Five reasons to join a gardening club

This article first appeared in The House of Wellness magazine.

The collective noun for gardeners is a sprinkle, or a dig. Even though gardening may seem like a solitary activity, there are myriad benefits to getting out into the community and joining a club. It’s a great cure for loneliness, which since the pandemic has become a growing health concern for many people, particularly those who live in isolated areas.

As a novice gardener, Julia Atkinson-Dunn plucked up the nerve to attend a meeting of her local Canterbury Horticultural Society, where she “uncovered the real gold that I had been missing out on”. With the release of her third book, A Guided Discovery of Gardening, she shares some of the ways that becoming a ‘sprinkler’ has improved both her gardening technique and her general sense of belonging.

1. Beginner’s pluck

Joining a club can be particularly daunting when you are a beginner – at anything! We often think we can’t join a gym until we’re fit, or sign up for quiz night unless we’re a general- knowledge whiz.

Gardeners are no different. Luckily for Julia, her first experience at the Canterbury Horticultural Society was a welcoming one, and she quickly learned that the group catered to all levels of experience.

“I took a seat at the back of the lovely kiosk in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, well aware that my red hair was intensely obvious among the more muted tones around me,” she says.

What followed was a rundown of recent weather conditions and tips for what could be done around a garden at that specific time of year.

“There were no complicated, isolating words. No questions were too simple. The experience wasn’t what I had expected at all! It was immediately clear to me that the club was as relevant to me as a new gardener as it was to the members who’d had their hands in the earth their whole life.”

2. Digital detox

While Julia admits that she has found massive advantages in belonging to gardening-based groups on Facebook, nothing beats meeting up in person.

“As I moved through my formative gardening years, I began to notice the plentiful opportunities to gather locally with other gardeners.”

Often, this will include insightful talks about gardening goals, discussions of community impacts, and plenty of chat about fresh produce. As more and more of us live our lives online, the health and psychological benefits of stepping away to meet up with like-minded people IRL (in real life) should never be taken for granted.

3. Knowledge is power

No matter how much you know about gardening, there is always more you can learn, especially from other gardeners.

“In my experience, the gardeners above me provide all the answers to the sticky little questions I have about my own home plot,” says Julia. “And I can only encourage other new gardeners to dip their feet in and slide into their local meeting too.

“As someone who is very protective of her free time, I’d like to dismantle this fear of commitment that can deter us from club membership. Garden clubs, societies and groups of all shapes and forms offer opportunities that we can match to our interests and the commitment we are capable of making.”

4. The value of volunteering

Research has shown that regular volunteering in an area you’re passionate about can ease depression and boost happiness, while developing a joyful sense of purpose.

“Becoming a volunteer at a community garden will require occasional donated time and muscle, but in return, you will receive free mentoring and guidance, while you build on your garden skills,” says Julia.

“No experience is required and the connections and learning are limited only by your availability.”

5. Friendship circle

New friendships can be harder to form as we age, particularly once we move past the structural boundaries of school and university, where a lot of early relationships are cemented. This is where societies and clubs come into their own as a place to cultivate new friend groups.

“Garden clubs are focused on arranging speakers, demonstrations, or garden visits for their members, while offering camaraderie and casual connections,” says Julia.

“These positives are invaluable to beginners who might not have people within their family or friendship groups who are also interested in growing. I have found that my garden friends, more than any others, barge through peer groups and generational divides. My best garden friends range in age from their fifties to their eighties.”

Tip: Wondering how you might discover gardening clubs or societies nearby?

A quick online search will bring up information about neighbourhood and regional garden clubs and community gardens in your area.