Hello gardeners!

Gardening has always been good for the body. But the longer I garden, the more convinced I am that its deepest value is emotional. Plants anchor us. Soil steadies us. And when we share that passion with others, something remarkable happens.

For most of my life, gardening was a solitary hobby. I read, I experimented, I dug, I failed, I tried again. It wasn’t until 2018, when I completed the Master Gardener Basic Training, that I found myself surrounded by people who loved gardening as much as I did. At the time I recall announcing they were the first gardening friends I ever had — and I had no idea how transformative that would be.

Gardeners making evergreen wreaths. — *Photo credit: Garden Alumni*

Last week, I hosted a wreath-making session for that same group. Nothing fancy. No pressure. Just a long table, some clippers, a stack of wire frames, and piles of greenery harvested from each of our gardens. Everyone arrived with armloads of cuttings from their gardens. As we worked, we passed around branches and berries, trading textures and colours so each person’s wreath carried a little piece of all our gardens.

We worked for two hours, but the real magic wasn’t in the wreaths. It was in the quiet joy of being together. There is something profoundly grounding about creating with your hands while surrounded by people who get you. We weren’t trying to impress anyone. We weren’t rushing. It was simply a gentle start to the holiday season. A circle of gardeners sharing stories, laughter, clippings, and support.

Gardeners showing homemade evergreen wreaths. — *Photo credit: Garden Alumni*

This is the wellness side of gardening that often gets overlooked. Gardening friendships offer a kind of emotional nourishment that is hard to replicate elsewhere. They encourage us to slow down. They give us people who speak our language — the language of seasons, plants, setbacks, and small victories. They remind us that we’re not alone in tending our patches of earth or navigating the journey of life.

Research consistently shows that social connection, time in nature, and creative hands-on activities all reduce stress and improve mental health. Gardening with others hits all three. It lowers anxiety. It boosts mood. It increases a sense of belonging. And it reinforces the idea that growth, in plants or people, is not something we are meant to do in isolation.

As I looked around the table that day, it struck me how special it is to have friends who meet you in the garden and bring that same grounded energy into your life. These friendships grow slowly, like perennial roots deepening year after year, becoming sturdier and more nourishing over time.

This season, as the days get darker, I’m grateful for the light these connections bring. The health of gardens thrive in a biodiverse community, and so do gardeners.

Cheers to another year of garden friendships!