Saswat Una, amateur gardener and sophomore, said he enjoys gardening as a fun hobby.

“I got into gardening from my grandparents; at a young age, I would help them garden everyday during summer for hours at a time,” Una said. “After those fun experiences with my grandparents I decided to do it with my family every year and time we could. We planted many vegetables in our backyard and flowers in the front yard.”

Una said he gardens at least twice a year with his family and finds gardening very peaceful and fun. 

“I feel happy when I garden. It reminds me of my grandparents as they are not living with me,” Una said.

According to GreenMatters, gardens are important to the planet because, despite being human-made, they represent a natural environment. Plants in gardens take in carbon and release oxygen. The roots of these plants stabilize the soil and filter water. 

Junior Natasha Tikhomirova said she got into gardening out of curiosity. 

“I got into gardening because one day, I wanted to plant an apple tree. I thought it would be a good idea because, in the long run, you can save money,” Tikhomirova said. “However, I only thought of that during the winter, and didn’t think I could get a tree that would survive the cold. So, I had to wait for spring. During that time, I did a lot of research, which led to me wanting to get more plants, like flowers, vegetables, and some other fruit trees.”

Tikhomirova said there are many positives to gardening as well.

“When it comes to gardening and the environment, there are some really positive benefits. For example, concerning the environment, you can plant something like a tree, or a lot of different other plants, that can produce oxygen. Although you will only help in reducing little carbon dioxide in the air and putting out more oxygen, a little goes a long way,” Tikhomirova said. “Also, another benefit to the environment is the compost of different materials. While making a compost pile, you can decrease the amount of waste you throw away in the trash.”

Kara House, AP Environmental Science teacher, said gardening is a beneficial hobby and a good pastime for people.

“One benefit of gardening would be that we’re sourcing locally, so that’s reducing all sorts of things including transportation costs, packaging, shipping, etc. Environmentally speaking, buying local stuff is better because we are reducing emissions and having control over knowing exactly where our food comes from,” House said. “I’ve done a little bit, it depends really on what space you have available. For me, I don’t do it now because I don’t have the space to do it, but container gardening is a really good solution for a lot of people who live in towns and maybe don’t have a big yard or a lot of space to garden.”

Tikhomirova said gardening is a way for her to destress and enjoy nature while also improving the environment.

“I garden as much as I can. During the weekends I always find time to garden, but during the week, it’s up to how busy I am in school. I find it very enjoyable, as it is a relaxing hobby,” Tikhomirova said. “Gardening relaxes me through physical work, and serves as a mental distraction from more stressful things. It also helps the environment, which I love to do.”