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

Since 1999, Nicole has been a designer, copy editor, family columnist, and covered style, home design, gardening and other news-you-can-use topics. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026

Your questions and comments, as well as gardening conundrums and successes, are always welcome. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 Feb. 2026

According to the University of California, Los Angeles, people 65 and older who have hobbies, such as golfing, gardening, crafting, and fishing, report higher levels of happiness and greater life satisfaction. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026

But gardening in the parkway is a bit more complicated than digging up your own yard. —Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gardening

• hardening
• pardoning