Beginners Guide to Conquering Anxiety & Depression Through Gardening

It's Spring! Flowers and trees are starting to show blooms, and the birds are singing more and more each day! After what the world has been through this last year, I have a heightened appreciation for plants and nature. A lot of people are struggling with depression and anxiety right now from the state of the world and news and I admit that I too had to refocus quite a bit. Gardening and watching buds bloom helped my mental state a lot during the pandemic shutdowns. I had a countertop & container garden, and I grew many things that were edible and beautiful to look at, and that helped balance out the world of negativity. Having herbs during the pandemic helped me feel safe and secure for a few reasons.

1. Gardens help your mental state. Things can change in an instant. It's therapeutic to have a little peaceful garden to look at to calm your nerves. It was satisfying to thrust my hands in the dirt. I was able to have a purpose, and it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot, and it wasn't that hard, and I learned a valuable skill. "Garden Healing" is a real thing, and I can testify that it helped me a lot during lockdowns. It was my therapy- and still is. 
2. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from gardening & growing your herbs, flowers, and food. I was able to grow lettuce, tomatoes, and a whole bunch of herbs and edible flowers. Just the blossoms alone were so beautiful to look at, and I know that it helped my anxiety with everything that was going on in the world- and that is priceless. 
3. Gardening keeps the mind occupied on good things while learning a new skill. Learning a new skill helps the brain stay healthy and flexible ( brain plasticity). Negativity actually starts to shrink the brain and negativity feeds disease. It's never too late or too early to learn something positive , life giving, and beneficial. Creating healthy synapsis in our brain by gardening and enjoying the calm helps all other areas of your brain stay healthy and this helps to problem-solve better. I don't have kids- but if you had kids at home during the pandemic, a garden was a great way to keep little minds (and parents!) occupied on positive things. Gardening is a great way to teach/learn a skill that will be a benefit for years to come. Kids learn to appreciate where food comes. Adults learn to take control of their health & healing in a positive productive way. Gardening and cultivating herbs and food also helps kids have an appreciation for nature which makes them more gentle humans and we can all use more kind, caring and more gentle humans. 

So, those are just a few excellent reasons why having your own garden is a positive benefit for your mind and life. You don't need a large backyard. I grew my garden on my counter and also in pots on concrete behind our warehouse. I could have grown everything required to live if I wanted to. What I learned about soil and aeration of your soil and watering needs of different plants is the fun gardening ideas and helps I want to share in the upcoming news and blogs. I hope you will come along for the ride!Come and learn some valuable tips on starting a garden right where you are- with even a tiny six inch space on your counter top!  You can grow an indoor garden many ways and you can also get more fancy like I did with the purchase of a small $5 light from Walmart or Lowes So, when I say anyone anywhere can grow a garden, it's true. Want to grow one? 

If you are interested in learning more about easy & fun gardening, please join my newsletter! Until then, keep dreaming and finding the "good" in every beautiful day. The garden of your mind is just as important to water as the garden of your dreams so, until we meet again, start thinking of some herbs you'd like to grow! Having a purpose and learning a new skill is a wonderful way to combat depression and anxiety. Here's a few ideas.

I started with oregano, rosemary, chives, and sage- because they are easy to grow and you will enjoy using them right away.  You can start with whatever would be easiest for you. I suggest starting out easy and going from there. In my future blogs, I will share where to buy seeds, how to get your soil started and how to get your garden started for very little investment. It's easier than you think! I hope you'll join me! 

See you soon!

Michelle