In my experience, it’s hard to feel down when you’re surrounded by green and growing things.
Whether you have a total green thumb or struggle to keep houseplants alive, spending time in a garden — any garden — is just about guaranteed to boost your mood.
Of course, the soothing effects of gardening aren’t just limited to spending time in that environment — what you choose to grow in your little corner of the earth can also make a huge difference for your disposition!
If you have access to a backyard, greenhouse or even just a good-size fire escape, you can grow your very own “good mood garden,” designed to carry those uplifting effects straight from the garden to your kitchen!
All you need is a small plot of land (or an array of sturdy planters), topsoil, and a handful of positivity-promoting plants to get going! Check out a few of our favorites in the gallery below.
Chamomile
This one's pretty much a no-brainer if you ask us! Chamomile grows everywhere — it's even considered a weed by some — and it's very hardy and easy to grow. You may even want to keep it potted so it doesn't take over your greenhouse.
Best of all, it's a well-documented sleep aid and calming herb, which is why I've always considered chamomile tea to be the ultimate balm to any bad day. Dry the flowers and steep your own soothing tea at home!
Sunflower Seeds
Nothing says cheerful like a big, exuberant row of bright yellow sunflowers! You'll feel happy every time you look at them, and once their season is done, the seeds will be ripe for harvesting.
Sunflower seeds are full of natural phenylalanine, which reduces depression when consumed as part of a natural diet.
Oregano
Oregano is a savory herb that's easy to grow quickly and in large quantities, though it's usually happiest in a large container. Fresh or dried, it's a tasty addition to pizza and pasta sauce, but it also has lesser-known medicinal properties!
It's great for heart health, and it's flush with fatty acids that help your body produce feel-good chemicals!
Black-Eyed Peas
If you live in fairly warm climate, make sure to give black-eyed peas a shot! These members of the legume family like a long summer with plenty of warm weather, and will be happy to reward you in turn with plenty of folates when you're ready to eat them!
Folates help promote seratonin and dopamine in the brain, which are both key to having a serene mood and getting a restful night's sleep.
Tomatoes
For gardeners, tomatoes are an easy and natural choice! Give them partial sunlight and a strong structural support, and these vines will grow tall and produce their signature red and yellow fruit in abundance!
Tomatoes go with every meal imaginable, especially in the summertime, and their skins are loaded with lycopene, a nutrient that reduces inflammation, which can often cause depression and anxiety.
Blue Potatoes
You may not see blue potatoes all that often, but you should definitely consider starting a few in your own mini greenhouse.
Best of all, these unique blue potatoes are loaded with iodine, which is key to maintaining a healthy and balanced thyroid, and stabilizing the hormones that control your mood.
Swiss Chard
Chard is one of the hardiest crops there is, so you get plenty of bang for your buck with this plant! It will keep growing into the autumn, supplying you with leafy, nutrient-dense greens that stir-fry into delish cooked greens or can be chopped into a tasty salad!
Their most noteworthy feature? Oodles of magnesium, which is key for boosting energy levels!
Lavender
Last but not least, the easiest way to get a good mood going is by planting yourself a drift of lavender.
This fragrant herb will bring bees and butterflies from miles around, and just walking alongside is like aromatherapy. Bring the good mood indoors by drying it and making sachets, and enjoy the lovely and cheerful scent every time you work outside or throw open the window!
The growth of flowers needs a stable environment. If you love your plants and care about them, choose a greenhouse that is portable; a walk-in greenhouse is perfect for plants protection and growth.
What other plants would you add to a good mood garden? Let us know in the comments below, and tell us whether you would ever make your own version of this project.
And if you love the idea of growing a happy place in your own backyard greenhosue, make sure to SHARE with fellow gardeners!
Find more gardening supplies, including greenhouses and cold frames, so you can start making your own 'good mood' garden.
