What if gardening doesn't make you happy? Gardening isn't always the simple "cure-all" it's often made out to be. We get into the realities behind the wellbeing narrative — from overwhelm and pressure to the deeper emotional connections we form with our outdoor spaces. It's a thoughtful, honest conversation about what gardens really give us… and what they sometimes don't.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Gooden's Nomad Bee

With thanks to our sponsor - roastinghouse.co.uk. get 25% extra free if you mention Roots and All or the insect of the week in the comments box at checkout.

Links

The Psychology of Gardening (The Psychology of Everything) - Harriet Gross

Garden Lovers Reading Retreat

Please support the podcast on Patreon

And follow Roots and All:

On Instagram @rootsandallpod

On Facebook @rootsandalluk

On LinkedIn @rootsandall

If you enjoyed this week's episode with Harriet, you might also like these conversations from the archives:

Episode 314: Nurturing Growth, Inside and Out In this episode, Sarah looks at the emotional side of gardening and how our outdoor spaces can shape identity, wellbeing, and resilience — a thoughtful companion to today's discussion about the psychological weight and reward of tending a garden.

Episode 286: Natural Happiness This episode explores the relationship between nature and wellbeing, questioning what we really mean when we say gardens make us "happy," and how that experience varies from person to person — closely linked to today's reflections on the limits of gardening as a cure-all.