MORE and more research is pointing to the benefits of gardening for mental health.
Which comes as absolutely no surprise at all to legendary DJ Jo Whiley.
She’s joined forces with for his first ever Show Garden at – along with 25,000 listeners.
Kicking off on Monday, the‘The RHS and Radio 2 Dog Garden’isn’t the average outside space usually seen at the swanky show – where tickets regularly change hands for £137 a head.
Instead it’s a celebration of
There’s anormal for the canines to roll on, a dog house with a battered old sofa, a stream for ‘wallowing’ – and it’s filled with daisies, dandelions and clover.
Plus there will be a TV screen showing all the Radio 2 listeners’ dog photos that they sent in to Jo’s evening radio show – after around 25,000 submitted pictures.
Speaking exclusively to , Jo said: “My garden makes me happy when I’m sad, it gives me something to do when I’m really and angry.
“And it brings me a lot of joy when I’m with my dogs in the garden.
“When my boss told me that Radio 2 were doing a garden at Chelsea with – and they wanted me to be involved, I nearly fell off my chair.
“It’s been so exciting to work alongside garden designer Jamie Butterworth as well – he’s got such a great reputation, deservedly so.
“They’re the dream team, they really are, Monty and Jamie.
“I went to Chelsea last week and saw the trees actually going in, and saw the dog house that had been built.
“And then last night, they sent me some photographs with all the plants in, and it’s mind-blowing. Honestly, the colour scheme, the tones, it’s so beautiful.”;;
The mum-of-four, 59, added: “Growing up, my mum and my granddad were both into gardening, and then throughout my life I’ve been really heavily invested in every garden that I’ve had.
“I used to go to open gardens as my source of inspiration. I’d see what people were doing there, and I’d take photographs, and then I’d go and buy those plants and put them in my garden.
“But now there’s these amazing, inspiring gardeners on Instagram, and you can learn so much.
“I think this is a really brilliant time to be able to get into gardening.”;;
Jo added: “My garden is probably more cottage than anything. So it’s quite big and blousy, and I’ve got very deep borders, so obviously I’m just constantly throwing plants and money at it all the time.
“ are undoubtedly the most spectacular, beautiful things.
“But then I also really like the humble geranium, because they will give you so much colour for so much of the summer, and there are so many different varieties. I think they’re fantastic, absolutely fantastic”;;
You can currently get Geranium for just £3.99 from Gardening Express.
She added: “Penstemon are also really good because they last forever.
“But I’m also developing a Woodland area and I’m so enjoying that. I’mbeginning to appreciate the different leaves and textures and the colors, like ferns and hellebores.
“Chelsea, I suppose, is the of the horticultural world, isn’t it? It’s the main event, where everyone really gets to show off all their talent and innovations. .
“It just feels like this amazing ceremony – a real celebration of gardening.”;;
Jo, Monty and Jamie will be on The Scott Mills Breakfast Show which is broadcasting live from RHS Chelsea Flower Show on Monday 19thMay from 6.30-9.30am.
