Get ready for college... by doing some gardening

It's been a difficult time for all of us, but we're starting to see a few green shoots of recovery. We've still got a fair way to go, but it's encouraging to see some things returning to the way they were.

We're pleased to be back to college, but understand this might be an anxious time for some. That's why we're focusing on wellbeing and making sure that the return to college goes as smoothly as it can.

You may have already seen our tips for starting college and our chocolate meditation technique, well now you can add gardening to your wellbeing toolkit.

During lockdown, people with gardens were able to utilise their outdoor space to get some fresh air and keep active. Even those who didn't have gardens were able to use the process of planting and growing as a way to clear their minds and improve their wellbeing.

So, let's give it a go.

Plants and flowers are lovely to look at and brighten up any home or garden, but they also possess other benefits. Thanks to their air filtering qualities, they can help to reduce colds, sore throats, and headaches. Being surrounded by plants while you're working can also help you to stay motivated throughout the day, increasing your productivity, and improving your concentration.

Lavender, for example, not only looks and smells beautiful, it's also packed with loads of health benefits. Research suggests that Lavender is a great natural remedy for treating insomnia and anxiety.

Being productive, staying motivated, and getting a good night's sleep contributes to your overall happiness. So as we edge towards autumn, this could be the ideal time to start your own little horticultural habitat indoors - and we have just the thing to help you.

You can assemble your own plant pot using our cuboctahedron template. Open the page, download the template, print it off and follow the instructions to make your pot. If one pot isn't enough, print off some more.

The great thing is, you can plant whatever you like. Pretty flowers, Lavender, or the seeds from your fruit and veg!

As well as improving mental and physical health, gardening is also good for the planet. Earlier this year, we joined a project to plant 6,000 hardwood trees, helping us to offset our carbon emissions. Over the next 20 years, these trees will be able to capture 60,000 tonnes of carbon!

That's not all. More recently, we started to use Ecosia for our internet searches. For every search we make, Ecosia uses its profits to plant trees. Help to make a difference by adding Ecosia to your web browser.

Let us know if you find gardening as relaxing as we do. Why not take a pic of your plants and use #ESCgrow to join our gardening world.