The Benefit of Multisensory Gardens
The Bridge Between the Garden, Brain, and the Body
More than enhancing the curb and overall visual appeal of your home, your garden can prove to be a veritable feast for all of your senses. All too often we find ourselves overstimulated by everything that goes on around us, and we need help to unwind or find the sense of calm we need to recharge our batteries. With a multisensory garden, you can effortlessly find that bridge between mind, body, and spirit. You do not need to be a gardener to find the joy in gardening either. Finding peace in the beauty and sense of place while grounding ourselves is an experience cultivated in many different ways in the garden.
Sun streaming through the trees onto the patio- Camano Island
The senses that your garden can stimulate include:
- Taste
- Hearing
- Sight
- Touch
- Smell
Start with the tastes that your garden can offer to you. From your apple trees providing a bumper harvest in fall, to those sweet little strawberries ushering in spring, there are many opportunities to incorporate tasty treats in your garden. All manner of fruits and vegetables can provide a source of nutrition for you and your family, but can also prove to be a delightful tasty treat on a warm spring or summer day.
Fresh juicy blueberries from the garden – Sublime Garden Design
The sounds of your garden could include the soft trickle of a water feature, or the melodic chirping of the birds visiting you. The sounds of the wind rustling through the trees and tall ornamental grasses. Or perhaps the chorus of frogs ringing in the sound of spring. The crunching sound as you walk across a gravel path can bring you into the present. There are many great ways to incorporate calming sounds into your garden. Allowing nature to take the lead is one of the best methods, however. Plant fruit and seed bearing plants that will attract birds, or perhaps add in a bird feeder to encourage plenty of feathers friends to visit.
Soothing sound of water in the garden
The visual feast your garden can offer is something you will appreciate instantly when you step foot outside. From vibrant and textural foliage, to the pop of color from flowers and fruits. Add in pieces that will not only enhance your experience outdoors, but that will also serve the purpose of attracting wildlife to your garden. From the squirrels to the bees, watching the life in your garden is certain to be one of the highlights of your time outdoors.
Focal point in the garden – Sublime Garden Design
You may not think that your garden offers much to incorporate your sense of touch, but it truly does. From the feel of the soft cool grass beneath your bared feet, to the softness of the sage in your herb garden. Running your hands through the soil in your garden is another way to inspire your sense of touch. There is something quite liberating and primal about getting your hands into the soil in your garden. The rich smell of your garden soil can also prove to be amazing for your senses, and for your overall sense of wellbeing.
Textures add interest and draw us in to connect with nature
Your garden is a veritable treasure chest of smells for you to indulge in. From fragrant flowers to that rich earthy smell you can only find in a healthy garden, you’ll find yourself completely at peace when taking those deep cleansing breaths outside. The smell of the grass, the smell of the thyme and rosemary, all of it can serve a valuable role in helping you to bridge that gap between body, mind, and spirit.
The smell of Thyme energizes the senses – Sublime Garden Design
The benefits of your multi-sensory garden are many, including the following.
- Helping to instill a sense of calm; which can in turn lower blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and help to moderate blood sugar levels
- Improved sleep; which can not only help to assure you are well-rested, but also work to stave off anxiety, depression, and heart disease
- Improved nutrition; organic home-grown fruits and vegetables offer a plethora of health benefits. The natural organisms found in soil can also aid in the overall health of your family.
Finding peace and joy in the garden – Sublime Garden Design
Reconnecting with yourself and with nature is something that all of us should take the time to do. With a garden offering a feast for all of the senses, you’ll find that your daily stress and chaos is infinitely easier to cope with.
What brings you peace in your garden?
Organized under Education, Garden Tips & Advice, Gardens, Landscape Design, Trends. Labeled as gardening for health, Gardens for healing, landscape design, Sensory Gardens.
