January 20 marks Blue Monday 2025. It comes around every third Monday of January and is claimed to be the most depressing day of the year. That doesn't mean we're all doomed to feel gloomy today, though, as there are plenty of ways to beat the blues away. The Gardens team at H&G have the perfect solution - getting out in our yards with easy and enjoyable garden projects to raise our spirits.
Whether you're an avid gardener with a long list of gardening goals for the year ahead or you've never picked up trowel before in your life, we promise choosing to spend time with plants this month will make you feel good. In fact, there are several ways gardening can improve mental health and physical health.
So, if you're looking for simple ways to feel happy this Blue Monday, or any other day of the year, you just need to turn your attention to plants. Here, we share our favourite gardening activities for joy to get you started - and don't worry, there are projects for those who don't have outdoor space, too.
5 gardening activities for joy
At H&G we know just how much of a difference spending time with nature can make to our wellbeing, which is why we're using these gardening activities to combat our winter blues. Many of these projects make great tasks for beginner gardeners and can be adapted to all sorts of spaces - whether that's indoors, a balcony, or a small yard.
1. Forage for winter florals
Although you may perceive the winter garden as being quiet, boring, and lacking a lot of active growth, H&G's Head of Gardens, Rachel Bull urges you take a closer look and see what you might find.
'As a self-confessed flower fettler, what brings me joy in the January garden is walking around and looking for interesting branches, dried stems, tiny flowers, or pieces of bark that I can collect and use in a very simple and calming floral arrangement for my home,' she explains.
'I find this activity incredibly mindful because you really do need to search for those magical ingredients in winter; they are not always obvious.
'Look up high and I might find early catkins on the hazel trees or some vibrant winter jasmine; searching in the wild borders I often see small teasels and dried, lichen-covered branches,' Rachel adds.
There are plenty of winter flowering shrubs to explore during this time, and you can use a range of essential pruning tools to take cuttings to bring indoors. These pruning snips from Amazon will work well.
'When collecting, I try to notice the tiny details and shapes within them, and then take some time to slowly arrange and bring into the home,' Rachel says.
Rachel is a gardening editor, flower grower and floral designer. Her journalism career began on Country Living magazine, sparking a love of container gardening and wild planting. After more than a decade writing for and editing a range of consumer, business and special interest titles, Rachel became editor of floral art magazine The Flower Arranger. She then trained and worked as a floral designer and stylist in London for six years, before joining the Homes & Gardens team.
2. Plant a herb garden
While there are fewer plants growing in our yards in winter, it's incredibly easy to grow herbs indoors all year round and enjoy the reward of cooking with them. This is a great way to use your greenhouse in winter, too.
You can grow basil, grow oregano, grow parsley, and more in just a matter of weeks in the right conditions. To take your herb garden up a notch, incorporate eco-friendly garden ideas by repurposing old containers and tins as herb pots. You can then use these herb garden signs from Amazon to label your homegrown goods.
'I also like creating larger mixed herb containers, which make wonderful gifts,' says garden designer Laura Janney. 'It can be fun to theme these pots, such as herbs for French cooking,' she suggests.
As the weather warms up in spring, bring this activity outdoors by making a herb planter to uplift your backyard with some fragrance and enjoy the delicious aromas every time you walk past.
Laura is the Founder and Owner of The Inspired Garden. A winner of the 2024 Houzz Design award, Laura has over 20 years of experience in gardening and working with clients designing beautiful gardens. With multiple courses under her belt, Laura would make a great resource on all things gardening.
3. Propagate houseplants in water
When I'm not writing about plants, you'll find me playing with them. There are few things I love more than spending my time propagating the easiest houseplants to grow from cuttings, and there's something particularly special about water propagation.
I always use a clear vessel - like these Mason jars from Walmart - so I can watch the magic happen. By keeping the cuttings somewhere bright and warm, little roots start to appear and I get to watch them grow bigger and bigger. Eventually, I pot the cuttings up and just like that, I've gained a new houseplant - for free!
There are plenty of easy houseplants to propagate in winter you can do this with, just watch out for water propagation mistakes - like not changing out the water regularly - to ensure success.
To up your water propagation game, use a vertical propagation station (from Amazon). This is a beautiful way to display cuttings and ties in one of my favorite houseplant trends for the year - making use of vertical space.
4. Start a fruit patch
Gardeners with a kitchen garden will know how fulfilling it is to plant your own vegetable and fruit seeds and watch them turn into bountiful plants. That's why H&G Gardens Content Editor Drew Swainston recommends everyone tries growing their own crops at home.
'Planting any form of fruit in a garden is very satisfying as you can be buoyant knowing that the plant may provide you with a harvest for many years to come,' Drew says. 'Whether it is fruit trees, soft fruit bushes, or strawberry plants, you are lovingly planting into the soil, it can be thrilling to look forward to those days of picking juicy and delicious fruit straight from the plant,' he adds.
Of course, winter isn't the best time to plant fruit plants directly in your yard, but you can get the seeds started under cover ahead of spring. For example, you can sow seeds indoors in a greenhouse - some easy ones to start with include growing strawberries indoors and growing blueberries. There are also plenty of indoor fruit trees to choose from that will grow happily in your home.
'Whether you have lots of space or pots on a deck or balcony, there are opportunities to grow fruit of different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors - there is something for any space,' Drew says.
Drew qualified as a journalist and wrote for many websites and publications, before studying for a horticulture qualification. He worked as a professional gardener for several years, specializing in kitchen gardening. He's now bringing his expertise and passion to Homes & Gardens as a member of our team.
5. Observe your yard
The start of the year can be a very overwhelming time, as we recover from the busy festive period and try to keep up with lots of new plans. That's why H&G Gardens Content Editor Thom Rutter looks to nature for a moment of peace.
'For me, one of the most joyful things to do in the garden is slowing down and observing. As gardeners, we can often fill the hours with chores like weeding and deadheading, but sometimes just sitting and watching be an almost meditative experience,' he explains.
This is certainly something to make time for on your winter gardening checklist. Simply observe the winter landscape in your yard and take note of what you might want to grow in the warmer months ahead. Using something like this garden journal from Amazon can be particularly inspiring during this activity.
'My advice - when the weather warms up, grab a cup of tea and a pair of binoculars, and park yourself on the garden bench for half an hour. Taking some time out for wildlife watching, and to enjoy all your hard work in the garden, can only be a good thing,' Thom says.
Thom is a Content Editor within the Gardens Team at Homes and Gardens. He has been working as a gardener and garden writer for several years. Whilst completing his Horticultural Traineeship at the Garden Museum, London, he was able to gain experience at many of the UK's world-famous gardens, including Sissinghurst, Lowther Castle, and Iford Manor. Following this, he worked for two private estates in Tuscany, Italy.
FAQs
How is gardening good for our wellbeing?
Many gardeners find gardening activities improve their wellbeing in a number of ways. Being out in the garden provides a chance to disconnect and escape from the busyness of life, while working with your hands and walking around your yard offers some physical exercise. There are also specific plants you can grow to promote different feelings and draw on different senses, such as herbs for fragrance and plants for birds to bring some wildlife noise to your outdoor space. Although it's subjective as to how gardening improves wellbeing, there's no doubt spending time with plants has an overall positive impact on the majority.
Each one of these gardening activities for joy is achievable no matter your level of gardening experience. The important thing to focus on is what you find fun and what you can do with plants to bring you some peace and raise your spirits. There are so many other possibilities out there, such as making a terrarium or starting flower seeds indoors and watching them turn into beautiful blooms in spring. Why not share the joy by getting friends and family involved in these projects, too?
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