We introduce Gårding polynomials, a class of real multivariate polynomials characterized by positivity regions that are invariant under translation by positive vectors and closed under strictly positive affine transformations. We prove that this geometric formulation is equivalent both to a reduction to the multi-affine setting via polarization and to a recursive criterion in terms of partial derivatives. The class of Gårding polynomials strictly extends that of real stable polynomials while preserving many of their structural properties. In particular, multi-affine Gårding polynomials with nonnegative coefficients satisfy the Rayleigh property, and their positive univariate specializations have ultra log-concave coefficient sequences. The Gårding property for several matroid generating functions is preserved under natural matroid operations. As applications, we derive new negative dependence results for generating functions associated with various classes of matroids and graphs, including examples previously beyond the scope of real stability and Lorentzian methods. We further obtain analogous results for characteristic polynomials arising from certain matrix classes.