Story | Posted Jun, 24, 2024

Just In: Flowers Make Us Feel Good. Science Says So!

Have you ever walked by a neighbour’s colourful flowerpots and suddenly felt a bit happier? Or gotten a sense of joy just from smelling the blooming lilacs?

Chances are you aren’t alone, since flowers are known to stimulate happiness chemicals in the brain. Here’s how, according to Psychology Today: your brain’s dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin levels can be raised by receiving flowers or simply seeing them in your backyard. Dopamine is triggered by the expectation of a reward, which flowers signaled to our hunter-gatherer ancestors. For them, the spring arrival of colourful flowers marked a season of abundance and valuable nutrition.

Research has also shown that the release of feel-good chemical serotonin is triggered by someone increasing their social importance. Whether you’re looking at them, buying them, or growing them, flowers can make you feel important and stimulate a sense of pride. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, flowers can stimulate social trust between us! The chemical oxytocin is also referred to as the bonding hormone and is associated with feelings of group solidarity. By communicating the intention to put effort into relationships, flowers can help us to convey a sense of respect towards each other. Now that you know how flowers can spark joy, here are a few tips to keep your garden looking fresh all summer long:

1. Spread mulch Spreading a layer of mulch over your soil is important for shading the soil from the sun and keeping it cool. This slows moisture loss from evaporation and eases stress from plant roots on hot days. As it decomposes later into the season, the mulch will also add nutrients to your soil.

2. Remove faded flowers Called deadheading, the process of removing flowers that have already bloomed is important for maintaining the overall health of the plant. Deadheading prevents plants from producing seeds, which means they can focus their energy on producing more blossoms over the course of the summer.

3. Add variety with summer annuals In the height of summer heat, many spring-blooming annuals will fade. To keep your garden looking fresh and colourful, replace spent plants with heat-loving types that grow quickly in warmer temperatures. Zinnia, salvia and sweet potato vine are a few options that fit the bill.