Seeing, smelling and touching plants can have a positive effect on both physical and mental health. To prove it, we spoke with three of our colleagues and here’s what they had to say on the subject of gardening and its many benefits.
Isabelle, Café RICARDO chef
It was Isabelle’s mother who introduced her to both cooking and gardening as a child. At the time, the family lived on Île d’Orléans, a place known for its abundance of summer strawberries. The Café RICARDO chef therefore spent much of her childhood in vegetable gardens and hopes to have one of her own in the coming years, once her yard is ready to welcome one.
WHAT MEMORIES DO YOU HAVE OF THE VEGETABLE GARDENS FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD?
My mother had a garden that she oversaw with her two sisters. It was huge and had about 70 tomato plants. There were also beets. And when it came time to harvest, my mother would cook them outside over a wood fire.
WHICH GARDENING STEPS DID YOU HELP WITH AND WHICH ONE DO YOU ENJOY MOST?
Planting, weeding, hoeing, potting, shelling peas, hulling strawberries: I did it all! The fruit of our labour was the harvest and it’s the part I prefer. It represents all the love and patience that went into what we were growing.
“My favourites are root vegetables: carrots, parsnips and celeriac. All kinds of radishes. I really love root vegetables. I find that they’re easy to prepare and they store well.”
– Isabelle
WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU GET FROM GARDENING?
While waiting to have a real vegetable garden at home, I enjoy my flower beds. I planted a sea buckthorn plant there, all kinds of herbs and edible flowers. I escape into it, as if time stops. It’s a moment of relaxation that’s very therapeutic.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE COOKING VEGETABLES FROM THEIR GARDEN?
Keep things as simple as possible and avoid overcooking the vegetables in order to keep them crunchy. Green beans, for example: barely blanched with a knob of butter is all they need. The same goes for fresh garden tomatoes that can be eaten like apples; just a pinch of sea salt is enough to make them delicious.
Quiches and Savoury Pies
Layered Vegetable Torte
Jean-Michel, graphic designer
Jean-Michel fell into gardening as a child. What he liked most when visiting his grandparents in the countryside was walking through their huge garden. They had a look at what had grown and he helped his grandfather remove the “potato bugs”!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR GARDEN
I have several garden boxes where I grow my vegetables. I’m lucky to have a large yard with small fruits on one side. The raspberry bushes I planted five years ago are very productive and my pear tree, which bloomed last spring, gave me five pears even though the tree is still small.
WHAT ARE THE MOST SURPRISING FOODS IN YOUR GARDEN?
I would say climbing spinach. Their leaves, like those of a vine, cover sections of a wall. The young leaves are good; the larger ones are harder to chew. I’d also mention fennel bulbs. The ones I planted last year were a huge success. I’ll plant them again this year.
“As a Saturday morning treat, I pour myself a cup of coffee and walk around my garden. I make sure everything looks good: I do a bit of maintenance and remove weeds.”
– Jean-Michel
WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU GET FROM GARDENING?
When I garden, I’m fully in the moment and don’t think of anything else. I take care of my plants and in that moment, that’s all that matters.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW GARDENER?
Start small with one or two potted plants you can keep on your balcony. A cherry tomato plant is perfect when starting out, as it’s easy to maintain and the harvest stretches over time. It’s the most satisfying part.
Gardening for about two and a half hours per week has been linked to a lower risk of colon cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and premature death.
Maude, content director
Maude’s passion for gardening didn’t come from a trusted adult during her childhood, but rather from a desire to just get her hands dirty. She and her partner signed up on the waiting list for the community garden in their neighbourhood. They had to wait five long years before their dream of gardening became a reality!
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO GARDEN?
I buy local as much as possible and try to reduce my environmental footprint. Having a community garden close to home is really amazing. And since I’m an outdoorsy girl, it allows me to spend even more time outside.
WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU GET FROM GARDENING?
Going to the garden after work helps me disconnect. It’s nice to enjoy the sun and socialize with people there. There are people of all ages and nationalities. It’s an opportunity to build new connections with families.
“I learned how to garden on YouTube. Where does that spark come from? From food. I enjoy eating and for me, growing my own vegetables just made sense.”
– Maude
HOW DID GARDENING CHANGE YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?
Last summer, I was there all the time. It’s truly rewarding! Whenever I had friends or family over for dinner, I brought them with me to the garden. We grabbed what we needed and went home to cook our crop together.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW GARDENER?
Don’t get too ahead of yourself. My boyfriend and I were so excited that we once started planting when there was still a risk of frost. We had to dig them out and then replant them at home to not lose them.