# gardening

/ˈɡɑɹdənɪŋ/ (US) · /ɡˈɑːdənɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gardening
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. growing plants

noun · CEFR A1

the activity of growing and caring for plants, flowers, or vegetables.

For teachers: the practice of cultivating soil and caring for plants in a garden or allotment.

- My grandfather spends every Saturday morning gardening in his backyard.
- Organic gardening has seen a significant resurgence as urban residents seek sustainable ways to produce their own vegetables in small allotments.

### 2. digital maintenance

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

the act of cleaning up and organizing digital files or information.

For teachers: the process of maintaining, curating, or organizing digital content, such as a wiki or a personal knowledge base.

- I spent the afternoon doing some digital gardening on my old blog posts.
- Effective digital gardening requires consistent effort to prune outdated links and ensure the internal architecture remains navigable for new users.

### 3. cricket pitch care

noun · CEFR C2 · British English

when a batsman taps the ground with their bat to flatten it.

For teachers: the act of a batsman prodding or tapping the pitch with their bat to flatten bumps or remove loose debris.

- The batsman did a bit of gardening while waiting for the bowler to return.
- The umpire watched closely as the batsman engaged in some unnecessary gardening, ensuring the surface of the pitch wasn't being unfairly altered.

## Examples

- Gardening is a relaxing way to spend a sunny afternoon.
- She spends her weekends gardening, focusing on organic tomatoes and native flowers that attract bees.
- While some view gardening as a mere chore, others find that the rhythmic nature of weeding and planting provides a profound sense of psychological well-being and connection to the seasons.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.