Winter can be hard for some of us and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real thing, linked to the lack of light that accompanies the cold as our part of the world turns away from the sun. It would be great if there was a winter pill we could take – containing snippets of summer holidays, the feeling of warm sun on the back, the scent of jasmine and a micro dollop of ice cream. Until the pharmacologists can manufacture one, we’ll go into the garden, because it turns out that a big part of the cure for the winter blues lies outside.
We all know how good it is to be in the fresh air – bathing in forests, mountain climbing and open air swimming are endorphin producing, but you’ll be pleased to hear that just going out of the back door into the garden can do a lot to lift our mood (not as good as an ice bath, but definitely more inviting).

The important thing is to stay connected to the life outdoors, to touch the soil, smell the scents, walk among the falling leaves. You will be getting exercise – apparently even a fifteen minute walk is enough.
The act of gardening isn’t compulsory either – we’ll feel the benefits of being outdoors without lifting a spade, but the mood-enhancing effects are increased by actively gardening – whether that’s applying a lovely blanket of mulch to the borders, sweeping leaves from the lawn (to make leaf mould, the most wondrous mulch of all), winter pruning or planting roses. Small acts count too – make a container display of winter flowers, buy some half price bulbs if there are any left at the garden centre (they will still grow).

Morning light
Our circadian rhythms are connected to the natural cycles of day and night – and these can get out of sync when we spend too much time in artificial light. It is the light in the morning that has the most beneficial effects – annoying news for those who struggle to get up on these cold dark days, enough to make you pull the covers right over your head! If you do manage to get outside at dawn, make sure there are just a few simple chores to keep you out there for a little while – clean bird baths and feeders, check overwintering plants, admire how the morning sun filters through the branches, chase sheep out of the garden back into their field (that’ll be just me). Believe it or not, all this will help you get a good night’s sleep too.

I planted a lovely grass last year, aptly called Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’. Its pale silvery green leaves look lovely all year, but in autumn feathery plumes erupt from its heart, unbent by even the worst storms and gradually fluffing out as the autumn turns to winter. I have placed it among some smallish shrubs, where it shines out gracefully among the pudding shapes. We are encouraged to plant evergreens for winter interest, and they do bring structure and bridge the gaps, but many of them are dark green and can therefore add to the gloom. A grass, or an elegant skeleton (of a deciduous shrub, unless it’s Halloween) will add light and airiness – and beauty, as the low winter sun filters through.

Winter scents
Elaeagnus ebbingei is a stalwart evergreen – one of those robust and amorphous back of the border plants that gets occasionally hacked to a stump (sorry, heavily pruned), when it gets above itself. One autumn a few years ago I decided to go one step further and dig my inherited Elaeagnus out completely in order to plant something else. I can’t remember what now, because as I approached my victim I was knocked sideways by the most wonderful scent. Going in closer I saw that the Elaeagnus had lots of little cream coloured flowers hidden among its leaves, each tiny bloom pumping out a powerful perfume. I stopped in my tracks and lowered my loppers. It is in flower as I type this, as fragrant as ever, blissfully unaware of how close it came to execution.
Autumn scented shrubs are unusual, but as we head into late winter there are lots of bare blossoming stems that have winter fragrance. There are several scented Viburnums that flower at the bleakest time of the year, when pollinators are least active, but those insects that are still around are attracted in by scent rather than colour. If you are lured by the thought of floral winter scents, make sure that your plant will be growing somewhere near a doorway or next to a path so that you can catch the fragrance.

Plant a tree
Planting is an act of faith, of looking forward to the unfurling of buds and leaves and the promise of spring. Winter is also the best time to plant a tree, or a shrub, because this is when deciduous woody plants are dormant. This gives them time to get comfortable in the soil and establish roots, in readiness for all that is expected of them in the spring
It has been a mast year for acorns, conkers, berries of all kinds – and it can be fun to plant one in a pot to see what happens.

There is enormous satisfaction in planting a tiny seed and watching it grow. I know it will take years for an acorn to become a mighty oak, but it is somehow comforting to know that a tree we plant will, all being well, outlive us and be there for future generations to enjoy (unless you’re busy planting Leyland Cypresses along your boundary).

Bring the garden inside
We have been bringing leaves into our homes for many thousands of years. It is traditional, but it’s also good for us. Whether the foliage is still photosynthesising and adding anything practical like oxygen is debatable, but it is the ambiance that counts and a connection to the natural environment that tinsel just doesn’t have. Evergreens are a reminder of life and the hope that spring will come again.
Shopping is supposed to tap into our ‘hunter gatherer’ instinct, rewarding us with feel good hormones when we buy things. If you would like a Dopamine fix that’s healthier and cheaper, go out into the garden or the hedgerows and harvest your own Christmas decorations. I like to leave the berries for the birds, but there are plenty of sticks, cones and seed heads out there that can be artfully arranged into wreaths, garlands and tablescapes.

Celebrate the solstice
The shortest day is on the 21st of December. These are the darkest days, but after the solstice the days will start to lengthen again, the light will slowly come back, a signal to the natural world that the earth is turning back toward the sun again. This moment marks the start of astronomical winter, but the meteorologists have been in winter since the start of December and therefore spring will start earlier for them too – on 1st March. Whichever way you look at it, winter is here, but there is much to enjoy out there and spring will come. It always does.

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