In this monthly series, the fantastic folk at health charity Thrive offer some lovely project ideas to help you find excuses to enjoy the nurturing potential of your garden and the natural world at large

Editor Kim Stoddart shares some ideas for great no-cost gifts from the garden`

Andrew Oldham explains how fostering a spirit of togetherness can help to banish the winter blues

Create unique, festive décor using greenery and odds and ends from your own garden

Ross Pearson extols the happiness that comes from learning and embracing traditional skills

Designing in the depths of winter captivates me. I almost prefer the sparsity and lack of choice to the huge overwhelm of summer. For this striking yet surprisingly simple natural staircase design, yo