Where we are in Tennessee, we have recently had some warmer days and beaming sunshine to offset the winter gloom. With seasonal depression beginning to lift and the hint of spring in the air, it’s time to begin gardening!
Gardening is a great stress reliever and can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. As you work with the earth, your mind begins to clear and you focus on the soil, the landscape, and the endless possibilities for beauty! Even if you hire a gardener, watching your yard transform into a burst of color can have a calming effect and a feeling of accomplishment.
Do you love butterflies? Choose unruly perennials such as hollyhock, purple coneflower, aster, lavender, catmint, mallow, or stonecrop. Do you enjoy watching hummingbirds dart and chase each other? Choose fuchsia in hanging baskets or plant columbine, larkspur, daylilies, scarlet sage or verbena. The Old Farmer’s Almanac has a myriad of suggestions for tried and true gardening tips at www.almanac.com.
If you live in an apartment or don’t have much or a yard, try planting annuals such as snapdragon, impatiens or petunias in clay pots on your doorstep for some quick cheer. Succulents are a lot of fun to grow indoors in bright windows. Somehow, tending to something living and watching it bloom brings a bit of happiness. It’s not too early to start seedlings indoors, so wield your shovels: Spring is coming!
