Thursday 3 May 2012

Gardening for the Soul


I enjoy the time I spend in my garden.
Garden is a word that changes in time depending on where I live.
When I was a student it was a few pots with Greek herbs for my cooking ventures in front of my kitchen window.
In my first married home it was a collection of flowers gifted for our engagement, new home and new baby.
In our first apartment here it was a few flowers in hanging pots.
In our next apartment it was a full veranda garden that yelded, thanks to sheep manure, and a good placement in relation to the sun, tomatoes, cucumbers and assorted herbs that fed our family, and was enough for potted gifts or fresh produce for relatives.
Our house has a garden. We have a big mortgage for it, and we could be living in a city center top floor flat for that money. But I wanted my kids to be able to touch the soil. I wanted my own playground. And I wanted to be able to feed my family.


I woke up yesterday morning. Made a fruit creme and sat in the balcony overlooking my piece of heaven. It needs weeding and taking care of the grass. And the furniture needs some repair and a coat of paint. The umbrella needs fixing. Oh and...never mind. I focus on the colour. See my first blooming roses?

I love my two maple treas. This one turns red in the autumn, but now it is bursting to life with its little green leaves.

And this is the nursery.
Isn't life amazing?



I have tried many forms of relaxation. Living in close quarters with nature is my number one.
Taking care of my garden is very gratifying.
Gardening is something I am good at, in the sense that when I attend to my garden I am focused on the task in hand. 
I am moved to tears when I see a seed giving sprouts. I can honestly say I love my plants as much as I love my cats and I care for them as if they were my children.


When I was living in England I used to take long midday walks in Green Park. That was lovely. So relaxing, it opened my heart.

Do you like walking in Nature?
What about gardening?

::Extra Reading::
Therapeutic Landscapes Network
I love this idea. Whe, we lived closer to a city forest I used to walk at least, and I loved it. I can speak of the feel good factor, and I am impressed that when we feel good, our bodies physically feel good, too.

Image credits: first and last from Therapeutic Landscapes Network which has some interesting articles to read and actions to take. All others by yours trully.

love, Irene

No comments:

Best buys