Classes and Community to Help You Garden
Get started today with bite-sized email lessons to help you grow food and flowers, create compost, and live more sustainably in your backyard and beyond.
Join 43K+ gardeners learning and growing with Gardens That Matter.
Stop Googling, Start Growing
You want a beautiful, thriving garden — one that nourishes your family, supports pollinators, and works with nature, not against it.
But where do you begin?
Perhaps a few online searches...and suddenly, you’re lost in conflicting advice. One site says mulch with wood chips, another says never. One expert has a complex recipe for compost tea, another calls it a waste of time. And what's this about spraying mouthwash on plants? (Skip that advice by the way.)
Before you know it, you’re spending more time researching than actually gardening.
Sound familiar?
At Gardens That Matter, we help gardeners cut through the confusion with a clear, step-by-step approach. No more endless research rabbit holes. No more second-guessing. Just simple, sustainable gardening that is good for you—and good for the planet.
Let’s get growing.
3 Steps to Grow a Better Garden
1. Subscribe
Get started with free "bite-sized" email lessons on gardening, composting, and more.
2. Enroll
Watch short lessons on-demand, use worksheet guides, take action, and see your garden come to life.
3. Enjoy
Apply what you learn to create a yard full of food and flowers. Share the abundance!
Start here. →
Hi, I'm Amy.
I know how frustrating it is to have big dreams for your garden...only to find the reality less vibrant, despite lots of hard work. From feeling overwhelmed to wondering if I'm making sustainable choices, I've been there.
That's why I've spent the last ten years helping thousands of aspiring gardeners learn how to compost, build healthy soil, support pollinators, and grow a better garden.
"My garden has improved since the composting course and I’m keen to keep moving forward. I like Amy's balanced and friendly approach to gardening. I’m noticing the garden ecosystem is finally beginning to balance itself out."
—Julie from Western Australia
"I took Amy's class and challenge because I wanted to grow food with my family this year, but I wasn't sure how to get started. Thanks to her input, we successfully grew tomatoes, potatoes, and peas...and started a compost bin!"
- Melissa from Iowa
"Amy was willing to help me with the gaps I had in my composting journey. Her advice and support helped me to build confidence in trusting the process and not giving up. Very thankful for the knowledge, support, and kindness to share it."
- April from Missouri
"As a fairly experienced gardener, I was pleasantly surprised by all of the hints and new things I learned. Amy really helped me streamline what I wanted to accomplish in my garden and focus my energy in that direction. I highly recommend her to all levels of gardener and all sizes and ages of families!"
- Jessica from New Mexico
"I would sign up to learn from this community again. Gardens That Matter has made a world of difference. I have a garden that I can eat from and delight in. That’s exactly what I wanted when I joined."
- Christine from Texas
“I love the environment you’ve created here! The material is simple to understand and you pick good topics that help me grow. It’s a place where people can contribute and feel like their contributions are a part of something bigger. The community aspect is like a garden all its own.”
- Simone from Pennsylvania
Life is better with a garden.
You'll have the freshest, most flavorful food. A good reason to put down the screen and get outside. And a beautiful space to explore and relax with family and friends.
But if you're not sure where to start, the research and troubleshooting can be overwhelming and frustrating.
We believe it should be easy to start a garden and fun to improve it over time. We know there's always more to do than sunny hours to do it.
That's why we keep it simple in classes here at Gardens That Matter. We focus on the essentials with a bias toward action. We all learn best from experience, and our goal is to help you gain it.
Here's how it works:
- Subscribe to emails. Get started with free "bite-sized" lessons on gardening, composting, and more.
- Enroll in a course when you want to dig deeper. You'll find lessons and exercises to guide your journey. Plus a support community where you can get help along the way.
- Enjoy your garden. You'll love the fresh veggies and colorful bouquets — and have plenty to share.
Join Gardens That Matter and a community of gardeners growing better food, a better life, and a better planet.
Videos & Tutorials on the Blog
Three Quick and Easy Tomato Dishes for Summertime
Between work and kids and life in general, it can be hard to make time for gardening. You have to sneak it in the edges. My favorite time to…
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5 Facts to Help You Grow the Best Tomatoes Yet
As Lewis Grizzard said, “It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” If you’re aiming to grow your own tomatoes this year, here are…
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Choosing the Best Location for Your Garden
Your garden’s location is key to your success or failure with growing fruits and vegetables. In this video, I walk you through a simple exercise to evaluate your yard…
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The Mind-Blowing Miracle of Butterflies with Farmer Kim Bailey
I witnessed a miracle in Kim Bailey’s kitchen. On the day I visited, dozens prepared for the miracle by eating Kim’s specialty: milkweed. The eaters? Monarch caterpillars. The miracle?…
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Do Peas Need a Trellis?
Fresh, delicious peas! These cool weather beauties will definitely grow best with a trellis. Here are 3 reasons why. Peas are a crop that you can grow in cool…
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How to Decide Where to Put Your Garden
If you’re starting to grow vegetables or adding another growing area to you yard, you want to find the best location for your garden. Maybe you’ve looked at the possibilities and wondered…
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