1. Gardening every day keeps the doctor away

“ I grow medicinal herbs like thyme, oregano, tulsi, vasuki, mint, and sage because they relieve headaches and menstrual cramps. These teas have a cooling effect and relieve anxiety. ”

(A fifty-one-year-old female entrepreneur in Pune)

“ We come from a village, where we have a culture of having greenery in front of our houses. We grow plants like tulsi and aloe for their medicinal properties. They relieve menstrual cramps and improve digestion. They are used by everyone in our neighbourhood. ”

(A thirty-seven-year-old woman from a low-income settlement in Bengaluru)

“ Personally, whenever I am exhausted or get a migraine, I go to my farm and weed or water my plants. These tasks calm me down. Gardening helps keep myself fit. ”

(A thirty-two-year-old male IT professional in Pune)

“ After my husband underwent angioplasty, I decided that we will not consume chemically-grown food anymore. That is when I started to grow and harvest my own produce. ”

(A forty-seven-year-old homemaker in Bengaluru)

2. A healthy mind in a healthy garden

“ Having plants is just beautiful. It gives a beautiful look and positive vibes to the house. ”

(A forty-year-old female construction labourer in Bengaluru)

“ Gardening allows me to de-stress. I used to watch movies or go to the mall, but now I have a reason to come back home. Spending more time in the sun and fresh air has improved my health. It has also helped me connect better with myself. ”

(A forty-three-year-old male IT professional in Bengaluru)

“ Having just a few pots of plants makes me happy. It is healthy to have plants around you; they give fresh air and it's green. Green is good and a healthy colour. ”

(A thirty-seven-year-old female daily wage labourer in Pune)

“ I have always had an interest in growing plants. It is said to bring good luck and health to the ones living in the house. And eating what you grow is a family satisfaction, isn’t it? ”

(A fifty-one-year-old homemaker in Bengaluru)

“ Within a month of having my own garden, I started feeling happiness. I felt like I was taking care of my children. ‘Ata mala masta vatta, tya jhadanna baghun asa vatta jasa majhich mula mothi hotyat (Now when I look at my plants, I feel like my children are growing and blooming). ”

(A forty-four-year-old female domestic helper in Pune)

“ I wanted to farm on our plot, but my husband did not. I couldn’t drive, so my husband had to drive me up to our plot every time I wanted to go. Initially, he was not interested, but after three weeks, he helped me sow plants, water them, and carry my gardening equipment. We walked out of our farm smiling and holding hands. ”

(A sixty-three-year-old retired female government employee in Pune)

“ Nowadays, we are getting disconnected from our food and cultural heritage. I am growing native varieties of vegetables and spices to revive the magic our old food recipes had. ”

(A thirty-seven-year-old male food entrepreneur in Bengaluru)

“ We got married recently and moved to India. It was a big change for my husband and I. We started gardening and it brought us closer together. We spoke about our day at work, our likings, and connected better. We learnt to adjust and help each other. ”

(A twenty-nine-year-old female IT professional in Pune)

“ I have a lot of friends now, not just in India but outside India too. One friend is staying in Thane, another is based in California. I guide them on how to garden through WhatsApp and video calls. ”

(A seventy-one-year-old man from Bengaluru)

3. Gardening is the ultimate sustainability teacher

“ We don't want to waste the food, because we see how long it takes for plants to grow and we don't have the heart to waste it. Gardening has taught us a lot about patience and discipline. You cannot do anything to make the plants grow faster; rather you see it as it grows. It adds a different dimension to your lifestyle, it's addictive. ”

(A family of four in Pune)

“ There is so much to learn from my garden. I have seen how spiders make webs. I have seen tiny birds make their nest using a few brinjal leaves. Their eggs are as small as peanuts with a reddish pink colour. We don't want to waste the food, because we see how long it takes for plants to grow and we don't have the heart to waste it. Gardening has taught us a lot about patience and discipline. You cannot do anything to make the plants grow faster; rather you see it as it grows. It adds a different dimension to your lifestyle, it's addictive. ”

(A forty-six-year-old homemaker in Bengaluru)