In her contemplative book, The Gifts of Winter, Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald, a clinical psychologist and award-winning author recalls how a season she once feared became a source of quiet solace. “It may seem surprising that I now love winter,” she writes, reflecting on a transformation she never expected. Gardening, she explains, offered a way back; a reason to step outside rather than watch the world through a fogged-up window, waiting for the cold months to pass.
Back home in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, 35-year-old Priti Chaudhary finds similar solace in her terrace and ground-floor garden. “On long winter days, tending to my plants brings warmth and purpose,” she says. “After fast-paced workdays full of deadlines and problem-solving, stepping into the garden slows down my mind and helps me relax naturally.” Chaudhary says she feels a distinct burst of happiness simply while plucking strawberries, guavas, or pomegranates — small, bright victories that can transform even the dullest winter morning.
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Dr Sonali Chaturvedi, consultant psychologist at Arete Hospitals, Hyderabad, explains, “Winter ushers in shorter days, diminished sunlight, and prolonged darkness, and with it, a cascade of biological shifts that can influence our emotional well-being. Sunlight plays a direct role in the production of serotonin, the neurotransmitter often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone. Limited exposure can reduce serotonin levels, contributing to feelings of low mood, anxiety, and, in some cases, depression.”
Darkness, on the other hand, is closely tied to melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. When melatonin levels rise earlier in the day during winter, many people experience fatigue, sluggishness, and an unusually early sense of sleepiness, often as soon as dusk settles around 6 or 7pm. That dip in energy can translate into diminished motivation, reduced activity, and a sense of emotional heaviness.
There is also a behavioral dimension. With colder temperatures and fewer daylight hours, people tend to stay indoors more often, cutting back on social interaction — a critical component of emotional wellness. For those accustomed to an active social rhythm, that sudden stillness can amplify feelings of isolation and low mood.
WHY GARDENING LIFTS THE WINTER MIND
“Seeing fresh spinach, bathua, tiny cabbage heads or a healthy cauliflower forming brings a quiet sense of joy. In the middle of cold days, these small signs of growth make me feel grounded, calm, and connected to something positive. Noticing a new methi sprout, for instance, can change the tone of my whole day,” Choudhary shares.
Winter gardening engages the sensory system differently than summer gardening. As per Dr Chaturvedi, three inputs stand out in this season: tactile contact with soil, bright or blue-enriched light, and low-level scent cues, with each working through a different neural route.
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“Tactile contact with soil is especially potent. The simple act of handling earth or tending to plants delivers steady sensory feedback: there’s pressure on the palms, slight shifts in temperature, and the faint tremor of movement. That input calms the autonomic nervous system by engaging slow proprioceptive and interoceptive pathways. Put plainly, it helps the body register itself and ease out of a fight-or-flight stance. Many patients report that the physicality of potting or pruning offers an immediate steadiness that scrolling a phone never can,” she says.
Light exposure is the other heavyweight. Even brief, intentional exposure to bright, broad-spectrum (or blue-enriched) light helps stabilize circadian rhythms and boosts alertness via retinal pathways to the hypothalamus and brainstem. In winter, purposely placing pots near a bright window or using a daytime grow light for short periods helps anchor the body clock and improves daytime energy.
Dr Chaturvedi adds, “Olfactory signals such as the earthy, slightly sweet scent of damp soil (geosmin) or the faint aroma of herbs activate limbic regions tied to memory and emotion. These smells are subtle in winter, but they still have an outsized psychological effect: they cue safety, familiarity, and the reward circuits that release small bursts of dopamine.” In short, soil under your nails, a patch of steady bright light and a faint plant scent is a potent triad for calming anxiety and lifting mood.
Dr Richa Trivedi, consultant psychiatrist at Silverstreak Multispeciality Hospital, Gurugram, adds, “Research on soil microbes and mental health is growing, and early findings are promising. Certain microbes, such as Mycobacterium vaccae, have been shown to boost serotonin activity and ease depressive symptoms in lab studies and horticulture experiments.”
Winter gardening fits naturally within eco-therapy approaches, which use nature-based activities to support emotional well-being. Chaturvedi recommends horticulture and plant-based sensory therapy both informally and through structured programs. “In one-to-one sessions, I prescribe small, manageable tasks like planting herbs, adopting a short morning watering ritual, or tending a terrarium a few times each week. In group settings, we’ve used brief horticultural modules for people with mild depression or anxiety, and for older adults experiencing cognitive decline,” she says.
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If you’re feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, starting with a simple, low maintenance plant like a pothos cutting in water, a small succulent or growing microgreens is all you need. These take little work but give you regular visual rewards, says Dr Rahul Chandhok, senior consultant & head psychiatry, Artemis Lite NFC, Delhi. “Even misting leaves or filling up a glass jar again can make you stop and think about what you’re doing. This small thing is important because it breaks the cycle of emotional stagnation. It adds structure, responsibility and sensory stimulation all of which help the brain in a gentle way during the winter.” A small plant becomes a symbol of growth that can be managed, reminding the person that healing doesn’t have to happen in big steps. Even small and steady care can change a person’s mood over time.
S Chellaiah, a horticulturist and director of horticulture with the New Delhi Municipal Council, notes that winter gardening supports not only emotional well-being but physical health, particularly for older adults. “For senior citizens, gardening is extremely important. The simple acts of watering, plucking, or seeding encourage gentle joint movement. Even light activity can be rejuvenating in winter, especially when pollution prevents people from stepping outdoors,” he says.
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Our senses are the gateway to a richer gardening experience. Here’s how to fully immerse yourself as per Dr Trivedi and S. Chellaiah:
Sight: Noticing small, daily changes such as a new leaf, a shift in colour or an insect’s arrival slows racing thoughts and anchors attention. Tracking these details functions like a visual check-in, redirecting focus from internal noise to external cues.
Sound: Natural sound patterns help regulate the nervous system. Bird calls at consistent intervals, the faint rasp of dry leaves, or the steady fall of water onto soil create predictable rhythms that counter mental clutter.
Touch: Contact with soil and plant textures provides grounding. The pressure of soil in the hand, the firmness or give of a leaf, even the temperature contrast between morning and afternoon act as tactile cues that steady the body and reduce physiological arousal.
Smell: Scent offers quick calm. The earthy smell of damp soil, the resinous snap of marigold, or the mild herbal note from crushed leaves engages the olfactory system, which is closely tied to mood regulation and memory.
Taste: For those growing edibles, tasting a leaf or herb at different stages of growth reinforces presence. Bright mint on a cool morning or peppery nasturtium later in the day becomes a simple, sensory marker, a moment that interrupts spiraling thoughts and draws attention back to the present.
Tanisha Saxena is a Delhi-based independent journalist. She writes stories that are on the intersection of art, culture and lifestyle.
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