Caretaking, accomplishment and connection to nature: The 'gardening triad' and its role in new community gardeners' engagement, and social and emotional well-being

Understanding how activities in natural settings, such as gardening, improve health and well-being is important for designing nature-based health interventions. Our study focused on a sociodemographic-diverse group of new gardeners (n = 34) who had participated for one season in the community gardens as part of the Denver Urban Gardens initiative in Denver, CO USA. New gardeners participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews to determine how and why gardening influenced their well-being. Interview transcripts were analysed iteratively using grounded theory and comparative case study methodologies. Analysis revealed that new gardeners' previous gardening experience, social support systems and overcoming gardening challenges increased gardening engagement and improved outcomes. Within-garden outcomes that were nearly universally experienced by new gardeners included food production, physical activity in the garden and a 'gardening triad': (1) caretaking, nurturance or love and sense of responsibility for garden plants; (2) feelings of accomplishment, success and pride and (3) connection to nature including appreciation, restoration and wonder. We found that the elements of the 'gardening triad' were meaningful to gardeners and connected to both continued engagement of participants and others in the garden, and social and emotional well-being outcomes including new and/or strengthened social relationships; purpose and meaning; self-learning, self-worth and confidence; joy, immersion, restoration and respite; and management of mental health conditions. Gardening with others, including other gardeners, garden leaders, friends and family, amplified the well-being effects of the 'gardening triad.' Identification of the 'gardening triad' expands understanding of the salient health-promoting characteristics of gardening beyond simple exposure to nature, food production and physical activity. It embeds gardeners in relationship with their gardens as active participants eliciting universal emotional processes which, in turn, manifested as improved social and emotional well-being. Gardening, as an avenue for improving well-being, should be supported widely.Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.