These Are The Top U.S. States For Happy, Healthy Gardening

Talk to a seasoned horticulturist, and they'll tell you that it's possible to make a gorgeous garden no matter where you are. Maybe it's a flourishing vegetable garden in a small space, or a hardy collection of plants that hold up in extreme weather. Whatever the challenge, a determined gardener will figure out how to make it work.

But that doesn't mean there aren't a few places where gardening is just more of a breeze. One recent evaluation from the experts at Gardening Know How looked at factors such as climate, access to supplies, growing zones, and community resources to determine the best U.S. states for gardeners. Their top pick? California. Whether you want to eat the fruits of your labor with a vegetable garden or love growing cut flowers, California has the sunshine, soil, and community for it. 

Florida and Hawaii also ranked high on Gardening Know How's list, especially if you want to grow tropical fruits and flowers. If you're more into a cottage garden for herbs or just want to enjoy your hobby all year long, Washington, Oregon, and Arizona rounded out the list of the best states for happy, healthy gardening.

The U.S. is a big country, so there are quite a few different elements to evaluate when it comes to determining the best place to garden. California is such a leader thanks largely to its climate. Unlike places like Minnesota's Twin Cities or Fairbanks, Alaska — which are great cities to live in if you love cold weather — the majority of California has mild winters with plenty of sunshine. The Gardening Know How study notes that this leads to happy gardening for a couple different reasons. For one, it means a variety of plants can thrive all year. But it also makes tending to plants a lot more pleasant, since there won't be many days where you have to battle frigid temps or pouring rain to enjoy time in the garden.

The Pacific Northwest states on the list earned their spot for their herb and flower-friendly climates. Washington, Oregon, and parts of Idaho can be great homes to gardens full of irises and lilacs, as well as herbs that thrive all year such as rosemary, mint, sage, and thyme. 

More into tropical harvests? Gardening Know How says Hawaii or Florida is your ideal gardening spot. There, hot and humid temps not found in other states make it possible to grow fruits such as papayas, mangos, pineapples in Hawaii and vibrant plants such as the tropical vining shrub bougainvillea in Florida.

Along with being great gardening states, Hawaii, California, and Florida also rank among some of the happiest places to live, according to a recent study from WalletHub.Researchers used data from the census and other collectors of financial, health, and security info from Americans from all 50 states. They measured happiness based on 30 metrics, including career well-being, food and job insecurity, depression and divorce rates, safety, work-life balance, financial anxiety, and sleep stats. Hawaii earned the number one spot, with California and Florida ranking in the top 15. 

So is it a coincidence that the best gardening states overlap with the happiest states? Many of the metrics had nothing to do with gardening. But others, such as the weather and adequate leisure time, factored into the WalletHub results. 

The researchers also spoke with experts in the field of psychology and human behavior to ask them for their take on what makes people happy. Many cited access to nature, time spent moving your body outdoors, and the opportunity to be part of a community as enormous factors in improving overall happiness—all of which can be achieved through gardening. Perhaps, then, year-round sunshine is a recipe for both happy gardeners and happy people.