Your Garden Grows More Than Tomatoes

I have been given my marching orders. Clear a space in the backyard. My wife wants to plant a garden. When I consider the work required and the time she spends tending to it, a backyard garden is a lot of work. Isn't it cheaper just to buy veggies. I think so, but as my wife says, there is more to gardening than a garden.

Most people who garden do so because it's something they like it. Nearly 46-percent of respondents in a Garden-Share.com poll say their main reason for tending a garden is "for relaxation/enjoyment." A quarter say they maintain a garden to make their yards beautiful, and 18-percent like growing their own food. However, flower gardens are the most prominent, with nearly 60-percent of the gardeners saying it's what they prefer to grow. Just over 20-percent like tending to a vegetable garden, while five-pecent enjoy growing herbs and one-percent have a fruit garden. Tomatoes, berries, and basil are the most popular edible plants to grow.

While growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs might not be as popular as flowers, 44-percent agree it can save the gardener money. Only four-percent believe the costs outweigh the savings, and five-percent think fruit, vegetable, and herb gardeners break even. Twelve-percent say these gardens might save people money at the store, but caring for them takes more time than shopping.