Did you know that getting your hands dirty in the garden can increase your serotonin levels? That’s right, specific bacterias in the soil release the happy chemical in your brain and can help strengthen your immune system. To help celebrate National Gardening Day on April 14, here’s a list of seven ways to get your hands in the dirt with gardening and planting activities around town this spring and summer.

	1. When planning a garden, focus on native plants, which are more eco and cost-friendly because they require less watering and pesticides. Since native plants thrive in their habitats and don’t require as much attention as non-native plants, they will also save you time. Mark your calendar for the Native Plant Expo & Marketplace happening June 3, 2023, at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds.
	2. Dive into the world of pollination and learn more about the pollinators that live in our backyards at the Ypsilanti District Library’s Pollinator Gardens presentation, happening April 22, 2023.
	3. Connect with the Project Grow community, which focuses on facilitating organic community garden sites throughout Ann Arbor. Project Grow is offering two upcoming classes: Tips and Techniques 2—Planting Your Garden on April 18, 2023, and Growing Cut Flowers on May 4, 2023.
	4. Spend Earth Day starting seeds for your garden at the Ann Arbor District Library (Traverwood Branch) on April 22, 2023.
	5. ​​Rain gardens capture stormwater runoff before it pollutes our local rivers while also providing beautiful gardens throughout the growing season. They are popping up all over Ann Arbor residences in addition to the public rain gardens that the city continues to grow and maintain. Public rain gardens are available to adopt, or you can organize a volunteer workday for a fun way to learn about and care for a public space. In addition, Washtenaw County offers a Master Rain Gardener course. Get involved here!
	6. One hallmark of spring in Ann Arbor is the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden in Nichols Arboretum. It’s a historic collection of over 270 varieties of peonies from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They can’t predict exactly when the flowers will be in full bloom, but keeping an eye on their Facebook profile is a great way to know when the blooms are approaching their peak. Tip: in 2022, it was between the end of May and early June.
	7. A couple of years ago some SEAS staff decided to try propagating vegetables and herbs from kitchen scraps and documented their efforts in a blog post. They discovered that some, such as green onions, are easier to propagate than others. Check it out, maybe you’ll be inspired to try it out yourself!