• Plants & Happiness

    Who Offers the Best Information on Plants and Well-Being?

    Plant and Mental Health Studies, Who Offers the Best Information on Plants and Well-Being? Karen Hugg, https://karenhugg.com/2021/12/08/plants-and-well-being/(opens in a new tab), #plants, #happiness, #well-being, #mentalhealth, #stressrelief, #stress, #relaxation, #research, #science, #studies

    In the past several years, you may have seen headlines claiming that plants can help our mental health. Well, that is indeed true. But how do you know which studies are reputable? Which are woo-woo, feel-good stories stronger on common sense than fact? Which are flat-out misinterpretations meant to excite more than educate? And which include what the science truly shows? I myself used to feel confused about the topic until I spent a year writing a book on it. So, to help suss out the truth, I thought I’d…

  • Plants & Happiness

    Why Do Plants Make Us Happier? Five Fascinating Reasons

    Part-shade garden border, Why Do Plants Make Us Happier? Five Fascinating Reasons, Karen Hugg, https://karenhugg.com/2021/11/08/plants-make-us-happier/(opens in a new tab), #plants #happiness #plantsmakeushappier #garden #mentalhealth #stress #destressing #stressrelief

    When I was a professional gardener, I made a lot of people happy by helping them with their gardens. Usually, I either created and installed a new garden or maintained the one they already had. Regardless, after my work was finished, my clients often told me their garden was their happy place. It relieved them from stress. Reset their energy. I understood this since my own garden made me happy too, even when there was a lot of work to do. So I started to wonder: why exactly did plants…

  • Daily Stress ReLeaf,  Plants & Happiness

    #30 The Only Two Herbs You Need to Lower Stress

    Lavender, The Only Two Herbs You Need to Lower Stress, Daily Stress ReLeaf, Karen Hugg, https://karenhugg.com/2021/03/17/two-herbs-lower-stress/(opens in a new tab) #dailystressreleaf, #plants, #destressing, #mentalhealth #herbs #lavender #rosemary #lowerstress #stress #relaxation #anxiety

    In this last post about stress relief and plants, I’d like to spotlight a couple plants that are easy care yet powerful. They’re kinda the only two herbs you really need to lower stress. Many gardeners across America, at least living down to zone 5, can grow them. Both will thrive in full sun and light soil, like sand mixed with potting soil. Think Mediterranean conditions. And speaking of sun, they’re both drought tolerant. You can grow them in a container or the ground and snip off a few stems…

  • Daily Stress ReLeaf,  Plants & Happiness

    #29 How Time Immersed in Plants Saved My Sanity

    Woman in Woods, How Time Immersed in Plants Saved My Sanity, Daily Stress ReLeaf, Karen Hugg, https://karenhugg.com/2021/03/17/plants-saved-sanity #dailystressreleaf #plants #sanity #mentalhealth #relaxation #destressing #stress #gardening

    Like a lot of moms, when I had small children, I was super stressed out. Anyone with multiple kids knows how difficult life can be when the kids are young and active. Plus, in my case, my youngest child was cognitively delayed so when she went through the “terrible twos,” it lasted for about four years. There was a lot of crying and stomping and time outs. I smile when I think of it now because my daughter’s 14 and just graduated out of her special education classes. She’s become…

  • Daily Stress ReLeaf

    #28 Three Wonderful but Small Deciduous Trees to Remember Lost Loved Ones

    Kousa Dogwood, Three Wonderful but Small Deciduous Trees to Remember Lost Loved Ones, Daily Stress ReLeaf, Karen Hugg, https://karenhugg.com/2021/03/12/deciduous-trees-to-remember/(opens in a new tab), #deciduoustrees #remember #memorial #covid #trees #plants #dailystressreleaf #mentalhealth

    I realized in my post about small trees to remember a lost loved one by, I only included conifers. So today, let me correct that oversight and highlight three wonderful but small deciduous trees. Coral Bark Maple This little maple tree (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-Kaku’) sports coral colored stems in winter, lovely green-yellow leaves in summer, and nice yellow color in fall. It’s an elegant vase-shaped tree that grows to about 15 feet tall and maybe 6 feet wide. I have one at the back of my yard and it absolutely…