Three Gardening Books to Cultivate Joy and Boost Your Happiness
The profound joy of growing plants can deliver a powerful dopamine boost, according to authors of three new publications. As spring arrives with its fine weather, the sight of dazzling daffodils, emerging tulips, and blossoming trees creates an optimistic and cheerful atmosphere. Building on this theme, these books focus on how gardening can enhance happiness, regardless of available space.
Dopamine Gardening by Amy Chapman
From TikTok creator @inthecottagegarden comes this project-led guide to happiness. Gardeners are encouraged to tackle joyful outdoor projects for every season and space. Activities range from growing chamomile from a teabag and cultivating fragrant plants for cocktails and mocktails, to planting a nostalgia patch and creating a healing windowsill garden.
With 52 projects to choose from, Chapman suggests completing one each week to experience the mood-boosting benefits of gardening throughout the year. Reflecting on her personal journey, Chapman writes that gardening has "taken an anxious little caterpillar and turned her into a thriving butterfly."
Garden Yourself Happy by Jonny Hincks
Firefighter by day and garden enthusiast known online as @gardenwithjonny to over three million followers, Hincks offers light-hearted, relatable advice with a no-fuss approach aimed at helping readers garden themselves happy. His mother, a keen gardener who died when Hincks was 18, fueled his passion for gardening, and he strongly advocates for its positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.
His philosophy centers on keeping gardening simple, fun, and stress-free. He demonstrates how small, consistent efforts yield significant rewards, from a tomato ripening on the vine to catching the fragrance of mint when brushing past a pot. Hincks insists that regular tasks like mulching or checking for pests build confidence and allow faster observation of changes.
He shares warm advice about learning from mistakes and taking Instagram perfection with a grain of salt. Organized by the four seasons, the book provides gardening hacks, to-do lists, quick jobs, growing and pruning tips, and blank sections for notes. With short paragraphs, 10-, 20-, and 30-minute tasks, and step-by-step guidance, it's an easy-to-follow, funny, and informative read that uplifts even those who garden infrequently.
RHS Happy Plants by Zia Allaway
Ever wondered which plants genuinely make you happy? Horticulturist and gardening writer Zia Allaway presents 100 plants to grow that bring smiles, along with tips on keeping them thriving. For those seeking deeper understanding, Allaway explores the science behind how flowers focus our minds and help brains recharge, and why the scent of favorite plants can stimulate happy memories.
She explains how certain colors promote relaxation and enjoyment, and how wildlife visits to garden plants bring joy. Examples include the Japanese maple, offering a long season of interest and spectacular autumn color, and the tactile foliage of lamb's ears, which attracts children to touch it.
Allaway outlines plants with colors and fragrances that aid relaxation, such as jasmine, chocolate cosmos, lavender, and lemon balm. She highlights sound as a sensory factor to soothe nerves, mentioning ornamental grasses that rustle in the breeze. Water also contributes to garden wellbeing, with research indicating that people living near water are healthier and happier, making water lilies a notable inclusion.
Many herbs, some used in folk medicine, are featured for their mood-lifting properties, aiding digestion, alleviating colds, headaches, and nausea, and treating mental health disorders like depression. A section on houseplants notes RHS research showing that healthy indoor plants boost mental wellbeing by improving mood. Easy-care plants like snake plants, spider plants, and string of hearts are included, as healthy plants bring happiness with minimal maintenance.
