Landscaping & Gardening Information | home | site map | contact us |
The Garden As Healer
The word for 'paradise' comes from the Persian word for a garden and has always meant the same thing in every culture. It is representative of 'paradise on earth' and is our opportunity to own a little bit of heaven - here and now. It has a restorative significance as a healer when we understand that gardens provide us with a place of sanctuary and well-being. The garden has the potential to provide a place of refuge from stress, "the health epidemic of the 21st century" according to The World Health Organization. Medical doctors suggest that stress resulting in illness is the causative factor underlying 70% of all visits to the family doctor. The ability of the garden to provide this place of healing and peace becomes crucial as more and more people succumb to this dis-ease of 'modern day life.' It matters little whether an indoor garden is a few pots on a windowsill or a lush garden room, what does matter is that plants add a dimension to the home/and or workplace that literally changes the energy and adds life. There is something about caring for plants and tending to them whether watering, re-potting, or touching the leaves that re-connects us on a deep level with an overwhelming sense of awe about this miracle of life of which we are an integral part. As we plant the seed or see the cyclical nature of the gardens we nurture, time stands still, and we bask in the knowledge of our relationship to the earth, and to the spiritual aspect of ourselves. Reasons for creating an indoor garden include: corners in rooms and on furniture are softened when plants are introduced and placed in these areas; living plants create feelings of calm and well-being; starting seeds indoors provides a jump-start on spring for those of us who get twitchy fingers in January and allows us to grow different types of plants not usually available from greenhouses; growing herbs indoors facilitates our ability to cook with fresh herbs all year round; teaching children to garden provides an opportunity for the healing aspects of gardening to become a life-long aspect of their lives; indoor gardening is a stress-management tool taught in various classes related to providing a higher quality of life for people dealing with loss through death, divorce, or trauma in their lives. Steps to Creating your Indoor Garden 1. Purpose - what do you want to achieve - healing, meditation, growing herbs for cooking, or a project with the children? 2. Space - how much space is available - a closet, basement room, living room, corner of the bedroom, windowsill? 3. Seating - is there room in your space for a seating area? 4. Characteristics - create a specific type of garden such as a collection of Ficus, orchids, herbs, or ferns. 5. Features - include water features such as fountains, art, sentimental objects, wind chimes, aroma and/or colour therapy, candles, and /or music. 6. Location - is the location conducive to gardening indoors? 7. Light - is the light adequate or will you need artificial lights? 8. Plants - what plants will you grow? Indoor gardens can include anything from a tabletop garden, herb garden, healing garden, meditation garden, container garden, water garden, or wildlife garden. Thomas Moore wrote, "We may have to learn again the mystery of the garden: how its external characteristics model the heart itself, and how the soul is a garden enclosed, our own perpetual paradise where we can be refreshed and restored." In other words, the indoor garden can provide a place of sanctuary where we can take a moment and re-connect with our own sacredness. Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace - Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
My Spring Bulbs Wont Bloom - Why? You can hear the wailing from here. "Why aren't my bulbs blooming?" "There are a lot of leaves on them but not a single flower. Mosquitoes in Your Garden? Try Planting These If you are a serious gardener, you spend lots of time outdoors. And, for sure, you would rather be tending your plants than swatting mosquitoes. Growing Palms Palms Everybody recognises palm trees, they are the universal symbol for the tropics but many are hardy enough for our temperate climate gardens. Until recently New Zealand gardeners have had only a very limited range of palms to choose from. Tips for Backyard Fish Ponds Care Installing a backyard fish pond is an aesthetic addition to your landscaping and offers a bit of tranquility as well. However, taking care of backyard fish ponds is not as easy as one might think. Lawn Care Business Owners - Dont Buy Yourself A Job Most businesses consist of the owner only or the owner and a few employees. The owner continues to do the same activity whether it is labor or crew management for many years. Creativity with Ponds Here's where your creative instincts kick in. This is where you make your pond your own. Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers Some of the best gifts you can give to a bird lover are those that have to do with birds! :)Here are a few favorites of all bird lovers:* Bird HousesYou can find a wide variety of bird house designs and styles. Usually anyone that really loves birds also really loves different types of bird houses too. Granite Flexible Preformed Rock Ponds More than just a Preformed PondTraditionally, preformed ponds are large shells, which are extremely burdensome and difficult to transport. For example, a typical preformed pond kit would come in a box that is 60 x 48 x 24 , which is too large for many car trunk sizes. How To Check If Cut Flowers Are Fresh Fresh flowers should feel crisp or firm. Before you buy, run your hand under the flower heads from stem to petal tip. A Garden Bench: A Beautiful Addition To Any Garden Okay, so you have spent hours upon hours creating the perfect garden. You have chosen only the choicest flowers, agonized for days over their placement, and even bought that much too expensive antique statue to set it all off. Fall Garden Planning - Garden Plans for Next Spring and Ordering by Mail It's August, the weather has cooled a bit here and the summer monsoons where I live in New Mexico have begun. The kids are starting back to school and I feel the onset of fall. Composting the Easy Way Having an ample supply of good rich compost is the gardeners dream. It has many uses, and all of those uses will result in nicer plants. Adirondack Furniture - What It is and Why You Want It Adirondack is the name given to a style of furnishings that date back to the late 1800's. During this time period, immediately following the civil war, upstate New York gained notoriety as a popular tourist destination. Easy Care Of Phalaenopsis Do you have a knack for being with moths? Most people would say, "no way". Yet, the moth orchids that I am talking about are the ones that sway nicely in the breeze and some of the newer hybrids have a nice fragrance. Landscaping Tips When you want to create a beautiful and functional landscape, the task may be overwhelming. Before the first shovel of soil is turned, close your eyes and picture your dream garden. Tranquility in Your Own Back Yard A garden fountain can add beauty and serenity to you yard or garden. It's long been known that running water can aid in relaxation. Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (Part 5) Plant Growth PLANT GROWTH & PHYSIOLOGY. (Part 5)There are three classes of plants. Grow the BEST Tasting Tomatoes Tired of tomatoes that are rock hard and taste like cardboard? Stupid question! Use these tips to grow your own tomatoes bursting with flavour.Tomatoes are the most popular home garden vegetable grown for good reason. Gardening For Birds What a cruel trick the weather is playing on us.WE HAVE SNOW ! ! !A bit depressing for us outdoor types. Gardenscape On A Shoestring Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while thinking that it takes years, a professional, or tons of money to landscape the gardens featured in the glossy pictures. This isn't necessarily true. |
home | site map | contact us |