Home Gardening For a Healthier You
Sowing, growing, and sharing with ecological horticulturist Jamie Walton
Home gardening has long been celebrated for its health and wellness benefits. From increased quality of life to reduced feelings of stress and anxiety, many people look to their gardens to help them thrive. What these studies promoting the benefits of growing food and flowers often miss is how certain barriers prevent people from participating. A lack of space, supplies, and perceived know-how can make a home garden feel like a pipe dream.
Jamie Walton, an ecological horticulturist and author of the book Nettles & Petals: Grow Food. Eat Weeds. Save Seeds., wants to help make gardening more accessible. Although the vibrant floral wonderland displayed across Walton’s popular @nettlesandpetals Instagram account gives the impression he was born with a green thumb, a large backyard garden, and a deep connection to the land—nothing could be farther from the truth.
“Because I’m online and have a following, the perception is that I’ve always grown, but that’s not the case at all,” Walton says. “I didn’t have a garden growing up, and horticulture wasn’t taught in the school I attended. I didn’t start sowing seeds until my early twenties. Then, it was a hobby that became a passion.”
How many Americans grow food at home?
In 2021, 35% of US households (42 million total) grew vegetables, fruits, and other foods in their gardens. According to the National Gardening Association’s research, this marks a 6 million household increase from five years prior. Tomatoes, which are grown in 86% of food gardens, are the most popular vegetable, followed by cucumbers, sweet peppers, and beans.
Helping new gardeners flourish
Walton’s first attempt at gardening was helping a neighbor transform a small overgrown plot into a vegetable garden. This experience set Walton on a path that included online courses, book learning, and a chance collaboration with a garden designer for the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Chelsea Flower Show.
From there, Walton started as a trainee for an estate before working his way up to head grower. In this role, he grew all the food for the estate and managed the organic garden he set up—which proved to be far more challenging than Walton’s inaugural project.
“I was asked to build a garden on a steep north-facing hill next to a car park that was a stone’s throw away from the sea,” Walton says.
He focused on soil health and biodiversity to heal the land. The garden went on to produce all year round. After being approached by a YouTube creator to share the story of reviving the challenging garden location, Walton was inspired to document his horticultural journey online.
“I set my phone up against a raised bed, filmed a couple videos and posted them online,” he says. “It snowballed really quickly. I went from having a personal Instagram account to having about 100,000 people following me within about a month.”
Today, Walton posts videos about what he’s doing in the garden each season to an engaged Instagram following of 1.3 million. He doesn’t have a plan, only a desire to deliver information that’s applicable for everyone. Walton says he often receives messages from beginners who have successfully implemented his tips.
His content also caught the eye of publishers, which led to his first book. Marketed as “an accessible and circular guide to ecological gardening,” Nettles & Petals includes detailed information about how to save seeds, compost, preserve produce, and more.
“This was a way for me to share the practices and principles that I utilize when I’m setting up and stewarding a space,” Walton says.
Three plants for digestive health
In a country where 60 to 70 million people suffer the impacts of digestive diseases, maintaining a healthy gut is essential. Eating the right plants can help. Certain herbs have been found to act as prebiotics for the gut microbiome, and many treat inflammatory conditions that cause digestion issues. Here are three plants with powerful gut-health benefits.
Dandelion. A 2022 study found that dandelion exhibits “pharmacological effects” that fight against gastrointestinal diseases such as gastritis, ulcerative colitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and more.
Licorice Root. Another herb used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, licorice root contains compounds that have been found to help eradicate H. pylori, a bad gut bacterium that can lead to peptic ulcers. Other studies have found that licorice root helps to decrease inflammation and ease stomach discomfort.
Plantain. The properties within plantain have been used to help alleviate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Plantain is also known for containing psyllium, a form of digestive fiber that acts as a natural laxative.
Small-scale gardening tips for everyone
Much of the inspiration for Walton’s content is born from a desire to demystify home gardening. Anyone can apply his methods, regardless of their skill level or space limitations.
“A windowsill planter is really fantastic because most of us at least have a windowsill or balcony,” Walton says. “A few pots, some organic soil, and a few plants that may be beneficial to pollinators is a nice place to start.”
Walton also recommends putting smaller salad crops like lettuce, arugula, and radish in pots, as they’re quick and easy to grow. For those who have a little more space, potatoes are a confidence-building vegetable.
“As long as you put the potatoes in some soil and keep them covered to make sure the sun can’t get them, you’ll get more potatoes,” Walton says. “It’s also a really fun thing to grow and dig up with kids.”
Overlooked edible plants and their health benefits
Walton also encourages home gardeners to seek out lesser-known edible plants for their gardens. His favorite won’t come as much of a surprise.
“Nettles are probably my favorite plant,” Walton says. “I played varsity football as a kid, and I once fell into a bed of nettles. It definitely wasn’t my favorite plant then. I’ve grown to love them since.”
Nettles, Walton says, are versatile and more nutritionally beneficial than spinach. He uses the seeds as a coffee alternative, but he also cooks with nettles, making everything from nettle pesto to nettle-and-potato frittatas. Another favorite is dandelion, which is known for its liver detoxification properties. Walton uses it in tea, makes honey from the flowers, and eats the greens.
“There are so many annual vegetables that are sometimes quite hard to grow depending on your context,” Walton says. “Generally, the plants that pop up without any assistance are the ones that are more beneficial.”
Walton experienced positive impacts on his health when he began eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, especially those he’s grown himself. It’s another reason he’s passionate about removing the barriers to garden access.
Earlier this year, Walton left his job as head grower to start his own community garden. He says the goal is to provide horticulture training courses at low or no cost and direct most of the food produced there to low-income families and food banks.
“It’s fulfilling growing food, flowers, and plants anywhere,” Walton says, “but it’s far more fulfilling growing them for people who need them.”
Growing a healthy gut
Did you know that gardening can positively impact your gut biome?
Recent studies have found that individuals who eat fresh food from their gardens during peak harvesting season tend to wash their produce less thoroughly and therefore consume more soil-associated bacteria. This transfer of microbes from the soil to the digestive system can have positive effects that include helping to train the immune system and lower inflammation.
This article was originally published in the July/August 2025 issue of alive magazine (US edition).
Karli Petrovic is a writer and tarot reader living in Atlanta, GA. She cohabitates with a muggle husband, baby girl, and three goofy hounds. Find her online.
Heidi Fritz, MA, ND
Laura Bolt
Suzanne Methot