If you look around the Eastman region, you’ll notice that the first signs of summer are starting to show. The leaves are starting to spring to life, the wildlife is out in abundance, and the gardeners are starting their gardens within the safe warm confines of their homes, envisioning the long summer days ahead and the fruitfulness that the fall season will yield.

We know that not everyone is a gardener, but we’ve put together a list of 5 fabulous reasons why you should give it a try this year. The Eastman region has many local garden centres with knowledgeable staff waiting at the ready to help you discover this bright, colourful and relaxing new hobby.

#1 You can Be a Lazy Gardener

Forget the big garden and think inside the box, be small and just grow something.

Container gardens (large flower pots) and raised beds or garden boxes (generally made from cedar) are changing the way people garden. The task of gardening doesn’t seem so daunting when one simple 4’ x 8’ garden is all you really need to plant a variety of vegetables, even a few flowers to brighten your day. The best part is, it takes very little effort to maintain meaning you can be a lazy gardener.

Now that we’ve abolished the massive size and time requirements that many of us associate with gardening, let’s take a look at some more reasons why you should garden.

#2 Garden Grown Tastes So Much Better

It’s probably safe to assume that everyone has eaten something fresh from the garden. If you haven’t, you are missing out. There is nothing quite like biting into a juicy tomato, fresh from the vine and realizing that every tomato you’ve eaten before pales in comparison. Eastern Manitoba is a great place to grow a variety of fresh vegetables. Combined with a long growing season, spring to fall, and long days; we are blessed with rich, good soil, and an abundance of moisture.

Big or small, some great vegetables to try out this year are peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers and of course, tomatoes.

#3 You can Rejuvenate Your Mind, Body and Soul

For many, there are direct health benefits associated with gardening. Gardening certainly requires some physical effort, that is if you’ve decided against being a lazy gardener. Just imagine all those calories you’ll burn off while digging in the mud and weeding. Gardening also offers a therapeutic and natural experience that many find incredibly rewarding. Growing a successful garden can give you a feeling of true achievement and pride.

#4 Gardening is a Way to Give Back

Gardening is a great way to give back to nature. Planting wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs, flowers for the bees, or even carrots for the rabbits to get at help create ecosystems to maintain a healthier environmental balance. Gardening is also a great way to give back to the community either by starting a community garden or sharing your fall harvest with the local food bank or your friends and neighbours.

#5 Gardening Helps Strengthen Relationships

Creating a garden, no matter the size is always more fun with family and friend, or even your neighbours if you’re building a community garden. Working together on a project, learning together, and just being able to carve out time together will lead to wonderful gardening memories that won’t soon be forgotten.

This weekend head out to one of our local garden centres and get your imagination flowing and your heart beating for reasons to garden in Eastern Manitoba.

Schriemer’s Greenhouses & Garden Centre Ltd – Springfield

C & S Country Gardens – Lorette

Green Oak Gardens – Beausejour

Vandermeer Garden Centre – Ile-des-Chenes

Giz’s Garden Centre – New Bothwell

Glenlea Greenhouses – St. Agathe

Chevrefils Greenhouse – St. Georges

Margie’s Greenhouse – Lac du Bonnet

Fryfogel Flowers – Dugald

Golden Plains Greenhouse – Kleefeld

Rainbow Mill Gardens – Vivian

Sunshine Greenhouse – Steinbach