Healing Gardens & Spiritual Spaces
Healing Gardens & Spiritual Spaces bring the sacred into our lives. Designs are well thought out with a goal of creating a space that is rejuvenating. A specific intent and vision to reflect and enhance our everyday life is found in this type of garden. Healing gardens date back to medieval times where herbs and prayer were the main focus of health, and cloistered gardens produced a variety of useful medicinal plants. Technological advances saw the demise of this concept and much of this type of healing fell by the wayside.
Vincent Van Gogh wrote to his brother, "For one's health it is necessary to work in the garden and see the flowers growing."Today healing gardens can be found in both residential and commercial settings, such as hospitals, hospice settings or nursing homes. Most healing gardens hold true to three principles: one, achieving a degree of relief of symptoms; two, stress reduction with relaxation and rejuvenation and finally, improved sense of overall well being.
Medicinal plants such as, ginger (assists digestion), chili pepper (pain relief), Echinacea (immune support), Sage (heart, circulatory, asthma) Yarrow (anti-inflammatory) are typically used. Plant should be non-toxic as many children's healing gardens encourage touch, taste and smell. Plants should not have thorns or sharp edges to avoid injury with an interactive approach. Likewise any plants with skin irritants should be avoided.
Design may include concepts relating to the cycle of life from birth to death which can be symbolized with quiet pools and flowing streams. The aspect of the aesthetics of nature involving one viewing the garden quite simply offers a distraction from everyday life's current problems. These gardens do provide the element of social support, physical movement and exercise and again nature as a positive distraction.
Spiritual Spaces offer sanctuary, meditation and a connection to the earth. Gates, alters, labyrinths, herbs, lily ponds are just a few of the introspective elements used to invite serenity, inspiration, and magic. Other elements include arbors, arches, benches, bridges, grottos, moon gardens, and spirals. Whether a space is small and intimate or flowing and grand, a lush private setting is created. This type of garden design is based on the depths of imagination. It is always about beauty, nature and renewal. Various universal symbols can be interspersed into an environment with special meaning and sacred meaning.
Healing gardens and Spiritual Spaces can be powerful places for celebration and ritual. Everyone can benefit from some aspect of these extraordinary components to enhance their daily lives. Our garden landscape designs in San Diego are award-winning, call us today for a quote.
