Getting Our Hands Dirty (In the Best Way)
A gentle guide to gardening before National Gardening Day & Earth Day
There’s a very specific kind of optimism that shows up this time of year.
The sun comes out.
The air softens.
And suddenly we’re all like:
this is the year I become a garden person.
(Meanwhile, Wendy is already mentally committed to approximately 47 new plants and at least 30 bags of mulch. No one stop her.)
With National Gardening Day (April 14) and Earth Day (April 22) around the corner, it feels like the perfect time to lean into it—whether you’re a seasoned gardener or someone who has… let’s say… lovingly struggled to keep a basil plant alive.
Good news: there’s room for all of us here.
Start Small (Your Future Self Will Thank You)
We know it’s tempting to go full garden-center-cart-overflow mode.
But truly? Start smaller than you think.
Try:
- one container on your porch
- a small raised bed
- a few herbs on your kitchen windowsill
You don’t need a full backyard transformation to feel the joy of growing something.
A single pot counts.
A slightly thriving plant counts.
Even a “we’ll see what happens here” situation absolutely counts.
Pick Plants That Want to Live
We’re all about a low-pressure hobby, so let’s stack the odds in your favor.
Beginner-friendly favorites:
- herbs (basil, mint, rosemary)
- marigolds (bright, cheerful, very forgiving)
- zinnias (colorful and low maintenance)
- lettuce or spinach (fast wins = instant confidence boost)
Bonus tip: pay attention to your space.
Sun? Shade? A mysterious in-between situation?
Your plants will tell you what works—sometimes loudly.
Make It a Moment, Not a Task
This is where we gently pivot from “project” to “experience.”
Gardening doesn’t have to be:
- efficient
- aesthetic
- or even particularly successful
It can just be:
- five quiet minutes outside
- coffee in hand, watering something
- noticing what’s changed since yesterday
Getting your hands in the dirt has a way of slowing everything down.
(Truly. It’s basically therapy with better lighting.)
Our Favorite Little Gardening Rituals
Because you know we love a moment.
A few ways we’re leaning into it this season:
- putting on a playlist while planting (yes, we have thoughts on this)
- bringing a book outside and reading near whatever we’ve planted
- clipping herbs and pretending we’re in a movie montage
- lighting a candle at dusk and just… sitting
It doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful.
A Few Easy Tips We Swear By
Nothing complicated—just the stuff that actually helps:
- water in the morning or evening (midday sun = rude)
- don’t overwater (we know, it’s hard not to love them too much)
- check plant tags—those little instructions are doing their best
- start with good soil (it makes more difference than you think)
- accept that some things won’t make it (we honor them and move on)
For Earth Day: A Softer Kind of Care
Earth Day doesn’t have to mean a total lifestyle overhaul.
It can look like:
- planting something pollinator-friendly
- using fewer disposable products in your garden
- composting (even just a little!)
- paying attention to the rhythms of the season
Or simply… appreciating what’s already growing around you.
Our Current Favorites 🌿
What we’re loving right now:
- pollinator plants (hello butterflies + hummingbirds, we are READY)
- herbs we can actually use (nothing like feeling mildly self-sufficient)
- wildflower mixes (low effort, high joy)
- a good pair of gardening gloves that make us feel like we know what we’re doing
And of course:
a book nearby. always.
If You’re Just Getting Started…
Let this be your sign.
Not to do everything.
Not to do it perfectly.
Just to begin.
One pot.
One plant.
One quiet moment outside.
We’ll be out there too—probably slightly overcommitted, a little muddy, and very convinced this is the year everything thrives.
