The Reason I Garden

Gardening is not just a pastime for me; it's a cornerstone of everything I do. It's a deep-seated passion that connects me to the rhythms of nature, enriches my health, saves money, strengthens family bonds, and fosters sustainable living. Let me share why gardening is so vital to me and the myriad benefits it brings that I believe others can experience too.

Gardening for me is an intimate act of connecting with the earth. 

It's about being in tune with the cycle of life from the first sprout breaking through the soil to the harvest that follows. This connection deepens my appreciation for the environment and teaches me to live in harmony with it. Feeling the soil between my fingers and witnessing the miracle of growth fills me with a sense of wonder and responsibility towards the earth. It wasn’t always this way. I mean, I have always loved to garden, but I haven’t always been connected to the impact I have on the land.

Initially, I viewed humans, myself included, as a bit of a parasite on the land, taking more than I give. Once I started to understand the complexity of soil, and how beautifully it functions, and learned how I can actually help and not hinder soil health, I started to feel really excited about it. I dug further and learned about the nutrients in plants grown in healthy soil and how much better they are for our bodies. I really got fired up and wanted to learn more! I decided to take an organic master gardener's course that had a heavy focus on soil health and received my certification. Doing that excited me even more!

Helping the ecosystem & our health through gardening

My friends, when we garden, and do it conscientiously, keeping soil health in mind, we aren’t just feeding our family amazing, healthy food, but we are helping the ecosystem of our garden and can actually benefit millions of other creatures who live there. I love the symbiosis of that!

The health benefits of gardening are both physical and mental. It's a form of exercise that keeps me active, but more than that, it's a therapeutic activity that reduces stress and enhances my mental health. I struggle with depression in the winter and general anxiety, but the minute I can get out in the garden in the spring and start planting, my mood entirely shifts. It’s like a veil is lifted from my eyes. Studies being done on mycobacterium vaccae (bacterium in the soil) suggest that they mirror the effects on neurons that drugs like Prozac provide. I would encourage you to look into this further as it’s absolutely fascinating! There is evidence to suggest that digging in soil and breathing in those microbes can stimulate serotonin production in the brain making us feel more relaxed and happier. Isn’t that just amazing?

Inflation and the impact on groceries 

Inflation is something impacting everyone I know right now. My daughter just posted a picture of her three bags of groceries that cost $161.00 CAD! She tries to eat well, but it’s hard when food is so expensive, and it’s not just food, the cost of everything has gone up dramatically. Growing your own food can save you a lot of money, even if you just grow things like herbs and salad greens, which are often pricey and perish quickly, growing your own can lead to substantial savings. Even if you have a small porch, allotment, or small front yard, you can grow enough greens over the summer to save you from having to buy them when you shop. There’s no question that if I were to include my time in the cost of growing a garden, it may not be a huge savings, but like I’ve already mentioned, there are so many mental and physical health benefits, that the work I spend in the garden is well worth it.

My garden is a family gathering place in the summertime. If I’m MIA, my family knows where to find me. They often will hang out and visit with me as I work, and it almost always leads to learning opportunities because they always ask questions. Our whole family helps in the garden, and most of my kids grow their own patch every year with their favourite veggies. It’s not that all my kids love to garden, but every one of them values how good the food tastes and pitches in when it’s time to harvest.

Gardening is a source of joy, a pathway to better health, a strategy for financial savings, and a means to connect my family to the food they eat in a meaningful way. The benefits I've discovered through gardening are deep and wide-ranging. Whether you're just starting or have years of experience, the journey of gardening offers something valuable for everyone. I encourage you to plant a seed, nurture it, and watch as it transforms your life, just as it has mine.

Much love and happy gardening. 

Chelsea