gardening

noun

gar·​den·​ing ˈgär-də-niŋ 

ˈgärd-niŋ

: the act, activity, or pastime of planning and cultivating gardens

… America's number-one leisure pursuit remains the gentle, slow-going, idyllic activity of gardening.

—Margaret Langstaff

… there is no shortage this spring of slick and glossy books on gardening that are long on toothsome photography and short of thoughtful text …

—Allen Lacy

Halide lamps are the most popular source of white light available for indoor gardening, providing the best light spectrum for all stages of plant growth.

—Laura L. Kramer

—often used before another noun

gardening gloves

gardening tools

Examples of gardening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dealing with her own injuries that left her sidelined or on minute-restraints at the start of the season, Clark took to gardening to relieve stress. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 31 July 2026

Beyond getting you outside and moving, gardening offers a satisfying sense of progress. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 July 2026

At the event, attendees can learn more about food security, water efficiency, and sustainable gardening. — Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 30 July 2026

It's been suggested that coming into contact with soil contaminated by an armadillo also could affect humans, so gloves are recommended when gardening or digging. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gardening

• hardening
• pardoning