Pandemic Gardening

"'Tis an ill wind indeed, that blows no good." - William Shakespeare For all the pain and suffering brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also brought some unexpected blessings. One of those is that many people discovered gardening in 2020. A lot of them were stuck at home, either working remotely or laid off, and needed to find something to do that was soothing, safe and got them out of the house. Some had children at home who ordinarily would be at school. They needed an activity that the family could share and enjoy. Apartment and condo dwellers doubled their houseplant collections. Homeowners dug up part of their lawn to plant vegetables. West Seattle Nursery, where I work part time, was overwhelmed with the demand for seeds, soil, and vegetable starts. The demand remained strong through the spring. What did people do with all that soil and plant material? In summer, we asked customers to tell us their stories of "Gardening in the Age of Coronavirus." We posted a series of their stories on our blog. Take a look. Will this passion for gardening last? Only time will tell. But as these customers explain, the mental and physical health benefits of gardening are undeniable.