Popular garden centre group issues advice on beating the festive stress with the calming benefits gardening can bring

October 25, 2018

Haskins Garden Centres are encouraging gardeners to get out into their garden to combat any undue stress over the festive season.

Haskins recommends the following gardening activities for mindfulness and enhanced wellbeing:

  • Plant potted bulbs for spring colour as the perfect antidote to winter. Tulips are ideal to plant in November and can often boast a rainbow of colours.
  • Plant Daffodils in preparation for their sunny yellow to grace the garden in spring.
  • Simple, manual tasks such as deadheading and weeding can help calm the mind and lift the spirit.
  • Scent is a powerful sensory that can help connect the individual with nature. Roses and Lavender are soothing and have been proven to help lower blood pressure.
  • Create a mindfulness journal by taking a break in the garden and writing down what gets noticed – this might be the passing of a bee or droplets of rain falling off a leaf.
  • For those without a garden, make the most of a balcony, patio or kitchen window by creating a small herb garden. Picking these herbs will help the individual connect to the plants.
  • Choose houseplants such as Calathea and Aloe Vera to remove toxins from the air and Cacti to help aid restful sleep patterns.
  • Ignore the clock – don’t set deadlines to achieve gardening tasks. Use the time to distract from the time-poor strain of modern life.

Lisa Looker, brand director at Haskins, commented: “We’re firm believers that gardening brings endless benefits to the gardener, both mentally and physically. It’s the perfect antidote to the stressful world we live in today, especially when the festive season can seem overly fast-paced and pressured.

“Just getting out into the sunlight can improve your mood, due to enhanced exposure to vitamin D and fresh air is also good for your health. Take a break from Christmas planning, shopping and wrapping and enjoy some peaceful time in the garden.”

Lisa added: “Let’s not forget that real pot-grown trees and real cut trees when added to a living space, are proven to have a beneficial effect on health and wellbeing. So even when we’re suffering from festive stress and colds, Christmas trees can help clear the airways, helping us to breathe more freely. The aromas of native plants such as evergreens have a soothing and rejuvenating effect and introducing Holly into the home can help ease hypertension and high blood pressure.”

Real pot-grown trees will be available at Haskins from Monday October 29 and real cut trees will be available from Monday November 19. For customers that prefer artificial trees, these are also available.