Gardening has a long history dating back to when the first early human decided to stay in one place, dropped a seed in the ground, and started growing their own food. Without waxing poetic or getting into details that other experts are much more qualified to discuss, it is clear that there is something inherently human about growing things. This extends to our necessity of being in green, verdant environments. We don’t just enjoy natural beauty but require the respite of clean, living surroundings for serenity, health, and rejuvenation. 

Nowadays, with our rapidly changing climate and increasing food costs, it is more important than ever to reconnect with the natural skill of growing things. Here in the U.S. during WWI and WWII, the “Victory Garden” movement was due to a lack of food surplus and prioritizing soldiers’ rations. This made more urban and suburban people aware of where their food was coming from and the hands-on process of working with nature to produce a result. Interest in gardening surged again during COVID (but maybe more out of boredom) with the nickname “Sanity Gardens.” We now live in incredibly chaotic and uncertain times, and this means we need to begin thinking of our immediate yards and growing spaces as “Resilience Gardens.”

Growing your own food or beautiful plants is nothing new, but it is more necessary than ever that people embrace this idea of resilience. Resilience means that one has more resistance to fluctuations or difficulties, and can more easily adapt to ongoing changes. There are many ways to become resilient in tough times, but also many things that remain out of our control. Growing things for you and your family to enjoy is a way of achieving some resilience and control simply using our immediate surroundings. The added benefits of helping your local ecosystem and connecting with nature daily can also have a calming and stabilizing effect on your community. It’s a great opportunity to spend a little more time outside and a bit more time away from your screens to help grow a world that helps us all thrive. 

These musings are nothing new, and I don’t claim to be inventing anything I practice from a gardening standpoint. I do however firmly believe that being in touch with nature and positively helping it flourish is a big step toward all of us having a better future.

– Jason