Can you think of any hobbies that are directly related to gardening?

One thing my garden does for me is provide memorial space.  

My little dog died after a long life that bridged the life shared with resident children to kids graduating from college. I buried her in the garden.  I knew I would be moving within a couple years.  I planted brilliant oriental poppies next to her.  

Ever since, each time I expect to be in the same place for years, I plant brilliant red oriental poppies to remind me of her and all we shared.

The young son (30 ish) of a friend of mine died under curious circumstances.  He had been in Mt Shasta, Ca. moved on to Ashland, Oregon where he died.  I plant Shasta daisies for him.

I had a big wonderful Komondor who lived a long good life with me.  I was staying at a mountain cabin originally built in 1929 as a homestead.  I composted her, and when her bin was done, I brought the compost to my home in the valley below.

We can include so many things in our garden spaces.  Including but not limited to everything from art to junk.

There, we can find a place for our dreams, and time for contemplation.

Nancy Reading wrote:Does posting on permies count as a hobby ;) ?

It better - I spend way too much time doing so, and I don't want to call it work!

Eating was the first thing that came to my mind. You might not think of it as a hobby, but I spend a lot more time on it than required for simple nourishment, so I guess it qualifies.

My wife grows gourds. Then she dries them, cleans them, carves them, stains them, varnishes them and then sells them.

There is a place in Boulder CO that gets pigments from plants

Besides all the things already mentioned, for me any kind of fiber arts are directly related to gardening. Growing cotton (some is naturally colored too-which is one of my favorites), and other fibers for spinning into yarns (flax, hemp, nettle, etc) or, depending on the fiber, making into cordage (banana shoots after harvest, inner barks of pruned branches, long leaves, etc), then leads to being able to use the results in all sorts of ways. The cordage and ropes can be used for knot tying crafts that are functional, decorative, or both. The yarn can be used for knitting, crochet, weaving, macrame, tatting, and oh so many crafts that are also functional, decorative, or both. There's also making the tools for the fiber crafts: knitting needles are easy, crochet hooks aren't all that much more involved, weaving looms can be quite simple or complex. Making a lucet is simple to make as well as shuttles or bobbins.

If you include animals in the gardening category you can include fiber arts from their hair, fleece, etc. That also brings felting of many different types into the picture too.

Also, in addition to weaving baskets which has been mentioned, there's plaiting mats out of fronds, long leaves, etc. as well as hats, totes, bags, even shoes! There's also thatching too.

I have also grown things just for their seeds, in order to make jewelry with those seeds by making them into beads and/or pendants, etc. via drilling holes, wrapping with cords, wire, and whatnot (and what knot too, lol).

Another thing that is directly related to gardening would be culinary arts of fruit and veggie carving, plating, and garnishing... not to mention the culinary arts in general, of course.

Oh, and bamboo! If you grow bamboo there are all sorts of things to do with that too, even instruments! And gourds, almost forgot to mention them--can make crafts of all sorts with them. Of course, there's also the pumpkin or turnip carving at Halloween.

Yes, I have done all of these things and more, some more than others--so fun!

Surfing the net for ideas-
-water, manure,etc go downhill from the house gutter and kiddie pool hugleculture in it to the greenhouse(in process.. .). Figuring the parts and pieces (lol) .

Learned the leaves make 'Black' water quickly...

Might seem a weird hobby to some, but I am obsessed with growing plants and soil health, and what small things I can do that will make lasting changes.

It’s the thing that brought me to permaculture.  It’s why I was already “doing permaculture” before I heard of it.

See, I want a huge garden.  A broad expanse of growing things, but “I don’t have time” to micromanage it.  Where I want to spend my time is in getting the right plant in the right conditions that it is low maintenance.

It’s the figuring out that is so enjoyable to me.  I live in the high desert of Colorado.  Lovely place, and it’s a perfect place to try to figure things out, because the feedback is so evident!

There are beautiful plants that grow in loose dry gravel and sand.  Like Penstemon pseudospectabilis, read about it here:  
https://www.desertusa.com/flowers/Desert-Penstemon.html

Brilliant red flowers, hummingbirds are crazy for it.  It needs a little help getting established.  And then I will be able to neglect its care, or just give it enough water that it’s no different than a wet year, but I get the extended bloom- and so do the birds and insects.

Today it occurred to me I could get a roll of snow fence and string it out in my pasture, perpendicular to the most frequent wind direction.  This would be several kinds of fun.

I will be able to see how much more snow is on the lee side of the fence, and probably see a difference in the vegetation during the growing season.

And the result I cannot directly see is how it enhances the soil food web in the places that are getting increased moisture.  

And then… the snow fence will likely become a trellis, because I love trellises, and vines.  Maybe I can get passion flower to grow on it, if I protect the roots.  I did have a robust passion vine at 5000 feet, but I am at 7000 feet now.  I don’t know yet if it will grow up here.

And, still directly connected to gardening: prairie dogs!  They have a town in the lower part of the pasture.  Short of poison and trapping and shooting, I am always looking for ways to discourage them.  They like to, need to keep watch.  They REALLY don’t like their view obstructed.  The snowfence will obstruct their view if I place it well.  Then I will get to see how they respond.

If I get a 10 foot post in the middle of their town, I’m hoping birds of prey will use it as a hunting vantage point.

I hope they come to consider the lower pasture as no longer a desirable address.🤣

This passion for figuring out is in addition to all the other more obvious hobbies related to gardening.