Numerous studies have revealed that per unit of land and energy, small, personal growing areas can be many times more productive than larger, non-organic farms.  Growing your own produce also cuts down on packaging, transportation, and air pollution, so get some friends together and start your own community garden!  The options are endless.

Types of gardening:

1. Residential Gardening: the garden is typically located on a roof, in an atrium, on a balcony, in a window box, on a patio, or in a vivarium.
2. Indoor Gardening: the growing of plants within a residence or building, in a conservatory, or in a greenhouse. If you are in a residence, grouping your containers together, or placing plants in areas closest to the areas which you spend most of your time makes it easier for you to care for them.
3. Water Gardening: the growing of plants adapted to pools or ponds.  A simple water garden could consist of only a tub containing the water and plants.  It is important to create a water garden in a place that receives substantial sunlight—around 6-8 hours each day.
4. Container Gardening: the growing of plants in any type of container either outdoors or indoors.  Containers commonly used include pots, hanging baskets and planters.  Container gardening usually occurs in atriums, balconies, patios or roof tops.
5. Community Gardening: this type of garden is grown in a communal area of land typically owned in trust by local governments or non-profits.  The garden is tended by a group of people, providing access to fresh produce and plants as well as giving members a sense of community, labor and a connection to the environment.
6. Soilless Gardening: a garden grown without the use of garden soil. This type of gardening is also referred to as hydroponic or aeroponic gardening. Exactly what is hydroponic gardening? Hydroponic gardening uses a nutrient solution instead of soil. Plants can either be grown with their roots in a mineral solution only or in another type of growing medium such as perlite, gravel or rockwool.
   In normal plant growth, the soil holds the mineral nutrients that the plants need to grow, but the soil itself isn't essential. The soil is just acting as a reservoir or a place to store the nutrients that the plants need in order to grow. In hydroponic gardening, the nutrients are in the water supply that goes to the plant's roots.
   The Aeroponic Garden has its origins in hydroponics, but in an aeroponic garden, a plant's roots exist suspended in air. By leaving the roots suspended in air, aeroponic cultivation provides the most optimized environment for the exchange of C02, oxygen, water and nutrients critical to plant growth.
7. Raised bed Gardening:  this garden is installed in large containers, which are then filled with soil and used for flower, vegetable or herb gardening. This technique is especially useful for people with severe arthritis or orthopedic and neurological disabilities, or people in wheelchairs.

Recent research has shown that gardening can significantly reduce the harmful effects of stress, which can aid those who suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, and many other illnesses. In fact, plant gardening is now being formally incorporated into many therapy programs as a part of standard patient care.