Do you have your own garden?  Are you consider getting out there in the dirt and starting one?  You should! I have had my own garden for the last several years and I absolutely love it!  I have found so many benefits to it, many of which didn’t even occur to me.

The benefits truly are countless, but I decided to give you just a couple of them to see if you are interested in getting started on your new gardening journey.  Here are 5 ways that having your own garden benefits you:

1. Healthier eating.  Eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to boost your health.  If you have a great supply of these fresh foods from having your own garden, you are more likely to eat them.   
2. You are more active.  You have to go outside and get moving to work in your garden. Gardens will not survive if you stay sitting on the sofa doing nothing.  It’s a great way to sneak some exercise into your day.
3. Saves money.  Yep, once you have had your garden for a year or two, you will really start to notice how much less money you spend at the grocery store on produce.  Plus, the foods that you grow in excess can often be frozen or canned to last until next gardening season.
4. Your yard is prettier.  With bountiful, colorful foods growing, it is a pleasant site when you compare it to the grass or weeds that you were looking at.  I have lawn chairs set out next to my garden because I just love it out there.
5. Kids eating healthier.  This one was surprising to me, but I after I started gardening and started recruiting my kids to help, I noticed that they had increased interest in eating their fruits and veggies.  Once they saw them actually growing and watched the process, they wanted to taste the foods that they grew on their own. This has been my favorite garden benefit.