The Well-Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith

The Well-Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith

This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is The Restorative Power of Nature.

Before this book came out in 2020, I don't think Sue had any idea just how timely this book was going to be.

I remember when Sue's book was finally released, I heard an interview with her and also an urban gardener in California. The two of them together talked about the importance of gardening and for so many people who were really suffering at home during the pandemic, gardening became a way of coping - along with pets. A lot of people got pets during the pandemic. This is why it was so hard to adopt a pet on Petfinder - or source plants and seeds. In fact, we're still struggling with the repercussions of that particular year because growers not only sold their plant inventory for  2020, they often borrowed against some of the plant material that they were saving for 2021.

Of course, many of us know the healing power of gardens. But what I loved about Sue Stewart Smith is her unique take on all of this. Sue approaches gardens from her area of expertise, which is psychology. And it’s helpful that Sue is also a passionate gardener herself.

Now I love this aspect of gardening - their power to heal and help us - and I could do a deep dive on this all day. I love talking about it. I love reading about it. What I really like about Sue's book is that she offers endless examples of the power of gardening and its impact on our brains, on our thinking, on our ability to be happier, to continue to process and learn and grow, etc. It's so, so powerful.

Now it's been over a year since this book has been out. So if you're looking for used copies, there are definitely some available on Amazon.

This book is 352 pages of garden power - the power to heal, restore, and save us.

You can get a copy of The Well-Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith  and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $10