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Gardening for Wellness: How Growing Plants Feeds Your Mind, Body, and Soul

I always say my growing skills are bad. When I was younger, my family planted these huge vegetable gardens every summer. I loved putting the seeds in the ground and watching the tiny green shoots pop through the soil. I loved the smell of the earth after rain and the excitement of picking fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans for dinner.


But the part I didn’t love? Weeding. Watering. Pulling bugs off leaves. All that extra work that came after the fun of planting. Eventually, the weeds always seemed to win. Luckily, our garden rows were raised and spaced far apart. The weeds grew so tall that the deer and other animals ate them instead of our vegetables. That worked out fine for us. The bad part was that we had to dig through the jungle of weeds to find the food we actually wanted.


As an adult, I haven’t always lived in places where I could have a big vegetable garden. These days I plant flowers and bushes instead. And yes, the pattern continues — I plant them full of good intentions, but after a while, the weeds creep in and the flowers fade. It seems like gardening and I have an understanding. I plant it, and God takes care of it.


But my son? He’s the complete opposite. He loves yard work. He gets lost in it. For him, pulling weeds and mowing grass are not chores; they are therapy. When life feels stressful, he heads outside with his gloves and tools, and when he’s done, he stands back and admires the clean lines, the trimmed bushes, and the fresh soil. His reward is beauty and pride in what he created with his own hands.


Watching him has made me see gardening in a new way. Even though I joke that I have a “black thumb,” I realize that both of us are practicing self-discovery in our own ways. For him, it’s through care and dedication. For me, it’s through trust and acceptance. Both paths connect us to something deeper — a rhythm that grounds us, humbles us, and reminds us that life itself is a lot like a garden.

A gardener walks through a lush garden pathway, tending to plants with care and dedication.
Nurturing life through plants can help you nurture yourself.

The Lessons Hidden in the Garden

Gardening has been called one of life’s most natural forms of therapy. You don’t have to be good at it to learn from it. Every seed planted holds a lesson.


  • Patience. Seeds do not grow overnight. Growth takes time, care, and consistency — just like people.

  • Resilience. Storms, weeds, and pests will always come. Some plants survive, some do not, but each season teaches you something new.

  • Letting go. Sometimes you do everything right and a plant still dies. You learn that not all outcomes are in your control.

  • Renewal. Every spring brings new chances to begin again.


The American Horticultural Therapy Association calls gardening a form of “active meditation.” When your hands are in the soil, your brain slows down. You breathe deeper. You become part of something quiet and alive.


Even just spending time around plants has proven benefits. The National Institutes of Health reports that time spent in green spaces reduces anxiety, lowers blood pressure, and boosts mood. The Harvard Health Publishing team also found that gardening increases exposure to vitamin D, encourages physical activity, and creates a sense of accomplishment.

So whether you love it like my son or struggle with it like me, gardening teaches the same truth — caring for something living changes you.


How Gardening Helps Your Mind

When life gets stressful, gardening gives your thoughts a place to land. Focusing on soil, sun, and growth shifts your attention away from constant worry. You learn to work with your environment instead of against it.


Gardening connects you to mindfulness. Each step — digging, watering, trimming, or even pulling weeds — keeps you present in the moment. It helps you practice patience and reminds you that growth is a process, not a race.


According to the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, nature-based activities like gardening stimulate parts of the brain that calm anxiety and release tension. People who garden regularly often describe it as “mental rest.” That’s because it gives your mind permission to slow down, focus, and reconnect with the present.


How Gardening Helps Your Body

Gardening might not look like a workout, but it is. The stretching, bending, lifting, and walking provide steady, low-impact exercise that strengthens muscles and joints. The fresh air helps your lungs and increases oxygen flow.


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies gardening as moderate physical activity, similar to brisk walking or light aerobics. Just 30 to 45 minutes in the garden can burn calories, improve balance, and support heart health.


Beyond physical movement, gardening encourages better sleep and appetite regulation. It gets you outside, exposed to natural light, which helps regulate your body’s internal clock. And the satisfaction of seeing something you nurtured grow can release serotonin, improving overall well-being.


How Gardening Helps Your Soul

For many people, gardening is spiritual. Watching a seed transform into a living plant feels miraculous. It reminds us of the beauty of creation and the cycle of life.


When I plant something, even though I know I might forget to water it, I see hope in the act itself. It is a declaration that I believe in tomorrow. When my son tends his garden, his joy comes from creating beauty. Mine comes from letting go and trusting that what will grow, will grow. Both are valid forms of connection.


The garden becomes a mirror. The weeds remind you of life’s distractions, and the plants remind you of the things worth nurturing. When you pull weeds, you make space for growth both in your yard and in your heart.


The American Psychological Association points out that gardening and time in nature can increase positive emotions and reduce feelings of loneliness. It’s one of the few activities that unites body, mind, and spirit without technology, cost, or schedule.


Self-Discovery Through Nature

Self-discovery is not always about looking inward. Sometimes it’s about looking around. When you garden, you start noticing patterns in plants, in weather, and in yourself.


You learn that every living thing has its own pace. You see how roots grow quietly before flowers appear. You begin to understand that your personal growth follows that same pattern. Even if you cannot see it yet, good things are forming beneath the surface.


If you are struggling in life, gardening can become a safe place to start healing. It gives you something tangible to care for. Watching something grow under your hands reminds you that you still have influence, still have purpose, and still have life to nurture.


What You Can Try Today

  1. Start small. You do not need a big yard. A single potted plant or herb on your windowsill is enough.

  2. Make it yours. Choose plants you actually like — flowers for color, herbs for smell, or vegetables you enjoy eating.

  3. Accept imperfection. Some will grow, some will not. That is part of the lesson.

  4. Spend time observing. Sit quietly outside for ten minutes. Notice the sounds, colors, and textures of nature.

  5. Share the experience. Garden with someone else or join a community garden. Learning from others builds connection and friendship.


You might find, like my son, that the act of tending brings peace and pride. Or you might find, like me, that your joy comes from planting and letting go. Either way, you’ll discover that growth happens — whether by your hand or by the grace of something greater.


Support on Your Journey

Gardening, like life, is about progress, not perfection. Each seed planted is a small act of faith, a reminder that growth takes time and that beauty can rise even from messy soil.


In our Self-Discovery and Neighbor Chat groups, we talk about how connecting with nature helps balance the stress of everyday life. Whether you plant vegetables, flowers, or simply take a walk outside, nature has a way of grounding you and showing you who you are becoming.

The next post in this series, “Planting Trees and Protecting Green Spaces: Healing the Earth While Healing Yourself,” will explore how caring for nature connects us to future generations and strengthens our sense of purpose.


Because sometimes the most powerful self-discovery begins with getting a little dirt under your nails.


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