Nature is both constant and changing in that it is always with us but seldom remains static. In times of stress, poor health and personal pressure aspects of nature are there to fall back on. Meditation and mindfulness have grown in popularity and profile in recent year but the benefits of a garden have been acknowledged for centuries. Gardeners Tips is opening a new category within our pages to look at different types  of garden, our  relationships with nature and a spiritual approach to show how each  constructively helps.

New Venture

• Over the last 10 years G. Tips has provided 2100+ pages of pictures, tips and sometimes idiosyncratic comment. We are not about to change the formula too drastically but hope the themed approach to new posts will be constructive.
• There is a cathartic result for the author when a post is completed, published and even better when it is read. For those who garden or consider nature in almost any form we hope they derive health benefits and peace of mind. So for the next decade we hope G.Tips lives on as do all the precious plants in your gardens.
• Tomorrow the first of our new posts will go back to the beginning and the Garden of Eden.

Just to break the ice and get going here is a short list of publications on the subject of ‘spirit’ that are available via at amazon.

Gardens of the Spirit 2019 Calendar: Japanese Garden Photography

A good photograph can lighten up your day and I have enjoyed various calendars over the years. You do not need to opt for an expensive version you can get as much satisfaction out of a DIY calendar. Do you remember the calendars we used to make at school with a small pad of monthly dates to stick at the bottom of a photograph or picture cut from a magazine. Good pictures and images invoke memory and can boost your spirit.

Contemplation may be at the heart of a spiritually orientated garden. Certainly it will involve landscapes and the ability to look and see. As the blurb on ‘Landscape as Spirit’ sets out:-

‘principles of Oriental and Western garden design to make bold and original statements in his landscapes. Mosko explains how to deploy the materials of the garden so that their arrangement reflects the contemplative mind. The chief paradigm he uses is the mandala, a symbolic picture of the ideal world used in some form in many of the world’s cultures. Rocks, streams, plants, paths, and structures of the garden each take their place in the mandala as one of its five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space. The means to produce a balance of these elements is the mind conditioned by meditation and a clear understanding of its own nature. Inner harmony is expressed as outer beauty.’

Sanctuary is one of the most basic human emotional need. We all need somewhere to retreat too when the need arises. Jessie Bloom’s book recognises this and adds:-

‘traditional plant wisdom to help readers find a deeper connection to the outdoor space they already have – no matter the size. Equal parts inspirational and practical, this engaging guide includes tips on designing a healing space, plant profiles for 50 sacred plants’

Stress, amongst other things, is the result of a shortfall in the need for a Spirit uplift that can be provided by gardens. Ron Knees reminds us that:-

‘Stress Is Spiraling Dangerously Out of Control and So Is Prescription Drug Abuse Learn How to Handle Your Stress Through a Natural Solution That Provides Both Mental and Physical Health Benefits! In “Relieving Stress Through Gardening”, you’re going to discover an all natural solution that zaps stress and eliminates the need for you to pop pills on a regular basis. Gardening sounds like a simple activity, but the benefits are both mental and physical in nature. There are vitamins absorbed through the skin from the sun and beneficial bacteria that thrive in the dirt – both of which help diminish your cortisol levels and help you handle whatever comes your way.’