National Gardening Day – April 14, 2024

U.S.

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National Gardening Day on April 14 is a day of encouragement, a day created to give gardeners a shove and a shovel so that they can begin their gardening journey. Weather permitting, gardening has always been an endearing task for patient lovers of the great outdoors. A good gardener plans years ahead as they shape the nature that surrounds them according to their vision and needs. With National Gardening Day arriving during Spring, it’s a great chance for you to warm up your green fingers and get planting and preparing for the summer. Our gardens are a unique space, use this day to get out there and make the most of them. If you want to celebrate in style, check out our gift guide for plant lovers.

When is National Gardening Day 2024?

We spend time in nature and enjoy one of our favorite activities on National Gardening Day on April 14.

History of National Gardening Day

National Gardening Day was founded by Cool Springs Press in 2018 to celebrate the hobby of gardening and to encourage gardeners to share their expert knowledge.

Forest gardening, a forest-based food production system, is known to be the world’s oldest form of gardening. Forest gardens could be found in prehistoric times along jungle banks. Ancient Egyptian paintings from around 1500 BC provide some of the earliest evidence of people gardening for pleasure and to achieve an aesthetically pleasing outcome.

After a decline during the Middle Ages, cottage gardens became popular during Elizabethan times. These usually contained food and herbs, with flowers added for decorative purposes. Gardens gradually became more open plan and less rigid in their structure and by the mid 19th century in Europe, we were starting to see the types of gardens that we are all familiar with today.

The initial gardeners in the U.S were essentially harvesters. In the 17th and 18th century those lucky enough to own land and consequently a garden would try and use it to make money by harvesting whatever crops were suitable. Home gardening started to become a leisure activity in the 1800s as villages grew bigger and mass produce was beginning. Ornamental gardens took the place of edible gardens and research on plant diseases and pests began.

The last 150 years have seen gardens become an increasingly social space, with methods of caring for them evolving to provide gardeners with a much-increased body of knowledge and equipment from which to garden with.

National Gardening Day timeline

2018

Greenday

National Gardening Day is announced to be an annual holiday.

2000

Healthier US

Edible Gardens are back as America becomes more health-conscious.

1900s

Eat Me

Interest in edible gardens drops as manufacturing jobs rise to urban areas.

1700s

Homestore

American colonists rely on productive home gardens due to alack of stores and mass production.

Gardening By The Numbers

1,000 – 2,000 — the number of individual flowers that make up a single sunflower.

35 inches — the height up to which bamboo can grow in a single day.

1600s — the decade when tulips were considered more valuable than gold in Holland.

200 — the number of seeds in the average strawberry.

250 million — the number of years that the oldest-living tree dates back — the Ginkgo biloba.

$3 million — the price of the most expensive rose in the world.

10% — the percentage increase in sales of gardening in 2018.

$3.5 billion — the amount spent on gardening food by Americans in 2013.

20% — the percentage of our food that is produced by urban farming.

4,000 — the number of species of orchids around the world.

National Gardening Day FAQs

Is there a national Flower Day?

Yes. National Flower Day is celebrated on March 21.

What is Garden Day?

National Garden Day is made for garden fanatics to spend time celebrating their gardens, and for newbies to experiment with getting their fingers green.

Which date is remembered as Earth day?

Earth Day is every year on April 22. The events on this day support and raise awareness for environmental protection.

National Gardening Day Activities

Sign up for a gardening course
Check your area and see if you can get professional assistance in bringing your garden to its full potential. If you don’t have a garden, look for a community gardening area to plant in.
Visit your local garden center
If you want to spruce up your garden, visit your local garden center and you will be amazed at the options available to make your garden look lovely.
Share on social media
Make your garden Instagram ready. Share photos or videos of what you are doing to your garden. Record the gardening process and be sure to use #NationalGardeningDay on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

5 Facts About National Gardening Day

Outdoor living room
This day is a part of National Garden Month held in April.
Franky says
In the 1940s, President Franklin D Roosevelt encouraged every household to fight food shortages with a home garden.
Organic gardening
The creation of ‘‘Earth Day’’ renewed interest in home gardening in 1970.
Pyramid fountain
The earliest known decorative gardens go back to Ancient Egypt.
Petting birds
Regulations from London’s Royal Parks and Gardens forbid touching a pelican in 1977.

Why we love National Gardening Day

Let’s get physical
One of the great benefits of gardening is the exercise we get. The planting, clearing, and weeding all involve a fair bit of stretching and is sure to get your heart rate going a little. Gardening is also known to relieve stress and help mental health.
Good for the soul
Being outside in the garden is good for the soul. If we take care of our gardens, plants, flowers, fruit, and veg will slowly be coming to life before our eyes. It is a haven for wildlife to roam and there’s nothing like taking a deep breath in the morning out in the garden.
A sociable space
Hanging out with friends and family in the garden is a great way to socialize. National Gardening Day encourages you to make sure your garden is looking great for the occasion.