Let the sunshine in

The stability that gardening offers for one's well-being is unmatchable especially during these shaky and uncertain times writes, Nupur Roopa

For Neera Dalal, a graphic designer from Chennai, dashing out to her tiny balcony first thing in the morning is non-negotiable. “The tea can wait, but my plants, can’t,” she laughs. “It is not that the plants need me but the other way around,” she adds.

Neera was initially not interested in gardening, but when she started her job in Chennai far away from her family, it was lonely. She received a Jade plant as a gift from her office. “I started watering and found that any new leaf made me happy.” She bought more plants, a small bamboo fountain, bells, wind chimes and a bird feeder. “Today my tiny balcony is a green heaven and a happy place in the lockdown,” she says.

A study conducted by environmental psychologist Roger Ulrich that was published in the journal Science in 1984, found that patients recovering from gall bladder surgery whose beds were in rooms with a view of trees were discharged a day earlier and required less pain medication than other patients. Another study of 20,000 people conducted by Mathew White of the European Centre for Environment & Human Health at the University of Exeter, and his team found that spending two hours in nature per week makes people healthy and enhances well-being. Dr Esther Sternberg, a research director at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, believes that the environment influences the brain affecting both the stress and relaxation response. Creating a space with a few plants can be immensely healing, she suggests.

Connect with nature

In the past, man lived according to the rhythms of nature but life has changed drastically now. Work happens 24x7 and we sit for long hours. Prior to the pandemic we could go for a walk and spend time in nature if we desired. Today, that is challenging. Holistic healer Malini Kalyanam, whose father was an avid gardener, grows vegetables in her apartment. “Gardening is like a second breath of fresh air for me,” she shares. Plants create an aura of positivity in homes with cheer and happiness.

According to her, gardening is a stress buster when it becomes a daily affair. Eye strain due to increased screen time can also be effectively reduced when you observe a flowering plant. She has observed positive health changes in people with diabetes and blood pressure engaging in gardening. The term ‘indoor gardening’ though, is a bit misleading. She says plants need at least partial light. Therefore, having plants around the bright corners of the house does bring nature inside and strengthens our connection.

Tania Banerjee, a freelance writer from Navi Mumbai started gardening in 2020. “I live in Kharghar, Mumbai, and the surroundings are very drab.” Connecting with nature is important for Tania. Earlier, she enjoyed long and short treks, but it is not possible now. Last July, she started with two plants — hydrangea and a garlic vine. Today, she has hydrangea, garlic vines, bougainvillea, petunia, bleeding hearts and walking iris — all flowering plants. Being a travel writer in these times has been challenging. She faced a huge identity crisis. “However, waking up and seeing the cheerful flowers every day filled me with the hope of a better future.” She thoroughly enjoys repotting, prepping the soil, feeding vermicompost and watering plants. “When I see them grow healthily and bloom, I feel fulfilled. These plants are the closest to nature that I can get while being confined at home.”

Be a green thumb

Place small plants or succulents around the house.

Grow money plant and bamboo in glass bottles without soil.

Create a herb corner on a sunny windowsill.

Install a birdhouse and feeder for birds.

Play audios of birdsongs.

Install a water fountain.

Take window breaks. Observe birds and butterflies from a window or the balcony.

Make a zen corner with plants, seashells, windchimes.

Growing vegetables on the balcony can give you fresh produce. Lady's fingers, bitter gourd, chillies, peppers, spinach, and coriander can be easily grown in pots.

Connecting with nature while staying indoors may not be as difficult as it seems.