Your garden is your happy place. It provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of a busy life, gives you space to express your creativity and shows appreciation for the time, effort and love you put into it by rewarding you with a luscious landscape. There are so many reasons for you to love your garden this love month, and because gardening is a pure form of love it will bring you happiness in so many ways.

Let your love grow

Gardening teaches us how to nurture little seedlings that are filled with hope and potential, into boastful plants, shrubs and trees. It teaches us to love life in various forms and what you put in is what you get out. Gardening teaches us to be patient and enjoy every moment as we tend to the needs of our newest seedlings through to our established plants that need tending to regularly. Spending time caring for plants helps us to find happiness in the smallest blessings when the first leaf sprouts to the largest blessing of a beautiful, tranquil paradise.

Love is all around

Your garden is living proof of all the love, care and effort you put in.  But it doesn’t have to stop there, you can also bring some of the love and happiness of the outdoors indoors with houseplants. There are so many varieties of indoor plants that will transform your home into a living space and bring with it the added benefit of cleaner air, more oxygen and some decorative charm. Whether you have an empty corner or a bare shelf that needs a little something extra, a plant will add life and colour to any area.

Love you long time

Your garden is your happy place and planting a few beautiful flowers and plants on Valentine’s Day is a gift that just keeps on giving. While digging and planting will provide you with hours of happiness just as a benefit of spending time outdoors, your garden and balcony will show appreciation for your time and efforts with bursts of colour dotted all around the garden followed by a sweet, lingering fragrance that delights your senses.

Get dirty

There are health and emotional benefits of spending time in the garden. When digging in the soil you are exposed to a soil microbe called Mycobacterium vaccae which has been proven to make you happier. According to research studies, this bacterium stimulates serotonin production which gives it a similar effect on the brain as Prozac, but without the negative side effects. So, when you need a little boost, grab your spade and head to the garden for your dose of joy.

For the birds and the bees

The birds singing, bees buzzing and the gentle sound of leaves swishing in the wind are all familiar sounds you’ll hear when you spend time in your garden. While these sounds may conjure up happy thoughts, bird songs, in particular, have been proven to improve our mental and emotional health and make us happier and healthier. If you want to keep your mood elevated, add a birdbath to your garden, place a bird feeder in the tree and sit back and let the cheerful vibes kick in.

In the words of Arthur Smith, “If you want to be happy forever, take up gardening.” We couldn’t agree more. So go to www.lifeisagarden.co.za for your latest gardening inspiration,

Visit your nearest GCA Garden Centre for gardening supplies and get digging this love month.