Mindfulness in the Garden

Spending time with nature has proven benefits for mental health, and any outdoor space helps to enable a connection with the earth. A garden can be a haven away from the stresses of modern life, a place to recharge, relax and to feel at peace. Being present in the moment is at the core of mindfulness, and there are ways to encourage this contemplative state through our senses.

Sometimes overlooked when planning a garden is our sense of touch, yet the tactile nature of plants, especially those with velvety petals, such as Senecio candidans Angel Wings, or sharp prickles like Eryngiums can help bring us immediate awareness of our surroundings.

Couple this with fragrance filled blooms and foliage that assails our senses, while also enticing precious pollinators. Watching bees and butterflies busy in the garden makes for a fantastic display of nature at its best and a feeling of pride that they have chosen your home as theirs.

Like us, animals are drawn to colour, which is always stimulating and can set the stage for mood and emotion. The perfect shell pink of a delicate rose or the dramatic violet blue of a delphinium both provoke a reaction.

Concentrating on sounds also helps stimulate mindfulness, bringing our attention to what surrounds us. A bird singing in a tree, the gentle whisper of a silver birch or tall grass (such as Stipa gigantea) swaying in the breeze or the tinkling of water in a fountain all enchant and relax.

Satisfaction can also be found when growing your own food from seeds; letting soil run through your fingers is a great grounding tool, and pulling out homegrown carrots or plucking a juicy tomato straight from the plant brings a great sense of achievement. Growing herbs is one of the simplest ways to experience this rewarding feeling, as there is always space for them on a balcony or windowsill.

A garden encourages us to embrace change; just as the seasons turn and our plants thrive and die back, there is always a feeling of hope and renewal, as we look forward, with a positive outlook, to the time ahead.