10 Ways to Share Your Garden with Others

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“Sharing is the most fundamental act of friendship. It is a way you can give something without losing anything.” – Richard Stallman

It is wonderful to be able to enjoy your hydrangeas blooming prolifically or to collect a basketful of fresh produce out of the garden for your supper, but those experiences are made all the richer by sharing them with someone special. Sharing your garden can be one of the most joyful and rewarding parts of the entire gardening experience. We’ll show you ten ideas on how to share here.

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1. Share pictures and videos of your garden.

The simplest way to share your garden doesn’t even require you to get out of your pajamas! Take an early morning stroll through your garden and snap a few quick pictures or a short video clip. Catch the dew shining on the petals of your favorite rose and post it for your fellow early risers on Instagram. Facetime your mom to show her how well the divisions of daisies she gave you are growing. Photograph a part of your landscape where you could use some new ideas and post your request in your local Facebook gardening group. This blog will help you learn how to take better pictures that are totally shareworthy.

2. Invite friends and neighbors over for a glass of wine and a garden tour.

You could enjoy every bit of nice weather while you can and help others do the same by inviting them over to see your garden. No need for every weed to be pulled or flower deadheaded first—true friends won’t care. They will just enjoy being surrounded by the beauty of the outdoors and catching up withpage1image15547968

good friends. While they are there, get their ideas about a garden project you have in the works or ask them what you could plant in that one spot where nothing seems to grow. Communities are built in the garden.

3. Give a bouquet or fresh herbs from your garden.

Wouldn’t you love to receive a bouquet of sweetly fragrant lilacs? Your six-foot tall Scentara Pura® lilac will produce more than enough flowers to share every spring. Surprise your sister with a bouquet left on her kitchen counter when she gets home from work, or give your neighbor a bag filled with freshly washed mint leaves clipped from your garden. It’s an easy way to bring a smile to someone else’s day.

4. Share your extra plants with someone who could use them.

There are so many ways to share plants from your garden. Do you really need all 20 tomato plants that sprouted from the seeds you sowed? Share some of your seedlings, divisions, cuttings or seeds with a friend or neighbor who would love to receive them. Plant swaps are another good way to share plants you have extras of in exchange for something new you haven’t tried yet. If in-person events aren’t happening in your area, check your local gardening groups or the marketplace on Facebook for others looking to exchange plants.

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5. Plant a little extra to share the bounty.

“Give someone a fish and they eat for a day. Teach them to garden and the whole neighborhood gets zucchini,” as the saying goes. If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you know how true this is! Why not deliberately plant a few extra vegetables with the intention of donating your surplus produce to a local food pantry or shelter? Fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the most costly items for these charities to provide, and many will welcome your donation. Family members and co-workers might also appreciate your extras.

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6. Make something delicious from your garden and share it.

There’s just nothing like eating something fresh you grew yourself. Somehow, the apples taste sweeter and the peppers are zestier when you pluck them right from the branch and drop them into a favorite recipe. Be proud of what your efforts have yielded. Share your deliciously homegrown, homemade goodies with someone special to make the experience even more meaningful for both the gift giver and receiver.

7. Donate your time and garden to host an event for your community.

This is a great way to bring people together in the beautiful space you’ve created while making a positive local impact. Raise funds for the new children’s garden at the elementary school down the road by hosting a garden party. Welcome fellow gardeners to gather in your yard for their monthly meeting. Help local artists gain exposure by inviting them to display some of their work in your garden and invite the community in to view it. Being willing to share your garden with others can benefit everyone around you.

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8. Help promote your local independent garden retailers.

Have a favorite place to buy mums in the fall or hydrangeas in the spring? Share where you buy the plants for your garden with your neighbors and friends. Post a picture on social media from your locally owned garden center showing their benches overflowing with gorgeous plants. Take a selfie at the farmer’s market on Saturday morning to remind people to come down and support their local growers. Remember to tag them on social media so they can see your support. Anything you can do to help the businesses owned by people in your community will be appreciated.

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9. Adorn your gifts with clippings from your garden.

Receiving a gift with fresh or preserved flowers attached is always a surprising delight. It’s so much more meaningful, not to mention more environmentally responsible, than a plastic foil bow that’ll be tossed aside. Be sure to attach the clippings shortly before it’s time to present the gift or use preserved items like the dehydrated orange slice you see here. Evergreens work perfectly for this use all year long. You could also go a step further and share a gift made from your garden such as a stunning photo of a butterfly on a blossom, a dried flower wreath, or your lavender shortbread recipe.

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10. Teach someone else a skill you learned in your garden.

Sharing your garden isn’t just about sharing its physical attributes—it’s also about sharing the knowledge you have gained from it. Once you’ve gardened for a while, you start to see the wisdom in it and draw lessons that are both practical and philosophical in nature. Sharing a certain skill you’ve learned, like a mother teaching her child how to loosen a plant’s roots before putting it in the ground, will help others journey down their own garden path. Some of the best gardening tips you’ll ever gain will come from someone who has shared their experience with you, and you can in turn do the same.

2 thoughts on “10 Ways to Share Your Garden with Others”

  1. I am hoping to discover people in the western suburbs of Melbourne who love to garden but have no space to do so and others who may have a large garden space but are struggling to maintain or work their garden. There was a Landshare program established many years ago that linked the two parties together to the benefit of both but I don’t think it is operating any more?? Any information about this idea would be greatly appreciated.

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