Growth and connection
Welcome to Good’s first special gardening issue and a place to find refuge and a piece of personal paradise. My small vegetable garden has certainly been that during the recent Level 4 lockdown. Being out in the fresh air with my hands in the dirt tending my plants, pulling weeds, watching vegetables grow and flowers bloom is satisfying as well as joyful and a beautiful distraction.
Annabel Langbein shares that nothing gives her more joy than growing her own food (page 18). “You grow it, look after it, harvest it, cook it, eat it – it’s a very connected feeling and something which requires you to be very present in your life.”
And it’s great exercise! Did you know that gardening burns the same number of calories as a game of badminton?
For me, it’s incidental exercise and a happy outcome of doing something that I enjoy which also boosts my mood. We delve into the science behind this and the many benefits of Gardening for Wellbeing on page 26.
On page 12, Boh Runga also shares her passion for plants, particularly houseplants! Her monstera deliciosa, which she’s had since childhood, is almost as old as she is and has spread the love amongst family and friends with multiple cuttings.
You will also notice that we’ve used a beautiful illustration of Boh and her monstera for the cover of this issue because being in lockdown for the larger part of the magazine’s production cycle meant no get togethers or photoshoots, so we had to get creative. The Good team absolutely love the illustration of Boh by the talented artist Kauri Finlay and we’d love to know what you think too.
The countrywide lockdown (and extended lockdown for Auckland) has certainly been a huge curveball to swing at, even if it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Dr Alice Boyes provides some great advice for how to cope with feeling overwhelmed (page 60) and Two Raw Sisters Margo and Rosa Flanagan share some of their most sensational salad recipes (page 84).
And, of course, with this being our special gardening issue, it is filled with tips for gardening in any space – backyard, balcony, walls (vertical) or windowsill. It’s something that all of us can do and enjoy.