This Airbnb for Gardens Is Exactly What We Need Right Now

Did you know that spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress, lower your blood pressure and boost your mood? But if you don’t have a garden at home and are staying away from public spaces because of COVID-19, it can be difficult to get that much-needed time to connect with Mother Nature. 

Enter Healing Gardens—a new platform that allows users to safely reap the benefits of the Great Outdoors by reserving time at a nearby private garden and/or farm. There are locations all over the city including Santa Monica, DTLA, Mar Vista and Hacienda Heights. (Yeah, it’s basically like an Airbnb for outdoor spaces.) 

A healing garden is a therapeutic outdoor space that has been specifically designed to meet the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of those using the garden (that’s why you’ll often come across these spaces at hospitals and healthcare facilities). And now a new startup is taking the idea to the masses.

With Healing Gardens, users can book a green space in their area by the hour for exercising, reading, journaling, working and even goat petting (great for the kiddos). Each garden lists its amenities (including WiFi, facilities, parking, capacity, etc.) and all gardens and farms have COVID-19 regulations and protocols put into place. Sounds pretty zen, no? 

But the goal of this green-friendly startup goes beyond helping stressed out Angelenos relax. By creating a marketplace economy that makes organic urban gardens and farms more accessible to urban communities, Healing Gardens aims to bring awareness to regenerative agriculture practices that help reduce carbon emissions, thereby helping fight climate change. They also offer sustainable living classes by experts in the fields of gardening, soil regeneration and more.

“We wish to inspire the next generation of people who are passionate about helping heal Mother Earth,” said Abhishek Arora, co-founder and CEO of Healing Gardens. “Urban domestic gardens of all sizes support a substantial range of wildlife and absorb atmospheric carbon, sequestering carbon in rich garden soil and plant bodies. We use our technology to connect people back to nature and create a space where they can experience the healing power of gardens,” he adds.

There are currently 18 urban organic gardens and farms in the Los Angeles area to choose from, with plans to continue expanding this year. Reserving private time by the hour ranges from $15 to $150, depending on group size, availability, and selected booking offering. Every garden and farm host has a range of booking offerings such as reserving personal time by the hour, guided tours, group retreats, photo/video time, nursery appointments, private workshops, and more. Some of our favorite spots include bird sanctuary Parrot Jungle in Mid City, complete with silkie chickens, wild parrots, and resident hummingbirds, and Moonwater Farm in Compton featuring a pond with babbling waterfall, a rabbit warren and a goat pen.

We’re feeling better already.