Have you ever thought of growing your own food even in your small space? With it being the eat better, eat together month; it is high time we shifted in how we think about gardening. In addition to growing fresh and organic foods for yourself and your family, home gardening can be a fun and nurturing activity that you can use to relax your mind and find some peace.
In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Danielle Smith, a professional garden mentor and Founder of Garden Like a Mother who also has a background in public health. She helps busy women cultivate happier, healthier, and more intentional lives by growing veggie gardens at home.
Listen in to learn how to approach gardening as a nurturing and restorative activity that brings peace to your life and not misery.
Key Takeaways:
- How to use gardening as a fun and restorative activity that nurtures your life.
- The vision and goals you need to set for yourself before taking on gardening as a nurturing activity.
- The importance of starting small and simple as a gardening beginner to avoid overwhelm.
- How not to be too busy to nurture a successful veggie garden.
- Learn to be smart to do what works for you with gardening and not necessarily what works for others.
- The eco benefits of diversifying crops in your garden as opposed to having just a few varieties.
Episode Timeline:
- [3:44] How to approach gardening as a form of therapy that focuses on your mental health regardless of the harvest.
- [7:11] Think of what you need to grow that you’re likely to have success with.
- [10:25] The excuses and mistakes to avoid to nurture a successful veggie garden.
- [13:43] Danielle shares what she grows in her small kitchen garden, especially this past summer.
- [17:42] How being a gardener has shifted the way Danielle eats and cooks for her family.
- [21:54] What works and doesn’t work with indoor gardening.
- [25:50] Why you should start learning all gardening concepts earlier even as we get into winter.
Quotes:
“Grow your garden and have it be an abundant restorative experience that actually adds to your life and nurtures you as much as you’re nurturing the garden, versus something that’s making your life even more miserable.”– Danielle [6:22]
“This is the time of the year when gardeners are starting to plan next year’s garden. Give yourself the gift of the time to think about it intentionally, consciously, and not feel like you’re rushed or doing things the wrong way.”– Danielle [27:14]
