Yesterday I talked a little about the emotional reaction one gets from gardening, then I got lazy, threw in a poem from Wordsworth, and called it a day. Today I'm going to talk a little more, this time with the help of surveys and studies.

The first, a Mind Week study by Mind.Org, says that:

Listening to music was the single most therapeutic activity cited by people, with over a third (39%) of people saying they found music beneficial for mental health. 25% said gardening was beneficial, 24% said writing, and 7% said walking.

So if you garden, while listening to music, then write about it, you'll be in pretty good shape, mentally. (And I can use all the help I can get).

I've also read that about a technique called "Color Therapy", the idea being that your color choices are an indication of your mood. This is also a two-way street, so the colors around can also influence your mood.

The idea being that your garden is just a big mood ring, telling us how you felt when you were at the Garden Center.

Here are the color, and their meanings:

• Red: Raises your body temperature and blood pressure. Increases your appetite. Gives you vigor.
  
• Pink: Makes you younger and happy.
  
• Orange: Increases your appetite. Refreshes you mentally.
  
• Yellow: Cheers you up. Makes you ambitious.
  
• Green: Relieves tired eyes. Sedation.
  
• Blue: Decreases blood pressure and heart beat. Controls the appetite if you are on a diet. Helps you go to sleep.
  
• Purple: Sedation. Helps natural recovery.
  
• White: Makes your mind stable.

(Thanks to Dr Mique for the chart!)

I'm not sure I buy completely into color therapy. Pink, for instance doesn't make me feel young. Anytime I like something that's pink it just makes me feel girly. Not necessarily a good thing for a guy. As for white making one's mind stable? Please, my whole house is painted white, and neither myself, nor my wife, can be called "stable". (Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetie!)

But gardening definitely does the trick. I just need to do it more! Maybe today I'll go out and finally prune my fruit trees?

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