Psychology of Gardening

carrie Wang

Hi! I'm Carrie Wang. I am sixteen years old and a junior at the Chinese International School in Hong Kong. I am a leader of the urban farming branch of my school's environmental organization, where we grow vegetables in the school's community garden and in our homes.

I am passionate about environmental sustainability, gardening, and psychology, so I made this website to explore the relationship between these different topics. Particularly, I'm focusing on how these can be implemented into urban environments, where there is often less space but a greater need for better mental health and more greenery.

I first started getting into gardening in year 6, when I represented my class to grow vegetables in our primary school's rooftop garden as part of a program called "Roots and Shoots." I realized then that I actually really enjoyed taking care of plants and watching them grow, as it gave me a sense of responsibility and satisfaction. It also allowed me to spend time in contact with nature, something that I have always appreciated living in a city like Hong Kong.

Since then, I have been expanding my garden at home plant by plant, and have taken part in gardening initiatives at school. As someone who not only cares for the environment but also the well-being of others, I began this journey in exploring the areas where psychology and gardening overlap, and how gardening activities can be used to improve mental health.