Gardening: Wellness Benefits Beyond the Produce
This time of year I am so grateful to get to start my day with some time in the garden. While I water or weed with a cup of coffee, I like listening to the birds, and watching the sun rise in the sky and on the hills. It is a peaceful time of day that makes me feel ready for whatever is coming my way. So, intuitively, I know that gardening improves my wellness, but am I the only one who feels this, and how good is it for me?
Other Gardeners in Missoula Share Wellness Benefits
Each year the Community Gardens program surveys gardeners to better understand their experiences so that we can continue improving the program. When I was thinking about this blog post, it occurred to me that reading the survey results might help me understand wellness trends for our Missoula gardeners. Here’s what we learned in 2025:
Yes, perhaps the most obvious benefit of growing a garden is nourishing our bodies with the food we grow. Our gardeners love to eat and share what they have grown. Having access to healthy food is a real motivator for many of our gardeners.
Gardeners tell us that their mental and emotional health improves as a result of gardening. One gardener said their gardening experience is, “Meditation and mental health therapy and magic and yummy food all wrapped into a single experience.” All of the gardeners who responded to the survey reported that their mental and/or emotional health was improved by gardening.
While gardeners tend to their vegetables, they also develop human connections. One gardener reflected that “being a part of a larger community that is connected through food systems and sharing knowledge and friendship is invaluable.” Eighty-five percent of our gardeners said that community gardening makes them feel more connected to others.
Gardeners connect more deeply with nature as a result of gardening. Whether this is through observations within their actual plots, or observations in the larger landscape. One gardener said, “taking time outside to be with nature has tremendously helped my mental health.” Often you find kids in the gardens who are exploring nature by making bug houses, studying worms, sampling peas and raspberries, or making “rivers” with hoses.
It's Not Just Us
It turns out that there are numerous peer reviewed studies from all over the world that also point to the wellness benefits of gardening. Gardening can reduce anxiety and depression symptoms, and improves physical wellness. Environmental psychologists have shown that time in nature can enhance cognitive function. And, some medical providers are even prescribing time in nature or gardening as a way to improve wellness.
So, I suppose I’ll continue my morning gardening routine, along with many people across Missoula and around the world.
Want to Garden in Community?
We accept garden applications year round. While we might not be able to get you in a garden plot right away, "it's never too soon to apply for next season!