How gardening saved my life

Many people find the joy of horticulture provides an invaluable way to connect with the world. Four of them speak to Morgan Lawrence

The benefits to be gained from spending time in the garden have always been well-known to gardeners, but now the scientific community is finally weighing in on the positive effects that green space can have on our mental and physical health. In fact, recent research from Natural England, in partnership with the University of Exeter and the Royal Horticultural Society, found that people with access to a garden had higher psychological wellbeing than those without. And for many of us over the past year – kept at home during lockdown – this boost couldn’t be more apparent. But, for many, gardening is much more than a daily boost. For members of society who have struggled, horticulture can be a safe space to carve out a career and become a part of a community. Below, four inspirational gardeners share their stories of how, against all odds, gardening changed their lives for the better.