Fans Are Freaking Out About Ina Garten's Garden

Ina Garten might not have gone to culinary school, nor has she really worked at a high-profile, Michelin-star restaurant. In 2018 she told The Washington Post that she sees herself less as a TV personality and more as a cookbook author. Yet she appears to have taken to both roles and to social media like a fish to water, which explains the 3.1 million followers on her Instagram account alone.

While the account is full of recipes and home decorating ideas, fans were not expected to get a walking tour of Ina Garten's garden – and we can say it is every bit as delightful as Garten herself. 

The Instagram invitation to view the video was simple: "Garden tour. Come for a walk through my garden with me!" she said, and more than 1.3 million viewers obliged. She showed off her "shade garden," full of ferns and myrtles, and then she led social media users into her "secret garden," a walled-off enclosure where she grows roses, figs, tomatoes, fresh herbs, sage, thyme, tarragon, and lavender. It is everything we might have imagined Ina's garden might be: understated, elegant, and breathtaking.

This is not the first time Garten has shared images of the space with the public. Photos of the vibrant, inviting space have appeared in the Barefoot Contessa blog. But the Instagram post was enough for Garten's fans to give a collective cheer over the little tour. Celebs from Katie Couric to Julianna Marguiles, Michelle Kwan, and screenwriter Nancy Myers posted hearts and compliments. Sites like Food52 gushed about Garten's post and even broke down the plants it spotted during the quick walking tour, which came in at just over a minute and a half. Fans sent effusive compliments to their virtual hostess. "Thank you Ina for the inspiration of my day," one fan said. We think another fan also spoke for many of us when she responded to the post by saying, "when I grow up I want to be Ina Garten"

The Barefoot Contessa wrapped up her tour with a bit of cheerful advice to those watching. "Even if you don't have room for a garden, you can always put pots of herbs on the windowsill like basil and tarragon, and have delicious herbs for your cooking," she said. And in the end, even Mother Nature gave her nod of approval when Garten acknowledged her fans, saying, "I hope you enjoyed the garden tour. Have fun ... and now the sun's out!"