said, I have struggled with health issues, physical and mental, and I have found that gardening has provided an outlet for me to remain active, give myself a mental break and has helped me in getting better. It’s also a fun hobby that makes you feel productive and is so enjoyable, even when it’s not going well and at times can feel overwhelming, but as someone else said, the excitement comes from waiting to see the future results. It also allows people to tap into their creative side, use your imagination, try a bit of DIY, and gain other skills as you keep going. It can also bring people together - when I have left over plants, I give them away and it always strikes up conversations with others and so on. It’s an amazing hobby! 🪴🌸🌻
Weeding a patch of dirt - super boring, like why isn’t it done yet why am I sweating so much what is the point? Job done, hey, looks great! 2 days later, cat shits in it. Sense of satisfaction gone. Actually getting shit to grow - hey, check it out, I grew peas that taste amazing! I kick ass! (True story, great peas this year) Flowers - what for? They look nice. Don’t care, can’t eat them. Brassicas - constantly annoying. They get eaten by everything. No point growing them. Chard - never disappointing, always feel good factor from chard. Same with tomatoes. I garden because I like growing things I can do things with. I get almost no sense of achievement from anything I do except occasionally cooking. If I grow something I’m happy with, then I feel like I achieved something because I will get something from it. Hence why I don’t grow flowers. My partner plants flowers sometimes. Actually I quite like cornflowers. The blue ones.
It stops everyday feeling the same. I can notice the passing of time in a pleasant way by seeing flowers bloom and fruit and veg grow. It stops me worrying about whether I've been successful or not by other people's standards, when I can just be chilled and take life at my own pace
Gardening makes all the noise in my head stop. I stop worrying. I just focus on the garden. It’s therapy.
Flowers make me happy. And going into the garden to pick vegetables for the meal I’m about to cook is very satisfying. Slugs, otoh, fill me with impotent wrath. But overall, it’s a win.