How gardening helped me thrive with ADHD
For Anya Lautenbach, gardening isn’t just a pastime – it’s a place to belong and to focus
When Anya was diagnosed with ADHD in her 40s, it was a moment of clarity – one that explained a lifetime of feeling different.
“I always knew I wasn’t quite like everyone else,” she says. “At school I was disruptive, I didn’t follow rules. I always felt like the odd one out.”
Like many people with ADHD and traits of autism, Anya spent years masking her differences and blaming herself for things she couldn’t control. But it wasn’t until she had children – one of whom also has ADHD and dyslexia – that she saw her own childhood mirrored back at her.
“I realised the things my son was struggling with were the same things I’d struggled with. That’s when I started to look deeper.”
What she discovered was not just a diagnosis – but a path to peace. And it started in the garden.
Belonging among the plants
Gardening offered Anya something she had never found in society: acceptance
Anya believes this feeling is especially powerful for people who are neurodivergent. “We often feel like we don’t fit in. But the garden doesn’t judge. You can create your own world there.”
The daily dopamine boost of growing plants
“The garden gives me that constant dopamine hit I need – but in a positive way,” Anya says. “Whether it’s sowing seeds, watching roots form or harvesting a flower, every little success brings a burst of joy.”
A place to slow down
Anya says when she’s sowing seeds or propagating cuttings, she feels like she’s been to a spa
But in the garden, that chaos quiets. “It’s the only place where my mind goes still. When I’m sowing seeds or propagating cuttings, it’s like I’ve been to a spa. Honestly, I come back refreshed.”
Growing confidence through curiosity
As someone who’s not formally trained in horticulture, Anya believes her neurodivergence has helped her become a better gardener.
“I break the rules,” she laughs. “I experiment constantly. If it doesn’t work, I try something else. I mean – it’s not heart surgery! You can learn so much by just being brave in the garden.”
She also experiences ‘hyperfocus’ – a common trait among people with ADHD – where intense interest drives deep learning. “If I want to understand a plant, I’ll read everything I can. I’ll trial it in different conditions. I’ll take it apart and put it back together again in my mind.”
That passion led her to write books, run gardening clubs for children, and speak openly about the intersection of gardening and mental health.
Gardening with neurodivergent children
Anya suggests giving neurodivergent children a pot of mint to get them into gardening
“I’ve never seen a child more excited than when digging up potatoes in a grow bag. It’s like treasure hunting. And you don’t need fancy tools – just soil and curiosity.”
She encourages parents to start small. “People with ADHD can get overwhelmed easily. Don’t give them a whole border to plan. Give them a pot of mint. It grows fast, smells amazing and feels like a win.”
Cultivating a lifelong love of nature
Anya believes that early experiences with nature can act as a long-term anchor
“My son was four days old when we placed a seed in the greenhouse together. He’s grown up surrounded by beauty, wildlife and hands in the soil. And even now, I hear him say things like, “Look at that view,” or “That flower’s amazing.” That awareness – it stays with you.”
She believes these early experiences with nature can act as a long-term anchor. “Even if they walk away for a while, they’ll come back to it. Gardening becomes part of who you are.”
Home is where your plants grow
Perhaps the most powerful thing gardening has given Anya is a sense of home.
“My mum once said, ‘Your home is where your plants grow.’ And it’s true. I may have moved countries, but when I’m in my garden, I belong.”
