Gardening popularity fading? Not so fast...

Amidst the discouraging news we hear almost daily in the media about the economy (among so many other discouraging topics), you might think the world is coming to an end. Locally speaking, Michigan is near or at the bottom of most economic reports, with many businesses packing up and going elsewhere. And you really can't blame them; times have changed and they must do what they must do.

So with this sometimes bleak outlook, lost jobs, and personal finances being pinched, retail businesses do indeed suffer. However, although garden centers have felt the same pinch, gardening overall remains a popular hobby and pastime.

Why?

• There are few things in life that give the satisfaction of working in a garden or landscape. Evidence shows gardening to have strong therapeutic qualities. Working the soil, watching things grow and mature, being able to create something, and enjoying the outdoors are all activities that gardening enables you to do.

• Gardening can be pricey for larger-scale projects, but overall, gardening is relatively inexpensive. Not much money needs to be spent for a few containers, a vegetable garden, or a smaller area... all of which will last the entire season.

• Vegetable gardens are popular once again, thanks to the need to be as "natural" as possible. As food became cheaper, vegetable gardens became more scarce. However, with the recent surge in "all-natural" products, doing your own vegetables and herbs is once again gaining popularity, and with little money required.

• Gasoline prices continue to rise, sometimes causing people to change their travel plans. Staying home a little more gives them more time to take care of plants at home, with less money invested in plants compared to gasoline.


So, if you haven't tried gardening lately, do yourself a favor and check it out. Stop by W.W. sometime and see what you're missing. You will be surprised at the benefits... financially, physically, and emotionally.