Rob's story

The garden for Rob is an escape, an opportunity to switch off and a source of great joy. He shares his story.

By Rob Thompson

I've loved the idea of gardening ever since I was little. My mum and grandad were both keen gardeners, so it was always around me, but it wasn’t until two years ago that I really got to dive in myself. We moved to a house with a decent garden — and more excitingly, I took on an allotment. Up until then, I’d only managed a few pots on a windowsill or small shady patio, but now I’ve got the space and freedom to really get growing.

At home, the garden is long and narrow, split into four "rooms": a patio with pots and a children’s playhouse, a classic lawn-and-flowerbed setup, a woodland garden under a centuries-old oak tree, and a productive vegetable garden with three raised beds and a greenhouse.

Inside Rob's greenhouse

The allotment, just a short walk away, is where the magic really happens. There are 18 beds and a polytunnel — it’s a full-on growing space. Even our toddler has his own little bed to plant what he fancies. It’s organised chaos and wonderful in equal measure.

The magic of the new growing season

What do I enjoy most in the garden? There’s a day in late spring when you enter the garden and suddenly notice the plants have taken off. That moment is pure magic. It’s like one day you’re still waiting, still weeding, still watching closely… and then BAM! Everything’s growing with intent. Leaves are bigger, beds are fuller, and suddenly you’re brushing against plants just walking the paths.

There’s a day in late spring when you enter the garden and suddenly notice the plants have taken off. That moment is pure magic.
Rob

It’s such a rush — that quiet signal that the season’s properly arrived. And it’s so satisfying when you know you built it — that all that compost turning, seed sowing, bed prep, and planning rotations… that’s what brought on the jungle.

The many benefits of gardening

I usually garden alone —podcast on — and it becomes a real escape. With a young family and a mentally challenging job, it’s one of the only times I get to completely switch off. That said, a natter with someone while pottering about is always welcome too.

I’ve always been quite sensitive to low light levels, and spending time outdoors — even on grey days — really lifts my mood.
Rob

For me, gardening has been a huge benefit to both my physical and mental health. Since I was a child, I’ve suffered from anxiety, panic attacks and depression, something I am slowly learning to live with, and how to help myself.

I’ve always been quite sensitive to low light levels, and spending time outdoors — even on grey days — really lifts my mood. It helps me stay grounded, especially when life starts to feel overwhelming. And the amazing thing is that while the successes — a basket of strawberries, a perfectly grown cauliflower, or a vase of homegrown flowers — bring real joy, the failures don’t hit so hard. It’s just part of the rhythm of the garden.

Cut flowers from the allotment in a vase

Gardening for men's health

From what I’ve seen, men’s involvement in gardening really varies. I know some who love being outside and getting their hands dirty, and once they get into it, it clicks — they find peace, satisfaction, and even pride in growing something. But I also know many men who don’t talk about it much, even if they dabble.

I think if more people saw gardening as a valid way to switch off, get exercise, and make something real, they’d get hooked. There’s something special about doing something for the joy of it, not just because it “should” be done.

The simple satisfaction of composting

If I could offer one tip for gardening, it’s this: make your own compost. It saves you time and money, helps reduce waste, and there's something deeply rewarding about seeing your own garden feed itself. There’s something oddly satisfying about turning waste into rich, crumbly compost that feeds the next generation of plants. It’s such a simple cycle, but it feels like magic. Watching seedlings push up through the soil, preparing them for planting out — it is all hope and potential. Its work to get there but hugely rewarding to the mind, and the wallet!

Watching seedlings push up through the soil, preparing them for planting out — it is all hope and potential.
Rob

Right now, everything’s gearing up — the seedlings are coming on, the early potatoes are just poking through the soil, and soon it’ll be time to plant out. My next big project is installing a solar-powered irrigation system in the polytunnel. That should mean fewer wet, muddy watering trips when the weather turns — and more time for actually being in the garden, and with my family.