Creating A Garden Sanctuary

We all have an innate need to celebrate life. At a most basic level, we honor the forces that came together to bring us into being by caring for our bodies and our souls. To truly rejoice in existence, we must also learn to cultivate loveliness in those special places that replenish the soul. When we create a garden sanctuary, we are reminded that we are a part of nature's essence. An outdoor retreat is a place where we can surround ourselves in nature, beauty, and the life force. It is not difficult to create a sanctuary—we should endeavor, however, to create sanctuaries that speak to us as individuals.

Whether we have a yard, a grassy corner, a patio, or a porch, our creative potential is infinite and any of these spaces can become a magnificent garden. When we feel drawn to specific themes such as Zen, angels, paradise, or the ethereal, we should explore them. Décor and furniture crafted from natural materials like wood and stone blend seamlessly into nature. Running water in a created stream or fountain, helps energy flow smoothly. Hidden features like concealed swings and reflecting pools veiled in shadow can surprise and delight. As your garden sanctuary evolves, remember to invite the elemental spirits of nature to assist you in your efforts to create a small pocket of harmony, beauty, and peace in your own backyard. If you have not already felt their presence, sit quietly in your garden and reach out to them. You will feel these earthly guides at your side as you continue to develop your sanctuary.

In the refuge of brilliant color, sweet scents, and stillness you create in your garden, the burdens imposed upon you by a sometimes hectic world will melt away. The splendor and tranquility of what you have brought into being will entrance you, allowing you to forget the constraints of time and space. No matter how large or small your garden sanctuary, the time you spend reveling in its pleasures will refresh your spirit and provide you with innumerable opportunities to celebrate life.

By incorporating native plants into compact gardens on your property, I create a sanctuary for relection and meditation that will refresh your spirit. Typically I plant colorful foliage annuals and perennial flowering plants that attract butterfies and hummingbirds. Small ponds and fountains like the one shown to the right add the calming music of water that also attracts birds into your garden. This small garden includes a large twenty five gallon terra cotta plant pot that houses fantail goldfish among water hyacinth and various water grasses. Small scale gardens and water features survive the local winters well with proper maintenance.  I'd love to create one at your house. Contact me.