Every winter I look forward to April. I’m from Ohio and I don’t mind the cold, but I spend the winter months missing our garden—both flower and vegetable. We keep a raised bed in the backyard and have a pretty flower garden near the front porch, and I love the produce, the colors, the fragrances, and most of all, spending time outside. With spring having just graced us with its presence—as well as planting season—I wanted to share with you five ways planting a garden can better your life.
1. It relieves stress. Whether you had a rough week at work, you’re going through a hard time in your personal life, or your son has just been driving you crazy for days, getting out and digging in the dirt can really better your mood. One of the best parts of my day is waking up in the morning and taking my daughter and a cup of coffee out to the backyard to let her run and play while I water the raised vegetable bed. There’s something about this activity that just melts away my stress. It takes me from gritting my teeth to a big, toothy smile at my daughter who absolutely adores throwing leaves in the backyard and playing in the grass.
2. It teaches your children to care for things. This is one of the biggest reasons I have a garden, though I would have one even if I didn’t have a child. It’s also the reason we are getting chickens this spring. I love the idea that your child learns to take care of other things by watching you take care of them—things like pets, your child or spouse if they are feeling under the weather, and even a garden. There’s something incredibly exciting about growing beautiful, vibrant flowers from just a seed, or devouring juicy, plump, bright red tomatoes that you grew from almost nothing. By watching and helping you take care of other living things, your child learns to take care of these things themselves. Talk about an awesome life lesson!
3. It lowers your grocery bill. It’s true! Kids can definitely add some hefty dollar signs to an already high grocery bill, but by growing your own produce, you can really cut down on the costs. In the summer, my husband, daughter, and I eat a lot of tomatoes, butternut squash, berries, herbs, and more, and growing them ourselves eliminates the price of having to buy them at the grocery store. They only require a little care, and the benefits far outweigh the low costs of growing them in the first place.
4. It makes you happy. There’s something about being out in the sunshine watching something you cared for grow into something beautiful or delicious. It’s sort of like parenting, and while it can be tiring, it’s such an incredible feeling watching something you helped create grow strong, bright, and big. Plus, it’s free vitamin D.
5. It improves the atmosphere. One of my favorite things to do with flowers is cut them just before they bloom and keep them in a vase on our dining room table. It brightens the room in an incomparable way, and I love it. If you don’t have the outdoor space for a garden, bring your plants indoors. They improve the air quality and give your space a home-y feel.
To make the experience of growing a garden even better, let your children lend a hand. They can help with watering, picking out vegetables for dinner, or they can simply watch and learn. Having a garden betters your life in all sorts of ways, and it’s the perfect time to grow one!