The Return of the Gardening Club

The Gardening Club aims to be a space that students can decompress while also learning how to care for themselves through caring for their environment. I credit my family, in particular my mom and great-grandmother, for my interest in gardening. My mom often tells me how my great-grandmother used gardening as a way to spend quality time while giving back to the environment. Now that I am an adult and my grandmother has long passed, my mom has passed down the knowledge and passion that my grandmother once shared with her. 

For me, gardening is more than just plants; it’s a way to set aside differences and bond in the serenity of nature. Through my psychology classes at Lyon, I have learned that finding healthy ways to cope with stress, depression, anxiety, and other challenges can significantly improve overall mental well-being. To me, prioritizing my mental well-being means taking the time to escape from the real world and find comfort in the silence. 

Since moving to Lyon, I have noticed that many gardening resources are either overgrown or underutilized. For example, this past year, a tree was removed from the library, leaving a bare spot where there was once foliage and nature. However, we have an abundance of resources for gardening on campus, such as gardening beds and a greenhouse. In the spring, we plan to host a farmers' market, where students can buy fresh produce grown on campus. I hope that events like the farmers' market on campus will provide students with a new perspective on gardening. As I prepare to graduate in the spring of 2026, I hope to inspire a lasting interest in sustainable gardening and foster a sense of community through these efforts.