5 Reasons Why a Lasting Garden is a Worthwhile Investment

The home garden in Minnesota properties tends to take a backseat to the home’s upkeep and other renovation projects. This is for several reasons – one of them is that Minnesota is a place where the frost season can last for several weeks, with the temperature in the past year dipping to a chilly low of -30 degrees F in January 2017. This causes people to stay indoors, with the garden not being a priority.

However, many homeowners note the worthwhile venture of gardening once spring arrives. From hoping to alleviate the ecological footprint of their neighborhood, to using a garden to improve the curb appeal of home properties; here are several reasons why a sustainable garden is a worthwhile investment.

We’ve compiled a few reasons why you’ll want to consider adding a garden to your property this year.

1. Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is how beautiful your property is the moment someone turns a corner and set eyes on your home. It’s largely a superficial aspect of home ownership, but it has real life consequences.

When utilizing your garden to improve the curb appeal of your home, invest in shrubs or trees that make a statement. To guarantee that your garden doesn’t become a headache throughout its lifetime, make sure to heed spacing requirements. Proper spacing will make sure that your garden stays lush and healthy for years to come.

2. Mental Health

There has been a continued link between mental health and the influence of gardening, with the Centers for Disease Control noting that gardening is an “excellent way to get physical activity.” Simply spending time in the garden can also reduce anxiety and bouts of depression.

The home garden goes deeper than just making you feel good. The Journal of Health and Psychology has found that gardens can also help lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with obesity and stress.

3. Perennials Save Money

Invest in plants that will come back every year. Under the ideal conditions, perennial plants can survive through the winter. Perennial plants can regrow for several years. You can mix perennials and annuals plants. Perennials will bloom for only several weeks within a year. Annual plants bloom all year, but they will die as soon as the frost comes in – thankfully, they’ll come back during the spring.

Attractive perennial plants that can withstand the Minnesota weather include geraniums, polemoniums, and geum flowers. Many of these long-lasting plants use a rhizome or a bulb to grow, with the bulb settling and hibernating during the cold months. Suddenly you will see them grow and bloom during early spring.

4. The Gift That Keeps on Giving – Vegetables

Of course, you can plant vegetables in your garden and reap the benefits of a harvest. But for most vegetable plants, the dangers of frost must pass first. Thankfully, there are frost-resistant plants that will survive the first tumultuous months, when the risk of frost is unsure.

The cold temperatures stimulate the sugars found in carrots, activating its natural anti-freeze. This makes carrots an ideal vegetable to grow in your lasting garden. Spinach and leeks are also plants that can withstand temperatures that will usually kill other vegetables.

5. Your Association Will Appreciate Your Investment

At least the local home association will appreciate you taking care of places that can be seen by the public. Take note that your local HOA may be a bit overzealous – inform them of your intention of establishing a garden on your property. If you grow exotic fruits or vegetables, they can easily be an icebreaker with new neighbors that just moved in. Get a basket of homegrown ingredients and watch a new friendship bloom.

It seems like many homeowners are overlooking the unique advantages of having an established garden. But once you realize the surplus food that you can’t even stock, with a luscious garden that inspires questions from people, then you’ll be surprised how delighted people become when they see you coming their way with a basket full of goodies.