The Gay UK December 2015 | Page 118

THE
PLOT
As well as all the Christmas
fun in December, the festive
period can also bring its own
unique set of stresses and
strains. Financial woes and
trying to please all your
friends and relatives
(especially if you’re in a
couple) can become
exhausting and play on your
mind throughout the holidays.
Gardening is one of the best
stress busters there is. Fresh
air, sunlight and taking time
away from the things that are
bothering you, will inevitably
make you feel better. Many
mental health organisations
use gardening as a tool when
promoting happiness and
wellbeing.
We’ve recently opened a shop
and have placed our entire
future in the business. This
has created a new level of
stress for us that we’ve never
experienced before. It’s taken
a while to figure out how to
manage the pressure but
there’s nothing better than
getting outside on our rare
days off. We’re writing this
having just come in from a
day outside planting winter
veg and salads and planting

bulbs for early spring colour.
Just getting out and focusing
on enjoying the garden has
given us a real sense of calm
and has allowed us some time
to un-jumble our brains.
So during the Christmas
madness try to make some
time to get outside. There’s
not a lot to do at this time of
year so take your time and get
prepared for the coming
spring.
Service all your gadgets and
electrical tools. This can be
done in the comfort of the
shed or on the kitchen table!
Protect all of your containers
and pots, as they can be
vulnerable at this time of year.
Raise up out of puddles, wrap
to keep off frost or if they are
particularly delicate bring
inside or under shelter – but
don’t forget to water once
they’re out of the rain.
Now’s the time to prune your
apple and pear trees. Pruning
is easier with less leaves on
the tree. Your aim is to reduce
branch congestion in order to
promote a better crop next
year. If in doubt about
pruning there are lots of
handy video guides online.

118 THEGAYUK | ISSUE 17 | DEC 2015

© AndyAndAdams

December in the garden.