These are unsettling, confronting, coronavirus times. Apart from the uncertainty and anxiety, it’s a time when some of us are being run off our feet. Others are doing their bit by staying close to home doing less than usual. And this can mess with our heads. Which is why it makes sense to remember a small, green fact: that we all feel calm after spending a little time around greenery. Tending plants. Sitting under trees. Growing herbs. Whatever. The point is, gardening reminds us to look forward to something positive. It also makes us think about something other than our daily worries. And gardening makes us stand up, walk away from our screens and be active at a time when mental and physical fitness is important. So take a look at the following, to see the different ways to garden and the benefits. Here you’ll find ways to give yourself small moments of joy, whether your garden is the kitchen window ledge or a large house block with a lawn.

1: The window ledge: is such a small bit of space physically but it can be huge emotionally. The window’s view may be out over a parking lot, but if you set a row of small pots along it, whatever you plant in them will quickly frame the view and make it feel astonishingly different. Even if you’re new at gardening, these pots will do fine because the plants growing in them will get the light they need. Having said that, pots at the kitchen window always do best probably because they are near the sink which makes it super easy to water them, then let them drain on the draining board. Try growing funky succulents if you think you may be a bit forgetful when it comes to the watering. Otherwise pretty much anything is possible as long as it’s smallish. Flowering seedlings are really lovely: pansies, primroses, marigolds. Or grow something with culinary merit like parsley, coriander, chives, curry plant and dill.

2: A garden in a pot: isn’t as limiting as it sounds. In fact it’s often a lot more successful than four or five smaller pots. The trick is to get one large pot, fill it with potting mix then plant it with an collection of plants that you like the look of. If your garden space is a balcony, this is a great approach because it produces a big hit of green yet takes up less space than a cluster of smaller pots. And if you need inspiration, plant a Flower Carpet® rose slightly off centre in your pot then fill the remaining area with flowering spring bulbs. When these die back you can refresh the pot by planting summer flowering annuals like petunias which will trail over the pot’s rim, or cheery geraniums. Or, if you’re limited on space, create an edible ornamental container, tucking a few culinary herbs next to your Carpet Rose.

3: Tackling a project: is probably a great way to be active and productive when you’re staying close to home. And if your home garden is large, maybe this is the moment: to rejuvenate the lawn; to clear the dead wood out of a tree; pave a path or grub out and completely replant a garden bed. If you don’t have a project waiting, here’s a good one that will lift the look of your home – do a nice planting of carpet roses on both sides of your driveway. Empty the beds, dig over the soil, then plant something like Flower Carpet® roses at close enough distances so that they’ll grow to form a cloud of blooms that fills the beds. Arriving home from the supermarket will be a moment of joy.

4: Guerilla gardening: is a bit of a cheeky move, but surely permissible in these unusual times. It begins with a packet of flower seeds such as zinnias, Jewel Mix nasturtiums or calendula tucked into your pocket. You then take your usual brisk walk in the park, pausing (when there are fewer people around) to sprinkle the seeds onto the soil and scratch them in. From then on, each time you pass during the coming weeks you keep a look out for signs of sprouting, steady growth and then a splash of colour when your secret garden begins to flower. If this makes you smile, you can be sure others walking by will also have spotted your garden and also be enjoying it.