The Garden in Winter – Therapy for All Seasons
“I love the garden in winter just always as much I do in the summer. I find it very satisfactory walking through and then each month, there’s something slightly different.” This quote from Rosemary Verey is one that we can take to heart on this Winter Solstice day. The days may be shorter, however, it is rewarding to get outside and explore all that the (winter) garden has to offer.
“One of her lessons is for everyone, not just gardening people, and that is her example coming to something quite late in her life and being self-taught and self-made and at the end of her life,” Robinson told Here and Now. “She is world famous. Now, we might not all achieve that, but it is an inspiration that we can have an important chapter later in our lives”
To listen to the full story about Rosemary Verey, her gardening activities, how she influenced many lives, and the book on Rosemary by Barbara Paul Robinson
– follow the link to the NPR story at: http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2012/12/21/garden-advisor-verey
Therapeutic Gardens in the Workplace
How about taking your work outside to sit at a table, under a tree, the birds singing, a gentle breeze and the gentle sound of a water fountain – while you are at the office? This is not a dream – it is a reality. Businesses are providing gardens for people to work. The research validates the importance of incorporating the natural environment for productivity and restoration.
According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Going outside for short breaks – or stimulating the outdoors with foliage or images of nature – can reduce worker stress and list moods…Taking a nature walk can increase short-term memory capacity by some 20%.” To read more about the benefits of creating gardens in the workplace, refer to the 11-21-12 article “Bringing Work to the Great Outdoors”:
Indoor Plant Therapy
I have been bringing some of my herbs inside for the winter. This is a great way to extend the growing season and have fresh herbs to use in cooking during the winter months. It is also a nice way to bring some of those great fragrances inside. Lemon balm in a pot by the window helps bring back memories of a great garden this past summer.
Herbs in a window at the Chicago Botanic Garden
If you did not act quickly enough before the frost, there are a few stores that carry potted herbs. I have seen rosemary, thyme, chives and other herbs for sale. There are some things to consider when finding the right location and exposure for these plants. Sunlight, watering, temperature and other factors need to be taken into consideration. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal has some great tips on transitioning herbs indoors. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204712904578094731197090020.html
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The Restorative Powers of Nature and The Nature Principle
Richard Louv, author of Last Child in Woods, has published a new book that further defines the importance of our connection with nature. His new book The Nature Principle combines the research with day to day examples of how people are connected to nature. The book is a must read for anyone looking to incorporate nature into their everyday lives.
Shopping at the Farmers Market
The Nature Principle explores our dependence upon nature and the ways we interact with the natural environment that surrounds us. The benefits affect our individual and collective health, happiness and quality of life. I encourage you to pick up a copy today and begin to explore the ways to incorporate more of the natural world into our respective lives. A link to the Nature Principle web site is at http://richardlouv.com/books/nature-principle/
Read moreCircadian Rhythms – Nature Therapy
Circadian rhythms are the natural waking and sleeping cycles of our body. If we travel between time zones our circadian rhythms are upset and we may be hungry at the wrong time or cannot get to sleep because the natural clock in our body is thrown off. It has been shown that one of the best ways to reset our circadian rhythms is to spend time in the sunlight, such as enjoying time in a garden.
An article on our circadian rhythms in today’s Wall Street Journal (WSJ) indicates that there are optimal times during the day for specific tasks and activities. A good way to regulate our bodies clock is to stay connected to nature. It is a natural way to reset and/or maintain our natural rhythms . A link to the article in the WSJ can be found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444180004578018294057070544.html?mod=ITP_personaljournal_0
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