Advice & Guides 28 September 2026

The Simple Joy of Getting Outside

You might choose a flowering tree for spring colour, a fruit tree to enjoy your own harvest, or a native tree that provides food and shelter for wildlife. Whatever you choose, watching it grow and change with the seasons can give you a lovely sense of connection to your garden.

Modern life can keep us indoors for much of the day, with work, commuting and screens taking up our time. You do not need to arrive with a list of jobs. Take a cup of tea, find a comfortable spot and see what catches your eye.

Natural light, fresh air and green spaces can all contribute to a greater sense of wellbeing. And gardening gives us something simple and positive to focus on – whether that's watering a plant, planting a few bulbs or watching the first flowers appear.

gardening & mental health

A garden is never really quiet

You might hear birds moving through a hedge before you see them, spot a bee visiting one of the last flowers, or find a spider’s web shining in the low afternoon light. Fruit and berries bring visitors of their own.

Planting a tree is a lovely way to invest in the future. A flowering tree can bring colour each spring, a fruit tree can provide a harvest, while native trees offer food and shelter for wildlife. Watching a tree grow and change with the seasons can create a real sense of connection to your garden—and there is something very satisfying about planting it yourself.

You do not need a large space, either. As we explored in From Tree to Table, even one fruit tree can bring blossom, a harvest and wildlife into a garden.

from tree to table

gardening & mental health

A little time outside can lift your day

Your garden doesn’t need to be perfect. Choose plants you enjoy, make a comfortable spot to sit, or add something to attract birds and pollinators. Being around plants can help us slow down and give our attention to something beyond the demands of the day. Sometimes it is lovely to plant or potter; sometimes it is enough just to sit and listen.

So, whether you’re planting your first tree or tending a garden you’ve loved for years, get outside, get growing and enjoy the little things.

Think of the pleasure of watching a Flowering Cherry ‘ Amanogawa' come into blossom each spring. It gives you a reason to step outside and enjoy the moment, however busy the day has been.

Flowering Cherry 'Amanogawa'

gardening & mental health

Plant a tree, watch it grow

Planting a tree is a lovely way to invest in the future. A flowering tree can bring colour each spring, a fruit tree can provide a harvest, while native trees offer food and shelter for wildlife.

Watching a tree grow and change with the seasons can create a real sense of connection to your garden – and there’s something very satisfying about planting it yourself. Part of the joy of a garden is that it never stays quite the same. The first buds, the changing leaves and the birds arriving for berries give us little moments to look forward to throughout the year.

If you are inspired to plant something of your own, explore our Fruit & Nut trees or browse the Bare Root collection for the coming planting season.

But there is no need to make a plan today. Leave the gardening gloves indoors for ten minutes, step outside and see who else is enjoying your garden.

Bare Root Trees