About this episode

The episode discusses the complexities of gardening and its impact on happiness and wellbeing.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Sarah Wilson

Guest: Harriet Gross

Topics covered

• gardening
• wellbeing
• emotional connections
• mental health
• outdoor spaces

Keywords

• gardening
• happiness
• wellbeing
• emotional connections
• mental health
• Gooden's Nomad Bee

Sponsors

roastinghouse.co.uk

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Psychology of Gardening (The Psychology of Everything)

Places: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn

More episodes of Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

• Episode 381: Ecology, Art and Memory · April 19, 2026 · 32 min
• Episode 380: Following a Drop of Water · April 12, 2026 · 37 min
• Episode 379: Pam Lewis: Ahead of the Curve · April 5, 2026 · 37 min
• Episode 378: Growing a Sustainable Nursery · March 30, 2026 · 35 min
• Episode 377: Britain's Hidden Psychedelic History · March 23, 2026 · 27 min
• Episode 376: From Rewilding to Renaturing · March 16, 2026 · 37 min

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