This may not be a perfect garden. But it’s my garden and that’s all that matters.

There is not enough time to describe all the positive studies for spending time in nature.  I’d rather be outside.

But we all know how good we feel when we step into the outdoors – if the weather is reasonable.

I don’t have a green thumb. Right now, I have no house plants as I can’t seem to keep them alive. So, for me, this garden is good enough. It provides me all the fresh herbs I want for my meals.

And it looks like I’m getting some tomatoes, too – always an iffy proposition in my garden.

I planted everything in pots – much easier.

But this does not matter, as whatever my garden may be, it gets me outside. And this provides numerous benefits:

• Being outdoors improves energy, makes it seem easier to exercise, improves focus and increases creativity
• Sunlight can improve vision – think of it as countering all the time spent inside, in front of a computer.
• The smell of fresh plants can make us feel calm and relaxed
• The immune system gets a boost from breathing in phytoncides. These are airborne chemicals produced by plants that can help increase white blood cells and help us fight infections. I now have a new appreciated for the smell of lawn clippings. Not mine, of course, since I seldom cut my lawn. 
• We get our best source of Vitamin D from the sun
• And being outside helps us be exposed to more diverse strains of bacteria which is good for helping our own bacteria be stronger

So, it may be too late to plant your own garden now but you can still find ways to go outside.

1. Plan regular walks – even if they are short
2. Take a break from your work and go sit outside in your back yard or on the front porch.
3. If you live in a condo or apartment, go to the nearest park and spend some time just sitting and relaxing.
4. And, you can always bring the outdoors inside, and get some plants. Yes, I know – I don’t have any but they’re on my list.

This may all seem logical and maybe you already do this. Great. But please take some time to appreciate all the nature has to offer. And know that you are doing one of the best things you can do for yourself.

When it’s a beautiful day, and the wind is gently blowing, the site of the all greenery can’t help but make you feel the world is not such a bad place.

Editor’s Note: With my new knowledge of all this wonderfulness outdoors, I went outside this afternoon to sit in the sun and breathe in all the greenery. As the sun decided at that moment to disappear behind a whack of clouds, I relaxed and took a deep breath of the smell of my neighbor’s dog poop. I wonder if there’s any benefit to that smell because I get to smell it frequently.