Why do we go out into the garden when we’re stressed? Pandemic, financial security, work deadlines are just three jolly topics that might send us outdoors. But then when we are out in the garden we’re faced with unpredictable Mother Nature. Seeking respite where we don’t have control doesn’t make sense…until you scratch the surface to reveal that gardens help sort out our stress, it’s garden-magic…

1. Living with stuff that’s beyond our control. That statement could double as a definition for gardening. Experience has shown us gardeners that when we plant something, most of the time if we choose well and keep an eye on things, we get a happy-ever-after ending to meet our hopes and expectations. But experience also tells us that factors outside our control will sometimes mess things up. And yet in the garden we accept this – hungry deer, drought, cold snaps, whatever – and when things go south we just deal with it and start afresh. It’s this reassuring cycle that helps build resilience for the things that trouble us in life.

2. Being outside. Everyone knows what to do when the baby starts crying. Pop him in the pram and head outside for a walk. You’ll get supportive smiles as you walk along and before you know it, the baby settles and all is calm again. Most of us feel the same way: we feel better for being outdoors especially if the sun is shining, a gentle breeze is blowing and there’s some greenery to enjoy. Even better then if you’re out in your own green space pottering around doing a bit of deadheading, pulling a few weeds or rearranging the containers on the balcony. If you were clenching your teeth before you headed outdoors, take note of how much more relaxed you feel as you finally head indoors again. Gardens give you a primal reset opportunity, a real chance to help sort out your stress.

3. Taking the focus off yourself. There is something else gardens give us that’s less obvious. The garden is a place where we can lose ourselves. Before we grab our secateurs and gloves, our heads are full of our lives. And we all know what ‘full’ can feel like. And then we step out under the sky and begin to wander around, taking stock. Our plants are players in a soap opera of sorts and we soon become immersed in their lives. A snip here. A garden stake added there. A soaker hose repositioned where it’s now needed. Mental notes taken to rake the grass or sweep the path. So that while we’re in the garden, the part of our brain that’s tied up with the good and not-so-good bits of our lives, that part is forced to stay quiet. And often everything seems a lot less full on when it’s time to go back inside and listen to our heads again.