The fine art of pottering: gardening and wellbeing
My favourite time of year and day has finally approached us. When the morning sun is warm enough to savour your first cup of coffee or tea outside in the garden or on the balcony wearing your favourite pyjamas.
There is something so beneficial about starting the day outside. I try to have a walk first thing, which is usually the preschool drop off but on other days a quick pause outside to check up on seedlings that may have popped out overnight or a pick of a few flowers to bring indoors. This is of course all done (minus the pre school drop off) in my pyjamas probably wearing my red striped robe!
Pottering I would argue is so good for the soul and for our wellbeing. Defined as to “occupy oneself in a desultory but pleasant way.” This definition seems to slightly miss the complete joy that pottering can bring. To switch off from our screens, listen to birdsong and let the mind wonder. The garden is perhaps the best place to potter. To pick out a few weeds, deadhead a few flowers or snip out a bit of dead Rose bush. I love the concept of “5 minute gardening” brought to the foresight by Laetitia Maklouf. As with 2 very young children, time is precious but just 5 minutes pottering around our small patch definitely boosts my mood.
We recently visited RHS Wisley and their wonderful new Hilltop Garden which focuses on the the wellbeing benefits of gardening. We are told to sit back; relax, breathe, listen and gaze at our surroundings. The beautiful meandering paths encapsulate the senses and it has been designed to inspire us to get gardening for the body and soul.
I was also very lucky to attend Chelsea Flower this year which is always such a spectacle and abundance of colour. This year the Iris was the much loved and favourite flower. But my favourite part of the show were the Balcony gardens, highlighting that you don’t have to have a vast amount of space to nourish your soul in the great outdoors. For me, pots can often have the greatest impact.
Lastly as the weather is set to be glorious this weekend, I would encourage you to longer a little longer first thing outdoors and bring breakfast on to the patio. Indoors you can see the dirty dishes that need to be loaded into the dishwasher and the pile of washing to go on but somehow being outside takes away some of these burdens. Of course stay in your pyjamas that’s the beauty of it. And if mornings aren’t possible. Give yourself permission to put your pyjamas on early in the evening, drop your shoulders and enjoy a glass of something chilled admiring nature at its best. We have new ruffled cushions in the collection which could be the finishing touch to your space!
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