There’s a quiet revolution happening in backyards, balconies, and community gardens around the world. In the middle of the chaos of our world, it can be helpful to engage in self-care, especially while engaging with the natural world. It’s not about growing the perfect tomato or curating an Instagram-worthy flower bed — it’s about tending to our own mental health in a world that often feels overwhelming.

Recently, as I spent more time in my own garden, I started reflecting:
Gardening isn’t just a hobby.
It’s one of the most overlooked — and most powerful — forms of self-care.
And the best part? Science backs it up. 🌱

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The Science-Backed Mental Health Benefits of Gardening

Gardening Reduces Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

A 2017 meta-analysis in Preventive Medicine Reports found that gardening is associated with reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms for all kinds of people. Even a few minutes of hands-in-the-soil time can boost your mood.

🌿 It Triggers “Happy Brain” Chemicals
When you put your hands in the dirt, you are practicing a grounding technique and you also get exposed to a soil microbe called Mycobacterium vaccae. This microbe naturally increases serotonin production, and helps create feelings of calm and happiness — similar to the effect of antidepressants.

🌿 Gardening Lowers Stress Hormones
A Dutch study found that 30 minutes of gardening after a stressful task lowered cortisol levels significantly more than indoor activities like reading. One of my favorite things to do is weed my garden. Yes– I know it sounds a little wonky- but it is a single-minded practice that leaves my garden looking clean afterwards and is so rewarding!

🌿 It Supports Nervous System Regulation
Gardening activities — digging, planting, watering — engage multiple senses and support parasympathetic nervous system activation, helping your body shift into a “rest and digest” state.

🌿 Gardening Encourages Mindfulness
There’s a natural flow state that happens when you’re in the garden — a gentle form of mindfulness that draws you into the present moment and away from anxious thoughts.

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Why Gardening is a Powerful Form of Self-Care

• It slows you down in a sped-up world.
• It allows you to nurture life outside yourself.
• It reconnects you to natural rhythms, not hustle culture.
• It reminds you that growth is seasonal, not linear.

Unlike some self-care trends that can feel like another “to-do list,” gardening invites you into a slower, more forgiving space.
The soil doesn’t care if you’re wearing yesterday’s jeans.
The seeds don’t judge your messy schedule.
They welcome you — just as you are.

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New to Gardening? Here’s How to Start Small

You don’t need a huge yard or an expert green thumb to reap the mental health benefits of gardening. Start simple:

🌿 Grow a Windowsill Herb Garden:
Basil, mint, parsley, and thyme thrive indoors and are easy to maintain. Plus, you get the bonus of growing something that will make your cooking shine!

🌿 Try Container Gardening:
Tomatoes, peppers, lettuces, and even blueberries can grow beautifully in pots on patios or balconies. Not everyone has the space in their yard to garden outdoors, and container gardening offers the benefits of gardening without taking up too much space.

🌿 Tap Into Beginner Resources:

• Gardening Know-How
• The Old Farmer’s Almanac Beginner’s Guide
• Seed Savers Exchange for Heirloom Seeds
• Master Gardener Programs (Find Your Local Extension Office)

Starting small still counts. Even tending to one tiny plant can shift your mental health over time.

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Grow Your Wellness — and Your Community: Volunteer Opportunities Near Winston-Salem, NC

If you want to nourish both yourself and your community, volunteering at a local garden can be a beautiful place to begin. Here are a few places around Winston-Salem where you can get involved:

🌿 Reynolda Gardens
Volunteer in the historic greenhouses, formal gardens, or natural areas. Reynolda Gardens is local to me, and I love going into the gardens and digging in the dirt. The vegetable garden here helps support kids who need access to nutritious foods, which is a bonus!
Volunteer at Reynolda Gardens

🌿 Southside Gardens
Southside Gardens is also local to Winston-Salem and is a thriving community space that fosters neighborhood connection and grows food for local families. Volunteers are always welcome, and Laura, who is one of the co-founders, is a great friend of mine.
Learn about Southside Gardens

🌿 Forsyth Community Gardens

There is a whole network of community gardens that help to support the nutritional needs of people across the county. Helping at a community garden is a great way to build relationships while also caring well for yourself and others. Learn more about community gardens.

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A Final Reflection:

When you show up to a patch of earth — whether it’s a backyard plot, a city garden, or even a single tomato plant on a patio — you’re doing something radical.
You’re growing hope.
You’re nurturing resilience.
You’re participating in the slow, stubborn beauty of life itself.

In a world that often demands urgency and perfection, gardening reminds us that healing can be slow, messy, seasonal — and that’s okay. Jump in today and experience the mental health benefits of gardening for yourself.

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Ready to Plant Your First Seed?

🌿 Visit one of the gardens listed above.
🌿 Start a tiny container garden at home.
🌿 Or simply get your hands in the dirt this week — and notice how your body, mind, and spirit respond.

If you’re already gardening, I’d love to hear:
What has your garden taught you about self-care and healing? 🌿💛
Share with me in the comments!

Plus, be sure to catch up on the rest of the blog posts to learn ways to care well for yourself and others.