Husein Gradasevic
Over the last few years, the wave of organic living has swept the world, making celebrities to jump on the gardening bandwagon. Every day, you see the celebrities gracing your TV screens, dominating magazine covers, and walking on the red carpet. But have you ever asked yourself what they do besides what they are famous for? Well, you will be surprised to know that most of them spend time getting their hands dirty in the garden.
Celebrities Gardening
Celebrity gardens vary in shape and sizes, and whereas some gardens are designed for growing vegetables, others are vibrantly colored with bushes and flowers. Regardless of whether they prefer to grow cabbage or wildflower, the fact is that they have embraced organic methods to grow and maintain their gardens. They use natural horticulture methods to keep their flowers, fruits, and vegetables free of chemicals and pesticides. Through organic gardening, celebrities not only bring awareness about poor dieting but also strive to create an educational and fun family experience with their loved ones.
Here is a list of 10 gardening celebrities who are changing the world and inspiring us to grow more.
1. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah is regarded as the queen of the media and queen of talk shows, and surprisingly, she is now queen of gardening. She was raised by her grandmother on a small farm in Mississippi, where she became so passionate about gardening. In between running The Oprah Winfrey Network and O, The Oprah Magazine, she found time to convert 16 acres of her estate in Maui into a fully functional organic garden. She produces more than a hundred species of fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits to feed the small island in Hawaii and shares shots of produce from her garden on Instagram.
She learned that food on the island is expensive probably because most of it is shipped or flown from outside, and besides, it might not be safe. Therefore, with the help of her friend Bon Greene, they decided to change the way she eats and the way the island receives food. They tested different varieties of planting methods and their efforts bore fruits. The rich Maui soil is now helping this celebrity to produce more than 145 pounds of food every week. Oprah admits that her farm has played a critical role in her weight management and has helped her to understand the importance of eating healthy foods.
2. Julia Roberts
We all love Julia Roberts for her on-screen performance in Notting Hill, My Best Friend’s Wedding and Pretty Woman which has made her win different awards. She is a proud mother of three children and makes good nutrition a priority for her family. In 2008, she bought a farm in Malibu, California and she couldn’t hold back her interest in sustainable living as she started planting lettuces, beans, and carrots.
Julia is passionate about organic gardening and as she sows, harvests and cooks healthy crops, she also educates her kids on the origin of food. She admits that teaching children about their food sources prepares them to eat what they grow and be proud of it. Surprisingly, she converts leftovers from her kitchen to compost to ensure that her organic garden is benefiting from the essential nutrients required in growing healthy food for her family.
3. Prince Charles
In the past 50 years, His Royal Highness Prince Charles has become one of the strongest advocates of an organic lifestyle. In 1980, he bought Highgrove House and managed to transform barren grounds into acres of beauty. He has 37 acres of organic gardens which he has subdivided uniquely into special Thyme walk packed with fragrant herbs, themed gardens, and 4-acre wildflower meadow.
The Walled Kitchen Garden is one of the most outstanding features of the Highgrove Garden and produces enough fruits and vegetables to make his royal household self-sufficient. The Prince loves vegetables such as leeks, Charlotte potatoes, cabbage, spring, carrots and Brussels sprouts which are grown alongside a wide variety of apples and strawberries. His well-maintained gardens are impressive, and most importantly, they are 100% organic.
4. Jake Gyllenhall
When growing up, Gyllenhall was inspired by the way gardening united his family and the community. He learned how to grow his own food and even after becoming a celeb, he didn’t back down from getting his hands dirty in his garden. After wondering how he could give back to the community, Gyllenhall decided to become a spokesperson and ambassador for The Edible Schoolyard Project, a charity program that encourages kids to grow and cook their food for a healthy living. He admits that when children see food growing, their perception on what they eat change and growing and cooking your produce prevents childhood obesity, diabetes and other illnesses related to poor dieting.
5. Martha Stewart
When someone mentions the Men in Black II and Roast of Justin Bieber, the person that rings in your mind is Martha Stewart, right? Well, that’s acceptable, considering that she has played a vital role in making gardening one of the coolest outdoor activity across the world. She is dedicated to teaching people about home living from her videos, books, and websites and has made a living making and maintaining gardens.
She has used her knowledge to creatively fence her garden to keep large and small animals away from her vegetables that range from cabbage, pumpkins, kale, onions, broccoli and other varieties of potatoes and lettuce. She uses salt hay to retain moisture and minimize weeds, and places patches of hay beneath pumpkins to prevent bruising and early rotting during growth. She also plants mustard greens to keep flea beetles away from cabbage, kale, and broccoli and interestingly, she embraces the advanced technology to monitor her gardens from her property using a drone.
6. Suzanne Somers
When Suzanne Somers was diagnosed with breast cancer, her family and close friends thought it was the end of her fame. She could have been devastated by her condition but she chose to remain strong and open a new page in her life through organic living. As a strategy for living a healthier life, she started growing chemical and pesticide-free food at home. Instead of going to the grocery store, she loves walking through her garden every morning to choose fresh produce for her recipes. She has an impressive selection of vegetables to choose from such as cauliflower, fennel, kale, lettuce, artichokes, broccoli, and cucumber.
7. Savannah Miller
Savannah Miller is a British-American designer who has taken the world of fashion to another level. With the help of her creativity in fashion, Savannah has employed the same creativeness in gardening where she develops and maintains the gardens of her home in Gloucestershire. She is an enthusiastic cook and gardener and has converted three-quarter acres of her garden into a colorful compilation of lavender, alliums, and roses as she maintains an organic lifestyle for her family. Savannah is a proud mother of three and has created a conducive playground for them by including a pond filled with fish, a sandpit and a willow house.
8. Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama is passionate about gardening and since 2009, she has been in the frontline creating awareness about the benefits of growing your own food. According to some sources, Michelle with the help of a group of 5th graders dug up a section of White House grass to plant a vegetable garden. One year later, her efforts were eminent as the vegetable garden produced more than 600 pounds of fresh vegetables and fruits. She used her garden to create awareness and educate people about the importance of keeping fit, fighting childhood obesity and improving the nutritional element of school dinners. She invited local schools often to help her in the sowing, planting and harvesting of healthy crops.
9. Sienna Miller
Just like her sister Savannah, actress Siena Miller has a lovely cottage garden in England. The relationship she shares with Jude Law is what makes her famous but behind the scenes, she spends her time in the garden. Her acting and business activities are full of ups and downs but has found solace through gardening. When shooting the movie G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, Siena admitted that she has a cottage and a garden in London and what’s more, she loves gardening. If she was not into acting, she would spend her entire life in the garden growing vegetables.
10. Nicole Kidman
Anything that happens in a person’s life is no accident and it was not until Nicole Kidman became pregnant with her first child that she found a passion for gardening. The Australian actress made the first gardening effort at her husband’s Tennessee farm and since then, she has never turned back. She is proud to have an organic vegetable garden and even though she is new to gardening, her sister and mother are avid gardeners. As an actress, she has many hobbies but gardening surpasses them all. Her gardening hobby was inspired by the Tennessee landscape as well as the variety of wildlife such as wild turkeys and deer.
Bottom line
In today’s busy life, people don’t have enough time to get in tune with the environment but regardless of how busy you are, gardening gives you a chance to do so. In addition to creating a healthier environment, gardening provides tremendous benefits such as access to sunlight, stress relief, and improved mood. What’s more, it ensures that we consume fresh food that’s free from chemicals for a healthier living. And if celebrities are getting their hands dirty in the garden, why can’t we embrace them and do the same as well!
Are you ready to make your own garden?
