Flowers are nice

So doctors and health experts have now decreed that getting back to nature amongst the flowers, trees and tweety birds for 20-30 minutes a day significantly lowers one’s stress levels enough to promote feelings of wellbeing. Well, DUH!

Why the devil did they think the urban Victorians were obsessed with building parks all over the shop to the extent that a quarter– yes, a quarter! – of London is made up of parks or mini-parks?

Why did they think the urban guerilla gardening movement sprang up, whereby fed-up locals began planting on any spare bits of ground within their locality to make them less of a grey concrete eyesore, having given up on budget-slashing local councils getting their green fingers out? It was always about more than merely oxygenating plants to offset pollution.

Coming up next from our overpaid soothsayers of the blindingly obvious, food in moderation with exercise is good for you, bathing daily and brushing your teeth are about more than just hygiene, and Pope Francis is Roman Catholic.

MARK BOYLE Linn Park Gardens, Johnstone, Renfrewshire