Being someone who loves nature, I don’t always want to have to travel just to enjoy the soothing quiet scenery that hiking trails and countryside have to offer. With that I have come up with some few ideas on how to create your own get away without having to leave the comfort of your own home. Therapeutic gardens go way back to about the 1800’s to aid those who were physically and mentally ill. So why not create your own for the health benefits of having a soothing place to go visit in the comfort of your own yard?
Some of the things that give a therapeutic garden it’s welcoming and calming feeling is creating your pathways to be wide and gently graded. You want your paths to be accessible as to not have to think about where you are walking and if you might step on something. Adding in some raised plant beds and containers allow for some light gardening which doesn’t require much work or thought. Sensory oriented plant selections are recommended to give you some color to the garden but also allows you to add in texture and fragrance.
If you are wondering what types of plants to add into this garden you might want to consider some lavender. Lavender makes for a great entryway plant because you could use it to not only line the pathways you have created but the scent also creates a calm and inviting feeling. Adding some rosemary to areas of the garden which have a more engaging aspect such as a pond or specific gardening shed areas because this is known to be good for children with mental capacity issues because they can smell and touch which allows for it to be a form of sensory learning. Spring flowering bulbs help with multiple types of mental disorders especially SAD (seasonal affective disorder) which tends to be worse for people during the winter. Having early blooming plants gives a sense of optimism and shows that life goes on. Childhood plants could be any variety of plant that you remember from when you are a child. This is a suggestion for therapeutic gardens because those with dementia tend to forget things but believe it or not, their childhood memories are the ones in which are actually lost last. So adding in a few of their favorites in which they can remember the aroma, colors or even specific names of are always good because it keeps exercising their brain when they are remembering those old memories.
Important concepts about therapeutic gardens you will want to remember is making sure your garden is functional. You don’t want to add in plants that will require a lot of upkeep because it is a space to enjoy and not stress about with work. Adding drips into the garden is a great idea because this also creates less upkeep for you as well. With that said you will want to also be sure that you are grouping plants together that all have similar water requirements.
If you are ready for functional, safe, inviting, therapeutic and easy to manage Country Girl Gardens has just the best advice when it comes to helping you create your new get away