Anxiety? Meet My Garden (and My Kettle)

Gardeners are happy people. As my strongest piece of evidence, I present to you, Costa Georgiadis. Right?!

If you’ve ever calmed down from a full meltdown just by pulling weeds or watering basil, you already know: nature heals. Gardening is one of the most underrated anxiety tools out there—and you don’t even need a backyard. A windowsill will do. No experience necessary, just curiosity, a bit of sunlight, and maybe a spare pot from that failed cactus experiment.

Why Gardening Helps Anxiety

The act of gardening taps into several calming mechanisms that modern life tends to bulldoze:

• Grounding: Touching soil literally brings you back down to earth. It connects you to the present moment and out of your spiralling thoughts.

  
  

• Rhythm and ritual: Nature doesn’t rush. Seeds sprout slowly. Blooms take their sweet time. This is comforting when your brain is bouncing like a pinball machine.

  
  

• Sunlight and vitamin D: This happy hormone booster helps regulate mood and circadian rhythm.

  
  

• Movement: Gardening includes light physical activity—digging, squatting, carrying, stretching. A gentle form of exercise with added emotional perks.

Gardening also gives you something to nurture. Watching plants grow is a reminder that things take time, but progress happens.

Plants That Support Mental Health

Want a herbal garden that doubles as a calming tea bar? Start here:

• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) — Uplifting and mildly sedating. The leaves smell like lemon sherbet and brew into a lovely tea for nervous tension.

  
  

• Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) — Anti-inflammatory, calming, and great for sleep. Bonus: bees love it.

  
  

• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) — Soothes stress with scent alone. Can be used fresh or dried in tea, baths, or eye pillows.

  
  

• Basil (Ocimum basilicum) — Not just for pesto. Basil has been shown to help regulate cortisol, our main stress hormone.

  
  

• Mint (Mentha spp.) — Easy to grow, cooling and refreshing. Great for digestion and calming tight bellies from anxiety.

  
  

These herbs grow well in pots and can thrive on balconies or windowsills. Keep them where you’ll see and use them.

Mini Recipe: Garden Calm Tea Blend

Use fresh or dried versions of the herbs below. Adjust quantities to taste.

• 1 tsp lemon balm

• 1 tsp chamomile flowers

• ½ tsp lavender buds

Pour over hot (not boiling) water, cover, and steep for 5–7 minutes. Breathe in deeply while it brews. Sip slowly, ideally in the company of a sleepy cat.

Optional: Add a drizzle of local honey or a thin slice of fresh ginger for extra warmth.

Your Garden Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect

You don’t need to grow an entire herbal apothecary. Start with one plant. Learn its quirks. Watch it grow. Name it if you like.

Even the act of repotting a supermarket basil or misting your succulents can reset your nervous system. Deadheading flowers can be oddly satisfying (it’s nature’s version of popping bubble wrap).

And when things do die—as they inevitably will—consider it a lesson in impermanence. No guilt needed.

Gardening as Daily Practice

Even five minutes in the morning watering your herbs or checking on a sprouting seed can set a calmer tone for the day.

If you’re working from home or feeling anxious about a decision, a quick step outside to pull weeds or potter among the pots can help clear the mental clutter.

No garden? Try this:

• Use a grow light for herbs indoors

• Keep a jar of dried calming herbs to brew daily

• Visit a community garden (bonus: you meet people who also talk to their plants)

Gardening isn’t just a hobby; it’s medicine. It won’t fix everything, but it offers a gentle, sensory-rich way to reconnect with your body, the earth, and the present moment.

So, the next time anxiety comes knocking, grab a watering can. Your plants will thank you. And so will your nervous system.