There’s no denying that 2020 has been a tough old year for many. Spending so much time at home without interaction with friends, family and colleagues can be a real mood dampener. With this extra time in the house, it’s important to have a space that helps to boost your mood.
Getting out in the garden with a good book can be a great way to relax the mind and help to make you feel more upbeat. To help, here’s our top tips on growing a mood boosting garden.
Get your hands dirty
First and foremost, gardening has been proven to be a big mood-booster. Digging, trimming, mowing and pruning takes your mind away from the everyday, giving you an escape.
The exercise and Vitamin D you’ll get just from spending time outdoors will also give you a great natural high. Plus, the sense of achievement you’ll get when your hard work comes into fruition will have you feeling great.
Choose your scents
When you lay back, close your eyes and enjoy a spot of sunbathing, the scents in your garden can make all the difference. This is not always an obvious thing to consider when planning a garden but scents can really help to lift your mood.
To get you started, here’s some popular blooms with mood enhancing scents:
Opt for vibrancy
It’s no surprise that colour can change your mood, hence why holistic colour therapy treatment is a proven way to boost and balance the body’s energy. You can be strategic about the flowers you plant in your garden to help give yourself that boost when you step outside.
Yellow is a natural mood booster and nothing says cheerful quite like a sunflower in full bloom! They’re easy to grow whether in flower beds or pots and add an instant charm to your garden. There are plenty of other yellow flowers to fit with each season too such as Daffodils, Marigolds, Roses, Tulips and Hibiscus.
Go for herbs
Much like flowers, herbs give off their own unique scents which can act as mood-boosters. They’re easy to grow too whether you use containers in smaller gardens or vegetable patches. Here’s a rundown of some uplifting herbs to get you started:
Mint: it’s super easy to grow, thriving in moist, shaded areas with a scent that’s said to reduce tension and anxiety.
Chives: a perennial shrub that grows best in moist, sunny conditions contains choline which aids sleep.
Rosemary: this evergreen herb thrives in hot weather even if the soil remains dry and has memory boosting properties.
Parsley: thriving in semi-shaded, moist conditions, Parsley is said to help reduce anxiety.
Thyme: a creeper that grows best in sunny, sheltered spots, Thyme contains antiseptic properties and is known for boosting wellbeing.
Basil: thriving in warmer conditions, this popular Italian herb helps with anxiety and mild depression.
Introduce nature
There’s something soothing and instantly relaxing about watching nature. Set up a bird table, bath or simply hang feeders in your trees to attract some winged friends.
Various studies have demonstrated that simply watching birds can reduce stress and anxiety amongst adults. Not only that but listening to them chirp away can also take the mind elsewhere and help boost your mood.
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