 The Importance of Landscaping for a Peaceful Garden
Introduction: One of the best ways to unwind and de-stress from the day-to-day hustle is by spending some quality time in the garden. Not only is it great for your mental health, but it's also a fantastic way to relax and surround yourself with nature. To enhance these benefits and create a tranquil environment, it's essential to invest in the right landscaping. In this blog post, we'll be discussing why landscaping can create peace in the garden! Encourages relaxation A garden filled with overgrown grass and scattered weeds doesn't scream "relaxation zone!" The right landscaping can transform your garden into a peaceful sanctuary that's perfect for unwinding. Incorporating elements like a water feature, lights, and pathways can add a relaxing and welcoming vibe to your garden and create a calm environment. Reduces stress Landscaping can significantly reduce stress by allowing you to focus on something other than the daily pressures of work and other commitments. Besides adding visual interest, spending time in your garden, whether it's planting, pruning, or just sitting in it, can be therapeutic and help you calm down after a long day. Increases positive mental health Studies have shown the positive impact of spending time in nature on mental health. By bringing nature to your backyard, you are creating a relaxing and serene space to recharge. This can boost your mood and provide the perfect escape from the stress of life. Additionally, landscaping and taking care of plants can provide a sense of accomplishment that can lead to feelings of joy, peace, and satisfaction. Enhances your outdoor space Landscaping your garden can transform it into an inviting and beautiful space that you want to spend time in. The right landscaping can add color, texture, and visual appeal that will make your outdoor space more inviting and a haven for relaxation. With the right design, you can create a pleasing environment that will make it very hard to leave! Provides a safe haven Lastly, having well-designed landscapes can provide a safe haven in your garden for birds and other wildlife. A peaceful garden with an abundance of blooming flowers, fruits, and trees can be a nourishing habitat for birds, hummingbirds, and bees. This wildlife provides an active and calming environment that is both therapeutic and peaceful. Conclusion: When we think of creating a relaxing space, we often think of indoors; however, the outdoors should not be left behind. By investing in the right landscaping, you can make your garden equally tranquil, pleasing, and an escape haven for all kinds of relaxation. Make your garden your sanctuary by investing in a well-designed space, and watch yourself and nature thrive.
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 “Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them” A.A. Milne. I’m all for letting things be in the garden. Wherever possible, if it will benefit wildlife and do no harm to family, pets, or the things I’ve intended to grow, I’ll resist disturbance and let Mother Nature guide me. Minimum mowing, never before the spring bulbs have finished doing their thing, leaving Dandelions to feed the bees (and occasionally me), I choose to accept the gifts that appear in my garden. Should a mysterious newcomer appear I’ll let them show me who they are before deciding if they need to be consigned to the compost heap or the brown bin of oblivion. Many plants that are considered weeds are just plants out of sync with our idea of the garden. If we dig a little deeper we can find that that funny looking thing that bursts unbidden out of the lawn or brings unexpected colour from between the pavers may be a blessing in disguise. Wild Violets I recently introduced a little mate of mine to some wild violets that had sprung up in a patch in the front garden. I offered him a flower to try as he is interested in wild food. He swiftly helped himself to several more flowers. It’s a joy to share my small amount of knowledge with someone so keen to learn. Wild violet leaves and flowers can be used raw in salads. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, are rich in calcium, magnesium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. They have been used historically to boost the immune system and brewed as tea to treat colds and respiratory infections. They were also popular with the Victorians as a symbol of modesty and faithfulness. The root and seeds should not be consumed as they may cause nausea. Violets are fairly distinctive but leaves should only be taken from flowering plants so as not to confuse them with Lesser Celandine which thrives in similar environments and is toxic. Wild Violets have a heart shaped leaf with a frilled edge. Lesser Celandine have yellow flowers and a heart shaped leaf. Primroses Symbol of youth, renewal and optimism. I've learned something too. My little mate shared Primrose flowers with me. I had no idea that they too were an edible plant. The flowers are sweet scented and delicately flavoured, the leaves are spicy and taste slightly of anise. Containing Vitamin C and minerals they make another valuable and surprisingly good addition to a spring salad. The flowers can also be used in jams and desserts. Primroses have historically been used to soothe the skin and are still used in skincare lotions and potions to this day. The flowers and leaves of Primroses can be prepared as a tea to relieve insomnia, anxiety and headaches. The roots can be used to treat a variety of ailments from coughs to rheumatism and arthritis. Cleavers Also known as Sticky Weed, Goose Grass and Bedstraw. I first became aware of this plant's beneficial properties when I noticed my wise old dog was selectively searching for and eating it. This prompted me to find out more about the plant I knew as Stickyweed. Fun to stick on the clothes of the unwary and good for you too! Cleavers enhance the function of the lymphatic system when taken as a tea. They are rich in Vitamin C, act as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and reduce congestion and swelling. Historically they have been used as a slimming aid (not by me!). The seeds can be dried, roasted and ground to be used as a coffee substitute. The next time something unexpected pops up in the garden, have a good look at it. There are many plant identification apps that can help identify the newcomer for you, if you can’t get on with apps, ask a bright kid who goes to forest school. You may have won the free food lottery or have been gifted a remedy for what ails you by Mother Nature.  What exactly is a cryptogamic garden?
With regards to Greek etymology, the word crypto originates from kryptos - meaning concealed and gamic from gamos - meaning marriage. Thus, a cryptogamic plant or a plantlike organism has a hidden reproductive system and that it produces no seed or flowers. Typical examples are; ferns, moss, algae and fungi, which reproduce through spores and not flowers or seed. The most popular of the cryptogam plants to be found in the garden are ferns. In shady areas of the garden, ferns create delicate patterns of green and they combine well with other shade loving plants such as primroses and snowdrops. At this time of year we look forward to an abundance of brightly colours to announce the arrival of spring and early summer and rightly so! but lets not forget those places where the sun rarely shines; colour can thrive here too. Ferns of different types, with their cool green colours and arching fronds, can bring the beauty of a natural woodland to a shady area and transform a corner of the garden where few other plants will survive. However, some flowering plants will grow in similar conditions to ferns and mix well too. Other examples are: Acanthus Mollis alongside the male fern Dryopteris fixi-mas. Dicentra spectabilis alongside Asplenium scolopendrium. Ferns can also grow in dapple shade, as long they are shielded from the midday sun, they will grow in all soils apart from badly drained ones and they require protection from strong winds. Ferns look best when they are grown a suitable distance apart and the fronds do not intermingle with one another and a fern enthusiast will use ferns alone in a shady border, mixing species of different sizes, varying shades of green and different frond shapes. Spring is an excellent time to plant ferns and with regards to cultivation purposes, ferns can be divided into three types: Crown forming ferns – whose fronds emerge from a stout root in the form of a crown (Dryopteris fixi-mas). Rhizomatous ferns – whose fronds rise up along the rhizome root, without forming a crown (Gymnocarpium dryopteris – Oak fern). Spleenworts – a group of ferns that grow best horizontally and ideal for rock gardens and dry-stone walls (Asplenium trichomanes – maidenhair spleenwort). Cryptogams are one of the oldest groups of plant species, existing since the Jurassic era and are hugely beneficial to the eco-system of the garden. Areas with low pollution levels, high in moisture and devoid of direct sunlight is where they thrive best. As the sun sits higher in the sky and the variety of colourful blossom increases within the garden, we must not neglect the areas of shade and the vital area known as the Cryptogamic Garden. |
Welcome!Here at Penwarne Landscaping we are all passionate about gardens, and believe that outdoor spaces are just as important as indoor ones! In this blog, we regularly share our expertise along with tips and tricks that you can use to make the most of your garden and home. Archives
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