Aleeza Price, Gardening Together co-president and senior, has gardened nearly her entire life. Price said her passion for gardening began with a family tradition: every time they moved, her parents let her pick a new little plant to nurture. She said her family currently owns a small garden in her backyard that she helps take care of.

“I just like taking care of living things and watching things grow. I think it’s fun to be out in nature,” Price said. “Anytime I can get outside, I love being outside. Even in the winter, it’s nice to have a little nature indoors, like little plants.”

In fact, gardening has become such a part of Price’s life that she learned her hobby ran deeper than just a family tradition.

“My name, Aleeza, came from my great-great-grandmother, Lee, who gardened her whole life until she was 101 (years old),” Price said. “I think that has inspired me to continue gardening and taking care of plants.”

Price is one of a growing number of gardening enthusiasts. The number of gardeners has been on the rise since COVID-19 and is also reflected at this school. According to data from The National Gardening Association (NGA), there were more than 18.3 million new gardeners in the United States, and 88% of gardeners said they intended to increase their gardening activity. Price said COVID-19 left many confined to their homes, which she said led to more and more people developing hobbies such as gardening. 

Even though the severity of COVID-19 has declined, many still hold onto their gardening hobby. For Price, gardening allowed her to manage her mental and physical health while caring for plants.

“Especially in the winter months, when it’s kind of sad and depressing outdoors, still being able to take care of plants indoors gets me moving every day,” Price said.

Price’s mother, Gardening Together sponsor Nina Price, agrees with Aleeza. She said gardening can act like a therapy session for some students.

“A few students brought friends to a club meeting, and one of them was overheard saying, ‘Hey, you didn’t tell me that it was a therapy group,’” Mrs. Price said. “We had spent the meeting outside, looking at the fall leaves, and it was clear that being in nature had a positive mental impact.”

Ivy Wei, Gardening Together club member and junior, said she also experienced mental benefits from gardening.

“I think (gardening) has improved my mental well-being because it is so therapeutic,” Wei said.

Beyond the personal benefits, students at this school started gardening for various reasons, from the love of biology to plant aesthetics. 

“Through gardening, I’ve gained an interest in biology,” Aleeza said, “And it’s fun to nerd out about plant biology with other people who love it as much as I do.”

Additionally, Mrs. Price said gardening allowed students to see the direct impact of their efforts on the plants they nurture. 

“We’ve had people come in and say, ‘I always kill my plants,’ but the idea is don’t be afraid of it,” Mrs. Price said. “It really empowers students to see that they can make something very concrete happen.”

To support new gardeners, organizations such as the NGA offer helpful resources, including tips and guides, to make gardening more approachable. 

Furthermore, Aleeza said gardening helped her become aware of the effects of climate change on gardens and plants. Aleeza said the growing seasons have changed drastically within the last few years.

“In the spring, things will come up, but then we’ll still get another frost and they’ll die off right after they come up because the weather has changed so much because of climate change,” Aleeza said. “We also have longer dry seasons. We get many days without rain, which can kill off plants.”

Aleeza stressed the importance of valuing the resources people use on a daily basis. She said doing activities at home such as watching the amount of water that goes into the laundry, showering and washing the dishes can help the environment. She also encouraged people to carpool, walk or bike to reduce carbon emissions.

“We (Gardening Together club members) went outside to pick up trash in the rain garden behind the school, and we planted new seeds,” Aleeza said. “We’re putting more oxygen out and cleaning up the environment. It’s something small, but it makes a difference.”

Wei said she started gardening to become more sustainable and take over her food sources.

“I learned about how much gas and other energy was used to grow food on a large scale, so I wanted to try and reduce that by growing my own food,” Wei said. 

Through her experience with gardening, Aleeza said she has learned three valuable lessons: patience, mindfulness and allowing things to unfold naturally.

“You can’t control how a plant grows. You can help it grow and thrive, but you can’t control its growth pattern. You can only control what you do about it,” Aleeza said. “And then, patience. Some plants grow a lot faster than others, but the plants that don’t grow as fast are sometimes the prettiest.” 

Mrs. Price added that gardening can also help people develop routines.

“Some people like to have the routine and the regularity of needing to water the plants and take care of them,” Mrs. Price said. 

In honor of National Gardening Month, starting in April, Aleeza said she encourages students to try gardening. She said she plans to continue gardening and enjoy all the aspects gardening brings into her everyday life.

“I feel like plants bring peace and calmness,” Aleeza said. “There’s something so beautiful in the imperfections of nature—the biodiversity, and it’s those imperfections that make nature so beautiful.”