Stressed? Maybe You Should Take Up ‘Rage Gardening’

Give your anger an outlet. Just about every proponent of rage gardening says the best place to start is with aggressively tearing out all of those annoying weeds and dead plants in your garden. From there, grab your shears and prune anything that’s overgrown.

“As my wheelbarrow started filling up with weeds, branches and dead bits of perennials, I slowly started to feel a little better,” wrote Jennifer Nelson, who has a Ph.D. in horticulture and is the founder of gardening website Grounded and Growing. “I spend a lot of time keeping an eye on small people, perpetually starting and stopping my own projects. So finally taking care of a bunch of things that just made my shoulders slump and my mind think ‘Oh crap’ every time I saw it was an enormous relief.”

With the white-hot rage cooled a bit, you can move onto practicing mindfulness. Lean into repetitive tasks, like watering plants or planting seeds, and as you do so, focus on what you’re experiencing through each of your senses. “Notice the earth, feel the soil, smell the air and take a long slow deep breath. Connect with the world around you,” Suze Yalof Schwartz, Unplug Meditation founder, shared with the New York Times.

Let’s be real: Tending to a garden can be tedious. Whether you’re looking to start a garden or expand one, it’s important to create a space where you genuinely look forward to the end result—not only will you feel more accomplished as things grow, but it’ll keep you feeling encouraged if, say, those tulips never quite emerge from the ground. (Rage gardening shouldn’t be enraging, after all.)

Would you dream of cooking with fresh herbs you’ve grown yourself? Try a victory garden. Do you love fresh flowers on your counter? A cutting garden is your best bet. Are you into birdwatching? Consider planting pollinators to attract hummingbirds. (Though, before you commit to anything, it’s worth knowing your USDA hardiness zone, so you’re aware of what will thrive in your area.)

The past year has been isolating, which can also cause a dip in your mood. And, given all of the research about how socializing can make you feel happier, it might be worthwhile to add an element to your garden that inspires you to stop and connect with others. Maybe it’s a bench, or a fairy garden that others can contribute to, or a bistro table and chairs to encourage a coffee break with a friend or neighbor. Sure, it’s not gardening per se, but it’s a way to enjoy your garden more—and maybe strengthen a relationship or two in the process. (And at the very least, it’s something you can’t kill, should your track record with plants be, well, less than stellar.)