Why should politicians become gardeners? No, this is not a political post. No, I didn’t lose it!  We will not be talking about sides. This is about healing, connection, and what we can learn from our gardens and our plants in a time where it feels like everything is falling apart.

Lately, I’ve been feeling this weight from watching the world spin in chaos and there’s disconnection, judgment, overwhelm, and division everywhere. We have a connection deficiency. And I’m starting to believe, with every fiber of my being, that if our leaders gardened, if all of us gardened, the world would be a kinder/greener place!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:06] Gardening as a healing tool
• [04:21] What does reciprocity teach us?
• [05:08] What are some leadership lessons from gardening?
• [06:11] #1 Listening on a deeper level
• [08:01] #2 Patience and long-term thinking
• [10:17] #3 Cycles, perspectives, and resilience
• [11:05] #4 Nurturing vs. controlling
• [12:18] #5 Companion planting and community
• [14:23] Lessons from mycorrhizal networks and pollinators
• [16:45] Compost, death, and growth from failure
• [18:24] What if we all lived like gardeners?

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Tools to Heal Our Connection Deficiencies

Just like plants suffer when they’re missing nitrogen or iron, our society suffers from emotional and relational deficiencies: connection, compassion & communication. So, when there's a nutrient deficiency, here are the tools to help us:

#1 Listening on a Deeper Level

Plants don’t speak in words. They don’t bark or meow when they need help. They whisper through leaf droops, color changes and soil texture. And in order to care for them, you have to tune in.

That kind of listening sharpens your intuition and builds empathy. It teaches you to pause, observe, and respond with care.

And it’s not just politicians I’m thinking about. You’re a leader too. Maybe in your family, at work, in your friend group, your gym, your book club. Maybe you lead your pets! If we all saw ourselves as stewards, the way gardeners are stewards of the land, I think that shift alone could ripple out into something much bigger.

#2 Patience and Long-Term Thinking

We are so used to instant gratification. Scroll, swipe, Amazon prime delivery. But that’s not how it works in the garden because you plant a seed and wait.

And wait again. You water, you hope, you check the light, you trust. Because growth takes time plant friends!

That seed will sprout when it’s ready. That hydrangea will bloom on its schedule, not yours.

And that’s a powerful lesson, especially for leaders. Real change isn’t overnight. It takes time, care, and the long view. And it’s something we desperately need right now.

#3 Cycles, Perspectives, and Resilience

Nature works in cycles. Growth, rest, death, rebirth. Summer, fall, winter, spring. It’s never static.

When something goes wrong in the garden, I zoom out. I look at the bigger picture. Is this just a season? Is this part of a larger rhythm?

And that’s true in life, too. Not everything is a failure, sometimes it’s just winter. Sometimes it’s compost… something breaking down so it can become something richer and more nourishing.

#4 Nurturing vs. Controlling

We don’t control nature, but we can create the ideal conditions. We can water and fertilize and place our plant in the perfect spot. But we can’t force it to grow.

We can nurture and support, but after that we step back and let nature do its thing.

I think leadership should be like that, set the stage for people to grow and not always look for control. That’s not how growth works in plants and in people!

#5 Companion Planting and Community

One of my favorite parts of garden planning is figuring out which plants grow better together, such as tomatoes and basil.

Zinnias attract pollinators. Beans fix nitrogen in the soil. It’s all about mutual support.

And that’s what we could use more of in our communities. More diversity, collaboration, and less monoculture. We need more growing ecosystems where everyone brings something different to the table.

A garden doesn’t grow with just one plant, and neither does a society!

Why Politicians Should Garden

Yeah, maybe it sounds a little wild to say that politicians should be gardeners. But what if they were? What if we all were? What if every person on this planet learned to care for a single plant with patience, empathy, curiosity, and love? What kind of world could we create then?

It fills me with hope. And I hope it sparks something in you too!

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