Are you an avid gardener? Do you enjoy the feel of the earth between your fingers? If you are, then you already know that gardening is good for us. If not, read on to find out how gardening is good for our health and our communities.

This post was originally published in May 2020 as “Why gardening is essential” and updated in March 2023.

My gardening story

I definitely wasn’t blessed with a green thumb, and I have never been much of a gardener. For most of my life, the extent of my gardening experience was planting a few annuals to add colour to my garden, and growing tomatoes in pots on my deck each year.

This changed when, a few years ago, my daughter Colleen took an interest in gardening. We took an online course together on Growing Your Own Edible Garden through our local college. We learned the basics of what and when to plant and the conditions required for plants to thrive. We used our learning to carefully plan our garden over the winter and the following spring, we planted peas, beans, spinach, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes in our first vegetable garden.

I wish I could say that it was a resounding success. Between ravenous rabbits, a cold wet spring and a north-facing garden with mature trees that block much of the sunlight, our efforts didn’t yield a plentiful crop that first year. But we changed a few things up and kept trying!

Why gardening is good for us

Part of the reason we didn’t give up is the positives outweigh the frustrations. Some of the benefits of gardening for individuals and communities include:

• Reducing food insecurity. At a time when prices are rising and many people are struggling to make ends meet, improving access to nutritious food is critical.
• Gardening has a positive impact on mental health. Not only is it rewarding to see the fruits of our labour, but spending time in the garden is a great way to take our minds off of any challenges we are facing. Gardening also beautifies our space, with mood boosting effects.
• Let’s not forget the environmental benefits. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, reducing pollution and greenhouse gases. Your garden also supports the ecosystem by creating a habitat for birds and insects.
• Working in the garden is a great learning opportunity for kids. What better way to bring those science lessons to life while developing a valuable life skill.
• And finally, it’s great exercise which provides both physical and mental health benefits.

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Make the most of your space

If you don’t have a lot of space, just make use of whatever space you have. A couple of pots on your balcony or patio, an indoor herb garden or even a few house plants can give you many of these benefits.

As for my garden, after that first year I invested in a grow light which improved the quality and success of my seedlings significantly. We’ve also put up a wire enclosure to keep the bunnies out of the garden. Unfortunately, we can’t change the fact that our garden faces north in a cold climate like Canada.

I’m still far from a gardening expert, but we’ll keep trying and make the best of what we’ve got to work with. There’s nothing better than delicious tomatoes fresh from the garden.

Are you a gardener? If you have any gardening tips, share them below.