Cultivating Happiness

Image Courtesy: Samita Nanda

"No matter how old you grow; you will always be a young gardener. "

Thomas Jefferson

The origin of the garden is rooted in the human desire to be close to nature. It is therefore surprising, yet common, to hear young people scoff at the idea of gardening as a hobby. The image that one associates with gardening is a picture of an elderly man or woman, in a pair of gloves, weeding away the days of her or his retirement. I presume it has something to do with times and circumstances you grow up in that affects your attitude towards so many things.

Everyone can understand why someone who grew up in frugal circumstances would be more austere than their present circumstances require. So maybe my love for green spaces and home gardening comes from growing up in a home surrounded by gardens on three sides and lots of foliage all around. I remember many Sunday trips to a nursery and the regular supervision of gardeners by my father and grandfather. The promenade leading to the house with its sidewalks was always covered with Cannas, a gigantic tree on one side and a long hedge and flowering pots on the other side. As you walked towards the rear of the house, a natural awning of orange bell flowers and small purple flowers greeted you from atop the portico. A bouquet of flowers, bushes and trees adorned the sidewalks just short of the garage. We had a well too that was protected by a canopy laden with shrubs and plants of all kinds. As children we would visit the area quite often until we accidentally dropped a musical TV that played the "London bridge is falling down" tune. I didn't care much about the bridge falling down but surely seeing the TV go down the well was devastating. Someone did manage to retrieve it but it was just a box with two knobs that didn't really catch our fancy anymore. It was only after this accident that the elders realized the risk of keeping a well open. Soon it was covered and eventually sealed underground for ever.

The front and side lawns were lush green and well manicured with flowerbeds brimming with Zinnia, Marigold, Poppies, Petunias, Pansies and Portulaca in summer and Dog Flower, Dahlias, Nasturtium, Phlox and my favorite Sweet Pea in winter. We even had a large portion of the lawn dedicated to three beds of roses, curated by my father. He also planted many fruit trees that yielded guavas, mangoes, and figs in their purest form on the side lawn. At the end of our mini orchard was a beautiful creeper of white button- roses decorating an arched rot-iron gate that was replaced by swings. Beyond that was our very own badminton-court and a huge Pepal tree that gave us the right height to install lighting for the court. Originally though it was a large space that my father used for his various landscaping experiments, such as a Japanese garden with mini water falls and bridges and later his personal putting course.

The lawns were surrounded with large trees of Plumeria, Narangi and Ashoka trees, a few meters away towards the boundary wall, stood tall a row of Ashoka trees and bushes of Indian Hawthorn. With trees on both sides, the walkaway between them gave me access to all the sounds coming from the outside world beyond the perimeter and it continues to be my favorite feature of the house. I would imagine it as a tunnel when playing hide and seek and on some days conjure romantic images of walking down the aisle. As I grew older, I used it more to blow-off steam and now I visit it to reminisce the old days. A stretch of it is now gone but I feel blessed to have grown up with an abundance of greenery. This picture doesn't do justice to my memory but it shows a glimpse of the side lawn that is also gone now. Everything else is intact with the addition of a vegetable garden at the rear end of the house and the cemented courtyard in the center of the house is now an indoor garden. These new features are thanks to my mother's love for nature and gardening.

It's no wonder then that I am drawn towards creating my little patch of nature in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. It gives me utter joy and comfort to spend time nurturing, nourishing, watering, planting and pruning and most importantly, it is very therapeutic.

Time and again research reveals that gardening has a positive effect on our mental health. The connection between people, nature and mental well-being is rooted in history and goes back to ancient Egypt, where royals who felt restless were encouraged to go for walks in their gardens. Eventually, gardening was tested as a clinical therapy during the 18th and 19th centuries. At around the same time, one of the founding fathers of modern psychology, Benjamin Rush, believed that getting hands-on in the garden had a healing effect on his patients, and a few decades later, greenhouses and gardens were added to rehabilitation units of hospitals who treated world war veterans.

But how exactly can gardening create a sense of happiness and well being?You wouldn't know it till you try it so I am sharing some universal benefits experienced by me.

Let’s dig-in!

Staying Present

Tending to plants requires observation and focus. Taking time to enjoy the beauty around you and tasks related to gardening force you to shift our attention from rumination and temporary worries to the present moment. The grounding technique to help you stay in the moment can be practiced by allowing yourself to listen, touch, smell, see and taste can be very restorative.

Finding a Sense of Purpose

Getting involved in something hands-on and seeing the end results of your effort is immensely satisfying. There is so much joy in choosing plants and the pride you feel with nurturing them. Studies show that gardening causes an increase in feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin, as helping plants grow stimulates our identity as nurturers.

Strengthens our Immune System

By simply being exposed to natural light and Vitamin D while gardening outdoors helps build resistance against disease. Getting your hands dirty in friendly soil bacteria found in garden dirt has shown to alleviate symptoms of allergies, asthma and psoriasis, all of which stem from a weakened immune system.

Enables Relaxation and Letting Go

“Flowers are restful to look at. They have no emotions or conflict,” said Freud. Tending to plants allows you to tap into the carefree part of yourself with no deadlines, mortgages or annoying chatter to worry about. The rhythmic nature of tasks like trimming, sowing, de-weeding allows thoughts to ebb and flow along with your movements, and all too often solutions to a problem or letting go comes easily.

Accepting the Cycle of Life and Death

Gardening rituals can help you work through difficult emotions, including grief, since it involves both the giving of life and acknowledgment of its end; it’s symbolic regeneration. It is no coincidence that we create gardens or plant tress in remembrance of loved ones. By doing so you are acknowledging that what has blossomed will perish and from dust we all come and will return.

Gives a Sense of Control

Trying to control other people is a fruitless exercise but you are more likely to succeed in controlling your beds and borders, which can make gardening a particularly satisfying experience.

Develops Patience

Watching a seed grow inch-by-inch into a healthy plant that grows more stems and branches requires not just attention but a pot of patience. You can't rush things as the sprout will take a certain amount of time to grow, flower or bear fruit, no matter what you do. Even de-weeding teaches patience. I mean sure, you can go ahead and spray chemicals to poison them but the possibility of killing your small green children (born or unborn) is very real too. So take time to remove all the unwanted growth eating away the nutrients put there for your plant and when you are done, look up and experience the gratitude your plant conveys.

It is Easy

Start small. You don’t need a large meadow for green therapy. A hanging basket or a few pots along a window ledge or balcony are enough to begin with. It’s also affordable as you can recycle old containers to plant stuff. All you need is tips on what to grow, when to plant, where to keep it (sunlight or daylight or indoors) and how much care, water and minerals are required. And its all available online.

So what are you waiting for!!! Cultivate your own green space and experience the joy and nourishment it provides for your mind, body and soul.