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

Sculptor Maddy Inez, granddaughter of Betye Saar, crafts a series of ceramic vessels — each an ode to different plants brought over during the transatlantic slave trade — reframing gardening as an act of resistance. —Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

YouTube videos, podcast, books, newsletters, seeds, gardening tools and a direct-to-consumer business. —Stephanie Hind, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2026

Delaney's love of gardening, birds and the forest inspired her decision to be transformed into soil — literally — through a process known as natural organic reduction. —ABC News, 1 May 2026

Some benefits to gardening inside include less bugs, more access to harvest, easier time watering and more. —Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gardening

• hardening
• pardoning