At these tough moments, I'm doing my best to confront the "new reality". Until the last few months, I've explored cooking, working out, and therapeutic arts. But what's the best way for me to handle this fatigue associated with the lockdown? Gardening!

When I was a kid, I always wanted to know why my parents had been gardening for so long. I saw that during the lockdown. With gardening, I became more self-reliant than I had ever been before. While everything around me was crumbling, I found something to look forward to, which helped me feel happy and calm.

I reached out to Dr Abhishek, a well-known Indian psychotherapist, to better understand why gardening helped me feel relaxed and at peace. She said:

Plants assist us in confronting difficult situations by reminding us of our past experiences. Recent research shows that plants are correlated with mental wellbeing, including their ability to aid in the recovery process.

Gardening helps you to escape from your physical and emotional problems. It is a spot that makes you feel tranquil and focused; it helps give you a break from your concerns.

However, it is only the tip of the iceberg. In truth, gardening can accomplish so much more. The following are seven ways garden improvement helped me to improve my mental health during the lockdown:

Raised bed planters

A raised bed enabled me to get closer to the plants.

It allowed me to view flowers and greenery up close, which was very therapeutic.

As part of the rehabilitation process, I engaged in hobbies such as planting seeds or cutting flowers.

In addition to that, I sometimes experimented with little plots of land to cultivate my veggies or flowers.

I was very joyful due to my connection with nature.

Plenty of Greenery

I cultivated lush, green plants, grassy or leafy plant coverings to create soothing space. The green colour was soothing and relaxing.

There was so much calmness and joy in seeing things blossom.

I cultivated exquisite flowers with fragrance during this period. They include: 

• Gardenias

• Azaleas

• Perennials

• Annuals

• Hollies

• Decorative plants

I also added a centrepiece shrub because I wanted an area where the eyes may rest.

Seating area

Every garden should have a place where homeowners can meet with their family members, speak to neighbours and engage in entertaining activities with visiting friends.

I bought a table, some sofas, swing seats, benches, & a dining set. I also purchased a grey composite decking board from Composite Warehouse.

Footpaths

Inviting strolls reduces stress, anxiety and fatigue, so I included a footpath in my garden. I also widened the path to allow my grandmother, who uses a wheelchair, to use it comfortably.

I tried as hard as possible to make the path sleek but also slip-proof. I chose to create a curved walkway over a straight path because it was more pleasing to the eye.

Water feature

Water is super important for our mental stability. It comforts our minds, comforts us, and captures our attention.

I incorporated a miniature water fountain into my garden. It helps to provide white noise, which is therapeutic. The whole family had a serene practice of watching the water flow and listening to its bubble.

Shade

Some claim that the dazzling, hot sun has a particular way of healing, yet the scorching, sticky heat in the UK sends people in search of cool shade.

For this reason, I stuck with trees, but I also installed a gazebo in my garden for the rest of the family.

Lighting

I used landscape lighting to keep my garden as functional as possible. Thus, I lit up all my garden's primary elements, including the raised bed planter, fountain, and gazebo, and the area transformed into a pleasant spot after dark.