Live and Eat Healthier: Build Your Own Garden

Take a look at your yard. Find that swath of lawn maybe alongside your house, out back next to your patio, or that spot you always walk past on your way down the driveway. What better way to make use of this space than with a sustainable vegetable garden?

Having fresh produce at your fingertips is only the beginning of what a garden can provide. And, better yet, you don't need to be a trained horticulturalist to reap the benefits. Let's take a look at the different aspects of your life this home addition will enhance.

First and foremost, a garden makes sense financially. In this economy, every penny counts. And if you haven't noticed yet, there is a premium on organically-grown fruits and vegetables. A personal garden can cut these costs in half, if not eliminate them altogether.

And if you aren't concerned about cost, then the taste alone will make you a convert. Have you ever tried a home-grown tomato? Those meals with tasteless produce are over. Along with tasting better, these fruits and vegetables are also much healthier. You control what goes into the soil and what gets sprayed onto the plants so you know exactly what you're eating. No more guessing games as to what happened to those tomatoes before they got delivered to the store for you. Take control of the foods you feed yourself and your family.  Your body – and tastebuds – will thank you.

On top of improving your physical well-being, there is the social benefit of potentially meeting your neighbors that you've lived next to for years but with whom you've only barely exchanged pleasantries. Spending time in your yard opens the door for conversation. People will stop by, check out the progress of your garden, and most likely ask for some fresh tomatoes or snap peas. A garden could bring back a sense of community that we often find lacking in today's society.

And there's the also sense of pride that comes with building and actually growing something on your own as well as doing your part to help the environment. Thinking green is a way of the past; actually living it is what makes the difference.

Take the plunge.  Build a garden, plant some veggies, fruits, herbs and spices – you'll never look at the produce aisle in the supermarket the same way.

Article originally appeared on Partners Trust Blog