Brian May: Gardening has helped me to beat depression
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Brian May thinks gardening has helped him to beat depression.
The 73-year-old star has been busily gardening amid his recovery from the heart attack and stomach haemorrhage he suffered last year, and Brian believes it has helped to keep him in a positive frame of mind over recent months.
Discussing his health problems, he shared: “I thought I’d got sciatica after some tree pruning and heavy lifting, but I think I actually got COVID-19 on tour in the Far East, just ahead of the pandemic reaching the UK.
“I then had a heart attack and the medication for that gave me a stomach haemorrhage, which was the closest I’ve come to death.”
The Queen guitarist considers himself to be a “naturally depressive person”.
However, getting outside and in his garden has helped him over the last 12 months.
Brian told Gardeners’ World Magazine: “It’s central to life.
“I’m conscious that I’m so lucky to have greenery around me – without it I think my brain would explode. It helps me balance.
“I’m naturally a depressive, I’m not a cup-half-full person. I’m someone who tends to feel problems very close-up and gardening is such a help, it’s one of life’s great therapies.”
Despite this, Brian admitted that his love of gardening only started to develop during his adult life.
The music star – who is married to actress Anita Dobson – shared: “As a kid I’d only mowed lawns as a chore, but when I got my own house, 40 years ago, I enjoyed finding out what could be done.
“I love this feeling of being in touch with life. There is something about gardening that grounds you and I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.”