When we pay attention, we realize the joy of gardening may come to us in surprising and often small, quiet ways.

Is there a greater joy than the joy of gardening? Maybe. But you’d have to try pretty hard to convince me. Gardening means we get to take part in nature’s seasonal magic show. Seemingly from nowhere we have brilliant red, orange, pink, and yellow tulips each Spring. In Summer, tall sunflowers shine bright on corner lots and peek in our windows.

It’s not always the big, obvious things that represent the joy of gardening, though. Sometimes it’s the sweet taste of a perfectly sun-ripened cherry tomato right from the vine. Or your favorite farmer giving you a packet of heirloom cucumber seeds. Other times, happiness comes when we see that last flower of the season or watching the bees drift quietly around the lavender.

There’s plenty of fun along the way, too. In Last Blooms, our gardening hero races against the rain to save the last daylilies of the season. And in Watering Cans and Rain Barrels, we learn that the joy of gardening is about taking things slowly and appreciating the quiet moments along the way. 

Often, though, the joy of gardening comes from recognizing that no matter what we do, nature is still the boss. Or to put it another way, no matter how many plants you kill, Hostas will make you feel like you have a green thumb. Writer Sue Ellis reminds us of this in A Hosta for Mrs. Malloy. 

These and other stories in this collection showcase the small moments when a tiny flower or the taste of a perfect berry makes the world feel like paradise, even if only for a snapshot of time. I hope you enjoy these stories and can give yourself a moment to share in the joy.

Get more stories about the joy of gardening below

Feel free to stay a while and enjoy all the stories about the joy of gardening we have to share below. And be sure to check out our Joy of Gardening Freebie while you’re here, which features a hand-picked selection of our favorite stories from this category.