Garden Therapy
Grace Alexander
I am a psychologist, writer, sweet pea obsessive and gardener based in Somerset. My work explores the psychological importance of seasonal changes in the garden, and the quiet rituals of growing.
Essay
Dyeing with Nettles: The Alchemy of Green
The highs and lows of creating colour from plants.
Essay
A paradoxical appreciation of the ordinary
Life lessons, and a garden through the eyes of the extraordinary Mary Keen
Essay
Garden Therapy: Prospect and Refuge
Why does your favourite space feel just right for you? I might just have the answer for why the secret to a garden feeling perfect is in your mind.
Essay
Is Gardening Just Outdoor Housework?
Ever felt a little bit overwhelmed by your gardening tasks? Or ever spent longer looking for your secateurs than pruning? Let's talk.
Essay
The Floral Revolution: The Unexpected Battleground
I became a gardener because I adore flowers. But when my week comes round to share my flowers with the village, I find some unexpected barriers. Can I persuade those wedded to tradition of floral foam of a new way?
Essay
Garden Therapy, or The Psychology of Gardening
Lift the lid on the highs and the lows of the unique relationship between gardeners and their gardens.
Essay
Put Not Your Trust in Quinces: A Month in the Garden
Welcome to the journal of Grace Alexander. In this exclusive Scribehound series, you’ll be joining me as I document each month of life in my flower field in Somerset. There will be stories, flowers, seeds, and dogs. We're starting with May.
Essay
Snowdrops, Seeds, and Signs of Hope This January
Experience the gentle magic of January at Malus Farm. Winter’s quiet moments and first signs of life inspire hope that we have turned the corner.
Essay
Wasps in the Greengages. Bay Leaves in the Plums
Wellingtons full of lime leaves, dragonflies in the dusk, and a kitchen overrun with plums and purple beans. This is the week where the seasons shift and we all collapse into an August torpor and trays of squash.
Essay
No Thank You, I'm Organic
Join me on my journey from a green love affair, to plant addiction, to organic recovery. The lessons I've learned along the way and why cherishing each and every plant could be the greatest gift for your garden this Christmas.
Essay
Who Says Boundaries are a Good Thing?
Forget rigid boundaries between indoors and out. As autumn deepens, bring nature inside with preserved beech branches, paperwhite bulbs nestled in glass, and wild clematis wreaths. It's about softening edges and celebrating the season's golden beauty