You’ve heard of “pet therapy”? Most of us know that owning and loving a pet helps us live longer, lowers blood pressure and helps us deal with stress better. But did you know garden therapy does the same thing?

I love writing about gardening, but for me and many gardeners, it goes beyond just making your yard look nice. Gardening can touch one in a way they never expected, and can be a healing respite from all our issues, big and small. When I am I the garden, problems seem far away, and all I see is the simpleness of the soil and water, and the miracle of watching plants grow, and the lessons a garden teaches. I feel a kinship with the outdoors that I don’t feel anywhere else. I honestly think that the beauty of nature is a gift to help us appreciate life in small ways, to learn the lessons of trail and error, and to remember balance. Gardens can be a healing place, and it is my hope that is the true reason that gardening is the most popular pastime in America.

Not only is gardening healing and therapeutic both in the plants, herbs and vegetables the garden may produce, but also in the therapeutic value of planning, raising and caring for your own little miracle of nature.