Kathy Slack was once a high-flying advertising executive leading a glamorous jet-setting life. But by her mid-30s, she found herself overwhelmed by burnout, anxiety, and depression. Seeking balance, she and her husband moved from London to the tranquil Cotswolds—but soon discovered that a longer commute only worsened her stress.
Unable to continue working, Kathy retreated from everyday life, spending long days in bed. It was her mother’s gentle encouragement that eventually coaxed her outside to sit among an unruly vegetable patch—“if Miss Havisham had a vegetable garden, that’s what it looked like,” she recalls. Watching worms, bugs, and weeds sparked a subtle sense of calm but no immediate breakthrough.
Soon, her mother handed her some seeds to scatter, and weeks later small radishes and lettuces began to grow. “Watching a seed transform from nothing into food rekindled my interest in cooking and sparked something new in me,” Kathy reflects. This humble beginning evolved into a life-changing passion for gardening.
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Kathy later chronicled her journey from depression to renewal in her book Rough Patch, sharing how growing vegetables helped her reclaim her identity and wellbeing. She left advertising to become a fruit picker at an organic farm, then moved on to cooking, teaching, and writing—careers aligned with her rediscovered values.
Now 47, she spends every free moment in her garden, caring for 20 metres of raised beds, an allotment, and even plots lent by local hobby farmers. For her, spring symbolizes a fresh start—the true New Year.
She offers five simple spring gardening tasks that anyone can try to boost wellbeing:
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Sow Seeds: Start with fast-growing crops like radishes and peas in window boxes or pots. Radishes provide near-instant gratification, while peas can be harvested multiple times as shoots or pods.
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Get Your Hands Dirty: Embrace the magic of compost! Turning and spreading nutrient-rich compost nourishes plants and helps release serotonin—the brain’s “happy hormone”—through exposure to beneficial soil bacteria.
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Plan Your Growing Year: Browse physical seed catalogues to dream and plan your garden. This hands-on activity fuels hope and excitement for the coming months.
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Get Physical: Gardening offers gentle exercise that boosts endorphins. Whether wheelbarrowing compost or simply weeding, moving outdoors supports mental and physical health.
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Grow Herbs on Your Windowsill: Even without a garden, growing herbs like basil adds fresh flavor and a sense of accomplishment to everyday meals.
For Kathy Slack, gardening was far more than a hobby—it was the lifeline that helped her rediscover purpose, creativity, and calm. Her story highlights how reconnecting with nature and nurturing life can restore wellbeing, even in the darkest times.