Gardening is a versatile skill that involves cultivating plants and managing a nurturing environment for their growth, offering benefits that stretch from physical health to emotional well-being. It's a practical skill to learn because it enhances the understanding of nature, promotes physical activity, fosters mindfulness, contributes to a sustainable lifestyle, and can even provide a source of homegrown, healthy food. Here, you’ll learn more about the ways that you can benefit from gardening and how it can enhance your life. Regardless of your overall goals, learning gardening can be a valuable and impressive skill to learn.
What is Gardening?
Gardening is both an art and a science involving the cultivation and management of plants. This practice spans diverse activities, from growing flowers for aesthetic purposes in ornamental gardens to cultivating fruits, vegetables, and herbs in kitchen gardens. At its core, gardening requires an understanding of botany, ecology, and horticulture. It involves knowledge about different plant species, soil types, pest management, and the impact of weather and climate conditions. Additionally, garden design, which can incorporate principles of landscape architecture, plays a crucial role in the aesthetic aspect of gardening.
Historically, gardening is as old as human civilization. The hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, are an early example of their role in society. Gardens have long held both practical and symbolic significance, from providing food and medicine to symbolizing the spiritual relationship between humans and nature. According to a 2019 report by the National Gardening Association, more than one-third of American households grow their own food either at home or in a community garden, highlighting just how essential this skill remains today.Â
Benefits of Learning Gardening?
Learning gardening can lead to a myriad of benefits, starting with a yield of fresh, homegrown produce. For food gardeners, the satisfaction of cooking and eating something grown with their own two hands is hard to beat. Plus, it's a great way to ensure your food is organic and pesticide-free. Cultivating plants supports sustainability and facilitates a better understanding of nature while helping us appreciate the smaller things in life that we often overlook.Â
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Joining a gardening activity or group can also open up a new social sphere. There are countless gardening societies and clubs across the country, from local community garden organizations to international horticultural societies. Joining such groups provides a sense of community and shared learning and offers opportunities to participate in plant swaps, seed exchanges, garden tours, and other fun events. In many cities, community gardens serve as social hubs, bringing together diverse individuals around a shared love of gardening.
But one of the most profound benefits of gardening is its impact on mental and physical health. Numerous studies have shown that regular gardening can reduce stress, improve mood, and promote physical well-being. A 2020 Landscape and Urban Planning study found that people in an urban setting who gardened at home and in the community had significantly better health outcomes than those who did not garden. It's a form of exercise that doesn't feel like a chore, and the connection with nature can be deeply therapeutic.Â
Creativity and Personal Expression
Gardening is an excellent outlet for creativity and personal expression. Gardeners are essentially an artist, and the garden becomes their canvas. It allows participants to explore a wide range of aesthetics and themes, from classic rose gardens to modern minimalist landscapes.Â
Classes like the Cottage Garden Designs through CourseHorse provide an opportunity to learn how to zone in on creativity through old-fashioned cottage gardening. This includes learning how to care for shrub roses, poppies, forget-me-nots, and countless other plants found in English-style gardens. It is held completely over Zoom, allowing participants to learn from the comfort of their own homes.
This creative process not only results in a beautiful, personal outdoor space but can also help people express their feelings, ideas, and personalities. The possibilities are limitless, and each garden created uniquely reflects the individual who nurtures it.
Meeting New People
Gardening, while often perceived as a solitary pursuit, can be an incredibly social activity. Community gardens, gardening clubs, plant swaps, and garden tours all provide opportunities to connect with other gardening enthusiasts. These interactions can foster a sense of community and belonging, as well as provide an exchange of knowledge and experience. Interacting with fellow gardeners can help them learn new strategies, discover different plant species, and share successes and challenges.Â
Both in-person and gardening classes open vast opportunities for meeting new people with similar interests. For example, those located near New York City can take the Rooftop Gardening class from New York Botanical Garden. This in-person offering is an excellent choice for those who love to garden but have limited outdoor space. It covers gardening techniques tailored to rooftop gardens such as soil types, beneficial plants, and pest management strategies. Participants also learn from experienced instructors and share their experiences with other participants.
For gardeners near Chicago, the Winter Containers at the Garden and Autumn Containers at the Garden are an ideal choice. These classes are taught by horticulturists from the Chicago Botanic Garden and cover topics such as container selection, soil types, drainage, and pest management for the seasons. It's a great way to connect with people from the local area while also picking up valuable expertise that can be applied in any garden.
Stress Relief and Relaxation
The therapeutic benefits of gardening are well-documented. Immersing oneself in nature, even if it's a small backyard or balcony garden, can significantly reduce stress and promote relaxation. The physical activity involved in gardening also acts as a form of exercise, releasing endorphins, which are known to improve mood. The mind, body, and spirit are all connected, and gardening allows us to find a balance between these three aspects.
Taking a class like The Art of Flower Remedies or Bitter Botanicals and Gut Health: Online is a great way to learn more about the healing powers of plants and boost knowledge of how to keep a balanced body and mind. These fully online courses are jam-packed with useful information such as how to use medicinal flowers and herbs to create home remedies or how to improve digestion and reduce inflammation through the consumption of bitter plants.
For those who want a more hands-on approach to relaxation, the Los Angeles-based Outdoor Garden | Deep Stretch & Realignment class provides an opportunity to stretch among nature while learning about different plants' healing properties. Offered by Liberate Hollywood and held in Sherman Oaks, this class combines yoga and horticulture to deliver a truly therapeutic experience.
Educational Opportunities
The act of gardening inherently involves learning. Through hands-on experience, you acquire knowledge about different plant species, their requirements, and their life cycles. Participants can learn about the role of different insects, the importance of soil quality, and how weather and seasons affect plant growth. These are valuable lessons in botany, ecology, and environmental science, which can be applied to other areas of life.
Gardening can also foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature's cycles and the importance of sustainable practices. For families, gardening offers a practical and engaging way to introduce children to science concepts and inspire in them a love for nature and a respect for the environment. There are classes in NYC like Belmont Lake State Park (Kids 12 & Under) and Central Park (Teens/Adults), both taught by foraging expert "Wildman" Steve Brill. These hands-on classes take participants right to the heart of nature and help them learn more about edible plants while seeing them in action.
How to Start Learning Gardening
Starting to learn gardening can be both an exciting and rewarding journey that begins with acquiring fundamental knowledge about plant types, soil composition, water and light requirements, pest management, and many other aspects of horticulture. One of the best ways to get started is by enrolling in a gardening class, many of which are conveniently offered online or in-person.Â
Online gardening classes provide participants the flexibility of learning at their own pace and from the comfort of home. Platforms like CourseHorse offer courses in gardening basics, where seasoned gardeners and horticulturist instructors share their knowledge with students. This option is particularly useful for those with tight schedules, as they can tailor learning around any prior commitments. Plus, the global reach of online courses means participants can learn from those who might be based in different regions, offering a wealth of diverse knowledge. However, an aspect to consider with online learning is the possible cost of supplies and materials. Most in-person classes provide all of the required materials needed to participate, so this is a factor that should be kept in mind. Applying the lessons practically in your own garden, though, can help to bridge this gap.
There are online classes like Plant CSI: Unwelcome Visitors in the Garden, great for all experience levels of gardeners who want to dive deeper into plant pests and diseases. This engaging online course covers preventative strategies, identification techniques, and treatments for common garden pests and diseases. It also covers important topics such as soil-borne pathogens, foliar diseases, and insect pest management. Identifying pests and diseases early in the garden can save you a lot of time and money throughout the season, making this course a valuable investment for any gardener.Â
The Native Plants 101: Identification and Gardening from UW Botanic Gardens online is for those interested in native plants and would like to learn more about cultivation, identification, and design. The curriculum is beginner-friendly, and the class provides an introduction to a range of native plants, including trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, and sedges. Participants learn growth preferences and techniques for propagation, as well as how to create beautiful garden designs with native plants.
On the other hand, in-person classes offer a different kind of learning experience. These classes provide a hands-on learning environment where participants can physically interact with plants, soils, and tools. Students also have the opportunity to ask direct questions and receive feedback, enhancing understanding and confidence. However, the fixed class schedules and locations might be less convenient for some people, especially those with other commitments or who live far from the class location. The key to choosing between online and in-person classes is identifying learning styles, availability, and resources.
CourseHorse has numerous in-person gardening classes in convenient locations like New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles that teach a range of topics such as garden design, urban farming, container gardening, and countless other forms of horticulture. There is a Bonsai class from Resobox in Manhattan that covers everything from watering and pruning techniques to the philosophy and aesthetics of this traditional Japanese art form. It's a great way for students to learn from an experienced instructor and gain hands-on experience with bonsai trees.
Chicago residents can learn from dedicated experts at Chicago Botanic Garden through classes like Hands-on Gardening: Summer Pruning. This course covers essential pruning techniques such as how to shape and protect trees and shrubs in summer for a healthy and well-maintained garden. Students must bring their own pruners, but all other materials are provided.
There is also the Gardening Techniques: Session D, which provides a more comprehensive look at gardening. This Chicago-based class covers plant selection, perennial and annual care, as well as pruning and other techniques used to create a beautiful outdoor space. It's suitable for beginners as well as seasoned gardeners looking to revisit the basics.
Key Takeaways
- Gardening involves plant cultivation and management, requiring botany, ecology, horticulture, and design skills.
- Learning gardening yields numerous benefits, including homegrown food, cost savings, community involvement, improved health, and increased environmental awareness.
- Beginners can learn gardening via online or in-person courses, each with its own benefits: online for flexibility and range of knowledge, in-person for hands-on experience, and immediate feedback.
- Despite challenges, the rewards of gardening, including creativity, personal expression, and increased educational opportunities, make the effort worthwhile.
- You can contact CourseHorse to find online or in-person training options, including private group sessions.