Leading Dorset-based mental health charity Plants and Minds is today warning that people can be tipped into crisis at any time of year – dispelling the myth that mental health breakdowns peak on Blue Monday.
Blue Monday, which falls on the third Monday of January (19 January 2026), is hailed as the most depressing day of the year, driven by factors such as gloomy weather, post-Christmas debt and the return to work after the holiday season.
But Plants and Minds, which runs charitable garden centres Chestnut Nursery in Poole and Cherry Tree Nursery in Bournemouth, says that up to 20% of the UK population experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives – with a host of underlying causes pushing people into crisis 365 days a year.
Adults with life-impacting mental health conditions take part in horticultural therapy at Plants and Minds’ nurseries in Dorset, with up to 80 people tending plants at Cherry Tree Nursery and almost 50 people at Chestnut Nursery on any typical week.
The charity’s horticultural therapy programme has a proven track record of transforming the mental health and wellbeing of its service users, who are known as team members.
Manager of Chestnut Nursery, Andy Verreck, said: “While there is no scientific evidence to prove that 19 January will be the most depressing day of the year, Blue Monday serves as a reminder to check on the needs of those around us, who might be struggling with low mood, social isolation or experiencing mental health challenges during these cold, dark winter days.
“At Plants and Minds, we believe that Blue Monday should be used to open-up conversations about mental health – and banish stigma about reaching out for help. We consistently witness first-hand how working with plants in the fresh air can empower people to take a more positive outlook on life, paving the way to a better future. No matter how tough life might feel right now, it’s never too late to ask for support,” Andy added.
Team members with a mental health diagnosis are referred to Plants and Minds’ nurseries by local services including GPs, Access Wellbeing Hubs and Community Mental Health Teams. Social prescribing of horticultural therapy at the nurseries takes pressure off local NHS mental health services – and helps to prevent team members from rebounding into specialist mental health hospitals.
Underlying causes of mental health breakdown, experienced by some team members, can include eviction, homelessness, financial crisis, substance misuse, alcohol addiction, family breakdown and domestic abuse.
Team members, welcomed into an inclusive community, are supported to develop skills and coping mechanisms, make new friends and resolve barriers holding them back in life – with specialist support provided on-site by an expert from Citizens Advice BCP.
This Blue Monday, the experts from Plants and Minds have shared their five top tips on gardening for better mental health – all designed to improve wellbeing.
Five ways to garden for better mental health
1 Travel back in time
Growing plants that remind us of childhood can rekindle fond memories of long, hot summers during simpler times, bringing smiles to faces. We’re talking classic cottage garden plants that formed the mainstay of our parents’ and grandparents’ prized borders: think roses, hollyhocks, clematis, foxgloves, dahlias, snapdragons, sweet peas and colourful summer bedding plants.
2 Grow scent-sational plants
Fragrance, from both flowers and foliage, can provide a calming and uplifting boost to our senses. Aromatic foliage of lavender, rosemary and mint are sure-fire winners, while highly perfumed lilies fill the air with fragrance on a summer’s day. Even in the depths of winter, intoxicating blooms of witch hazel or sarcococca can work wonders at lifting spirits.
3 Grow your own food
Nothing is more mentally and physically rewarding than growing your own food, and you don’t need a garden to succeed with healthy, organic produce. A few seed potatoes in a container will yield a delicious crop of spuds, while strawberries thrive in hanging baskets (and they’re out of reach of slugs!). A tomato plant in a pot will bear dozens of sweet, delicious fruits, while tasty carrots are a doddle to grow in window boxes. Nurturing a seed from plot to plate turns food miles into footsteps, improving our diets in the process.
4 Experience the magic of nature
Marvelling at nature in gardens works wonders at lowering stress levels. Put out high-energy snacks in winter and you’ll be rewarded by an abundance of feathered friends visiting gardens. Fat balls, sunflower hearts, suet feeders and mealworms will bring wild birds flocking to feeders when harsh winter weather bites. Don’t forget to regularly top up bird baths with fresh drinking water – and break the ice if they freeze over.
5 Savour the turning seasons
Gardening in the fresh air provides a welcome break from doom scrolling on smartphones, boosting wellbeing. Being up early to hear the dawn chorus provides an incentive to get out of bed and start the day in a positive frame of mind – while pottering until dusk on a summer’s evening is one of the great joys of gardening. Take time to appreciate the scents of the seasons, from freshly cut grass to the distinctive smell of rain falling on parched ground after summer drought, and the smoky waft of crackling bonfires in autumn.
About Plants and Minds
Plants and Minds is an innovative charity that supports adults with life-impacting mental health conditions via its highly successful therapeutic horticulture programme. The sale of plants nurtured by team members at Cherry Tree Nursery in Bournemouth and Chestnut Nursery in Poole provide vital income for the charity, ensuring it can continue to support at-risk adults in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas. Visit www.plantsandminds.org.uk to find out more.
Source Marc Rosenberg, Chestnut Nursery
