Each person has their own secret garden — a hidden, intimate, and personal space of thoughts, feelings, or memories that must be cultivated to preserve mental health. This expression is not just metaphorical. Today, cultivating one's garden — whether secret or not — is an essential therapeutic activity for maintaining balance. The idea of nurturing a garden as a means of personal care and well-being is not new. In 1759, the hero of Voltaire's philosophical tale says, "we must cultivate our garden," suggesting that living simply and acting concretely on one's own plot of land is a way to find meaning in life. Before him, the Roman philosopher Seneca said, "Nature does not give us a difficult law, it invites us to wisdom and simplicity." Similarly, the last words of French writer George Sand on her deathbed, "let there be greenery," reflect an early ecological message. The concept of using nature for healing dates back to ancient times. In Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, walks in gardens were prescribed to calm those suffering from mental disorders. This idea evolved into modern horticultural therapy, which uses gardening as a scientific and active care tool. In France, psychiatrist François Tosquelles pioneered this approach in 1940, and others followed, including Frantz Fanon and Jean Oury. They created collective gardening sessions where people could engage in activities like planting, weeding, and harvesting. These tasks not only engage the body physically but also provide mental benefits, reducing stress and improving self-esteem. Even a small garden, whether on a city balcony or in the countryside, can have a profound impact on one's emotional and physical well-being. Gardening has also undergone a transformation in terms of gender and social status. Historically, it was seen as a male-dominated activity, with famous gardeners like André Le Nôtre, the designer of the gardens of Versailles. Women were often relegated to minor tasks, such as cutting roses. However, in recent decades, gardening has become more inclusive, appealing to all social classes and genders. In France, for example, the sales of seeds and plants increased by 40% during the first year of the pandemic in 2020, and one in five French people now has a vegetable garden. Shared gardens have also doubled in number over the past ten years, showing a growing interest in connecting with nature. In a world facing challenges like the climate crisis, the rapid pace of modern life, and the dehumanization of social interactions, the garden offers a universal answer. It teaches patience and humility, reminding us that we are part of a larger natural cycle. As agronomist and landscape architect Gilles Clément notes, "To make a garden, you need a piece of land... and eternity." Gardening is about learning to observe, adapt, and accept the unexpected. It engages all five senses — touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight — offering a gentle resistance to the pressures of modern life. In his book A garden for eternity, Clément describes the garden as a place of liberation, where life is always inventing, and where we can let go of the illusion of control and find happiness in the process of growth.