Build an oasis of calm

T’S been clear for years that gardens have become an outdoor room where we can relax with our families and entertain our friends, but a new report reveals they’re even more important for combatting stress.

- By Deborah Stone

The Wickes Great Garden Report asked 2,000 homeowners about their gardens and one in five said they had saved them from anxiety meltdowns or even breakdowns.

What’s more, most of those surveyed were happy to spend money improving their gardens, from £1,000 to £3,000 for one in four people and up to £5,000 for one in five.