15 Ways Gardening Makes Us Happier

When I started my gardening hobby several years ago, I had no idea the effects it would have on shaping my life. I really intended just to grow a fruit tree and a couple vegetables. I figured that would be the extent of it, not that it would have an impact on my life. I quickly realized that gardening could do so much more for me than just growing a few things. The biggest thing this hobby has done for me: made me happier.

Here are 15 ways that gardening has made me happier:

Meeting New People

I grew up in Northern Michigan, which meant that I ate mostly stone fruits and berries.

After moving to the Arizona Desert, I realized that gardening here was a totally unique experience, and the types of fruits found here were a little different.

When I started discovering more tropical fruits, I began to visit various ethnic markets to try fruits I had never tasted.

I started to connect with people of different cultures and learn about foods that they grew up on.

It’s been great hearing stories about what it is like growing up in other parts of the world.

I’ve found that gardeners tend to be really down to earth people, no pun intended.

All the differing views we have tend to disappear, through our shared love of gardening.

It’s a blast connecting with others through community gardening events and social media groups.

Working with my Hands

Like many of us, I work in an office and spend a lot of time sitting.

Gardening is great to be able to do something with my hands, which I think is something that is fulfilling for a lot of people.

We have an innate desire to want to work with our hands, especially as men, but don’t always get to fulfill that in today’s careers.

Patience

Gardening has helped me to slow down and appreciate waiting on rewarding things.

Not much happens very quickly in gardening, but it’s amazing to observe things growing over time and eventually rewarding you with fruits and vegetables.

Taking Pride in Something

As gardeners, we love to take our camera out into the garden.

I was never big on taking photos, but when I started gardening I wanted to capture all the beauty around me. It’s also a sense of pride seeing things that I helped create and it’s enjoyable to share those photos with others.

Many of the social media gardening communities are filled with gardeners sharing photos with one another.

Quiet Time

We live in a noisy world and are constantly bombarded with things that drown out our thoughts.

Work, parenting, media, and daily demands can make it hard to get that quiet time that helps us find inner peace.

I appreciate getting up early in the morning, before my family is awake, and just getting out in my garden for that quiet time.

Activity with My Kids

Gardening has been another activity that I’ve been able to spend some time doing with my kids.

I’ve taught them a few basics of gardening and allowed them to attempt to grow a few things of their own.

It’s enjoyable to see them gain a basic understanding of gardening and get some joy out of doing something with Daddy.

Life Lessons

Gardening teaches so many life lessons, which help me learn how to find deeper joy in life.

There are so many stories and parables related to gardening, it’s easy to relate different things we are going through in our lives to what we are observing through nature.

Learning

When I get into a hobby I like to study and learn everything I can about it.

I’ve learned so much about fruit trees and plants by studying about them.

I think I’ve read extensively about every fruit tree out there.

I’ve also been able to learn a lot from other gardeners experiences or through my own trial and error.

The Sense of Accomplishment

Sometimes it feels better to just see a flower or fruit than to actually eat it.

It feels awesome to see something grow after all the work you put into tending to it for a long period of time.

Stress Relief

Having something we enjoy doing, helps alleviate some of the daily stress we take in.

We all need hobbies or recreational outlets that give us things to look forward to in life and keep life fresh.

Gardening is a great way to cope.

Appreciation for Nature

I’ve gained such a greater respect for nature.

I never would’ve stopped to observe a butterfly or sat and thought of the amazement of a tomato plant, prior to my gardening hobby.

It’s helping me to appreciate the other living things around me and the awe of God’s creations.

Deeper Purpose

Gardening has helped me to connect with a deeper purpose.

It seems like you are part of something that matters.

Exercise

Gardening can be physically demanding.

I’ve spent a lot of hours shoveling dirt, clearing rock, or pruning trees, which can all help my body to get stronger.

I’ve appreciated the physical exertion that gardening can take to help my body to stay healthier.

Healthy Foods

I love that I know what is going into the foods that I produce in my backyard.

I don’t worry about chemicals and other things that are going into the things we eat from the store.

The produce that I get from the backyard also tastes so much better.

The flavors seem to be amplified when picking things fresh from the garden or off the tree.

Be able to Unplug

It can be addicting and exhausting to check our phones or devices constantly throughout our day.

Being out in the garden gives me a chance to unplug and disconnect from devices.

We need this time to step away from those kinds of things, so we don’t become consumed by them.

To summarize, there are so many things that gardening does to bring joy into our lives. If you’re not gardening now, I hope that reading through this will help you to recognize some of the benefits that come from gardening, and help you find a desire to get started growing your own food.

Please comment below on anything that you enjoyed from this post or how gardening has made you happier.