I wasn’t always into gardening, but now that I am, I absolutely love it. I recently started one, and I want to share with you why I started a garden, and what I’ve learned so far.

1. Physical Reasons

I have to admit, it was pretty convenient to start a garden during quarantine because of all the extra time we had. We also weren’t really going out and doing things (going shopping, to restaurants, etc.) so we also had the extra money to buy all of the appropriate supplies (not that it’s expensive, but still…)

We also moved to a new apartment this year, which has a much larger balcony than our place last year, so we actually have more space outdoors to grow our plants.

Also, growing your own garden is like a savings account in itself. If you go to the store, you pay a few dollars for garlic each time, onions, lemons, etc. When you use one of these fruits/veggies and plant them in soil, it will literally give you an abundance of them and multiply… FOR FREE.

As the Gangster Gardener says, “Not having your own garden is like throwing away money.” You can use one garlic clove to grow countless heads of garlic, it sounds too good to be true, but girl, it’s freakin true.

If we learn how to garden, we can grow our own food and save tons of money over time! After a while, those few dollars add up, and if you multiply it by all of the different things you can grow, that you would otherwise buy, it can be half your grocery costs!

2. Emotional Reasons

As humans, we all crave connection and purpose. There’s something about having a garden that helps with that. Call me crazy, but they say you literally can and should TALK TO YOUR PLANTS. Yep, that’s right. It’s said that it helps them grow. I’m a believer in the power of energy in the universe, so I believe this. Helping something that is living, grow, also gives you a sense of responsibility and purpose. Like if you don’t feed it, maintain it, and water it, it will die. That bit of pressure is actually a good thing, and as you see if grow it is SO rewarding!

My garden really does bring me true joy. Each time I go out and look at it, I feel so happy looking at all of the beautiful colors and seeing new sprouts sprouting from branches, and flowers begin to bloom.

3. Spiritual Reasons

As I’ve begun to get more involved with meditation, yoga, and appreciating nature’s beauty, I’ve also gained a deeper spiritual connection to the earth and the one who created it. I truly feel that planting a garden is a way to honor the beauty of life, creation, and nature that God intended for us to indulge in.

I think it’s amazing that as humans, we can help a little seed grow and thrive, and learn to appreciate its ability to bear, its life cycle, its colors, its smells, and especially the flavors it produces. Whether this is from herbs, vegetables, fruits, or flowers, the way that plants engage all of our senses is a beautiful gift, we should never take for granted.

As a woman, I feel that learning to garden and grow food will help to strengthen my family as well. I feel this is my duty as the woman of my household. I’ve learned a lot about the chemicals and things put into the food we buy (even the organic ones), and I feel that learning to garden and continuing to expand my garden in the future will help my family be healthier and safer, and also bring us together. I can imagine our future, having kids, and teaching them how to harvest and pick lemons off the lemon tree, and cut basil to bring it to the kitchen fresh for a delicious meal (like our homemade pizza).

A garden is a beautiful way to bring the family together and show them what it means to appreciate nature and its beauty.

4. Mental Reasons

In addition to all of this, I’ve come to appreciate nature and truly feel a sense of calm, peace, and tranquility from checking on the garden, watering it, planting it, feeding it, and harvesting it. I wasn’t always like this, and I use to not want to get my hands dirty and wasn’t able to fully appreciate the life cycle. I feel that now that I have my own household and family, I’ve learned this, and I am SO glad I did. Gardening is an incredible way to boost dopamine, keep calm, and cultivate joy in your heart, once you learn to appreciate ALL that it really does have to offer.

As someone who loves to learn and educate myself on various topics, I also love to learn about gardening and the different things you can grow and how to grow them, and the different things you can make. A really impactful tool I recently learned from was the Masterclass by Ron Finley aka “The Gangster Gardener.” He taught a class all about the basics of gardening. I HIGHLY recommend it.

5. Social Reasons

Not only is gardening therapeutic, and relaxing to do alone but there are also more people than you’d realize who share this interest. There’s a really healthy community out there of other people who like to garden and nurture their families, so it can be really refreshing to talk with these people whether it’s in person, on the phone, or online.

I’m also really looking forward to continuing to grow our garden because I think there is something beautiful about bringing a fresh basket of fruit to a friend or bringing fresh flowers from your garden to a neighbor. The freshness, and the beauty of “here I grew this, and nurtured it, and am giving it to you” in my opinion is very powerful and speaks loudly.

Fresh items from the garden can make a difference not only when you visit other people’s houses, but also when they come to yours! Whether it’s cooking with fresh veggies and herbs to elevate the dishes you make when you entertain, or having fresh flowers out for your guests to see and enjoy, or using fresh herbs to create an amazing scent and aroma in your home. There are many ways you can use your garden to create a fresh, welcoming, and joyful experience when you have guests over to entertain.

Do you have a garden? If so, what are some reasons you started one?! I’d love to hear them in the comments below!