Gardening for Relaxation: What the RHS Says About Colour, Birdsong, Scent and Small Spaces

A garden, a balcony of pots or even a windowsill of herbs can become a place to unwind. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK’s gardening charity, publishes guidance on how gardens and gardening can support wellbeing, covering colour, sound, scent and simple activities such as weeding and watering. This guide summarises what the RHS says and how to use it, without overstating what the evidence shows.

Why gardens feel restful

The RHS says gardens are attractive places to spend time because they offer a beautiful view and a tranquil place to sit and savour the moment. When people are in a garden, it explains, attention is drawn to colours, shapes and the repeating patterns of plants and foliage. It adds that being in a garden can feel soothing, tunes people in to the present and connects them to the natural world, and that even the smallest garden can help calm a stressed-out mind (RHS, “Find your peaceful haven”).

Colour: where to sit

According to the RHS, colour has a large effect on emotions. It says plants with strong colours such as intense reds, oranges and yellows excite the emotions, while blues and greens are relaxing and calming, and suggests sitting among them for restful time. Anyone planning a relaxing corner can therefore lean towards green foliage and blue flowers, and keep the vivid colours in a different part of the plot.

Patterns, sounds and senses

The same RHS article describes several other sources of calm:

• Repeating patterns. The RHS says many plants contain repeated shapes, known as fractals, such as the patterns in ferns or the branching of trees, and that looking at them is easy to process.
• Birdsong. The RHS suggests going out into the garden, closing the eyes and listening to the birds. It says listening to birdsong is soothing, and that hearing a variety of bird songs is thought to be more restorative than hearing just one type.
• The senses. A garden offers colour, patterns, smells, sounds, textures and tastes, and the RHS says simply enjoying natural sensory experiences, such as soft raindrops or the crunch of autumn leaves, has been shown to boost wellbeing.
• Scent. The RHS suggests siting lavender by garden seating to enjoy its scent.

Gardening tasks as a way to switch off

The RHS says gardening activities such as weeding and watering can help put people into a “flow state”, immersing them in the present and distracting them from the daily grind. This links to the wider idea of absorbing activities, which our guide to flow, hobbies and creativity explains. A repetitive job with a clear end point, such as watering a row of pots or deadheading one border, suits that kind of absorbed attention.

What the RHS survey found

The RHS has reported research from 2021 involving more than 6,000 people. It says those who garden every day had wellbeing scores 6.6% higher and stress levels 4.2% lower than people who do not garden at all, and that the survey showed a significant association between gardening more often and improvements in wellbeing, perceived stress and physical activity (RHS, “Why gardening makes us feel better”).

This kind of survey shows an association rather than proof of cause. People who feel well may simply be more likely to garden, so the finding should be read as encouraging, not as a promise. The same RHS page also reports a focus group study with Britain in Bloom gardeners, who said maintaining front gardens made them feel closer to their neighbours through informal conversation and sharing knowledge.

Starting small

The RHS says even the smallest garden can help, so a first step does not need a plot. Practical ideas that follow from its guidance:

• Put a pot of herbs or a few blue and green plants where you can see them from a chair.
• Spend ten minutes watering or weeding without headphones, and listen for birds.
• Choose plants with different textures and scents so a short visit uses several senses.
• Keep a seat in the garden, even a folding chair, so that sitting still is as normal as working.

For wider background on the benefits of time outdoors, see our guide to nature and mental health.

Simple safety precautions

The RHS notes that gardening carries some risks, and lists precautions, including wearing gloves when handling soil, compost, fertiliser or potentially harmful plants, not opening bags of compost with the head right over them, moistening dry potting media before use and washing hands after gardening, especially before eating. It also suggests wearing gloves and covering the arms when pruning plants that can cause skin irritation (RHS, “Minimising health risks in the garden”). Anyone with a health concern about gardening should ask a GP for advice. This article is general wellbeing information.

The bottom line

The RHS describes gardens as restful places where colour, birdsong, scent, texture and repetitive tasks such as weeding and watering can help calm a busy mind, and says even the smallest garden can help. Blues and greens are described as the calming colours. An RHS survey links regular gardening with higher wellbeing and lower stress, though that is an association, not proof. Starting with a few pots, listening for birds and following basic hygiene precautions is enough.

Sources

• RHS, “Find your peaceful haven”
• RHS, “Why gardening makes us feel better”
• RHS, “Minimising health risks in the garden”