We’ve all become a little more connected to our gardens in recent years. We’ve grown to value the space and understand what fresh air and being able to tinker with our gardens can do for our mental health.
With more of us suffering from mental health problems than ever before, ensuring your garden is a place in which you can relax is instrumental. The likes of depression, anxiety and addiction is on the rise, with more people visiting private alcohol rehabs than ever before. As part of that treatment, fresh air and surrounding yourself in a calm and natural space is encouraged to ease stress and promote calm.
And that’s the same for everyone. Gardens can do that and at the moment many of us will be thinking how exactly we prepare our spaces to do just that come the summer months.
So, to help you out, here are five top tips to transform your garden into that summer oasis you so desire…
Greenery and blooms
Of course, the foundation of any garden lies in its greenery and floral displays. It’s time to start potting and getting those vibrant plants, flowers and shrubs into your space. A good idea is to opt for a variety of species that bloom at different times of the summer, or those that remain blooming all summer, ensuring that there’s a continuous display of beauty.
Add fragrant flowers such as lavender and jasmine to create soothing scents and increase the lushness of the garden with ferns, hosts and palms. This will help really surround your garden with nature.
Comfortable seating areas
From there it gives you the base to add a seating area and allow yourself to escape within the greenery. Investing in comfortable outdoor furniture is a must, otherwise it’s just going to become a dead space you don’t wish to spend time in. There’s a wealth of styles of outdoor furniture out there, so think what you’ll use it most for. Lounge chairs, sofas, hammocks, benches and more are all options, while you also need to think about where to position those. You want to position them strategically to take advantage of the natural focal points, while you may want to consider more practical things like shade too.
Tranquil water features
The trickling of water can really elevate the serenity of a space and be incredibly calming on a person’s mental health. It provides a true escape, stimulating the senses and oozing relaxation. There are many styles of water features to suit all types of space, so exploring the position of the feature is a first port of call before deciding whether you want something more elaborate such as a pond or cascading waterfall, or a small bubbling fountain.
They can be so good in masking unwanted noise and really will boost the overall calmness of a garden.
Soft lighting and ambience
If you like to sit in the garden of an evening, then soft lighting and ambient illuminations is a good way to make it a calming atmosphere come that time. Festoon lighting, lanterns and pathway lights can all create a warm and inviting garden, while illuminating key areas, such as seating areas can enhance visibility and highlight the garden’s overall beauty.
It’s important to keep that lighting soft, otherwise it can become more of a harsh environment, of which you’ll probably want to go inside.
Al fresco dining
Finally, you may want a more practical space for entertaining and allowing you to dine outside during those warm summer evenings. In which case you’re going to need to think about tables and chairs, as well as the potential grills and pizza ovens. Setting up a dining area can be tricky, as you need to ensure that the space doesn’t dominate the garden. Like seating arrangements, you want it to blend in rather than be the dominant focus. Ambient lighting is also important here, while there needs to be an emphasis on the quality of the table and dining chairs to make eating a comfortable experience.
Outdoor heaters could be another important addition, to keep the entertainment going into the cooler evenings of the year. Do this, and you’ll transform your garden into a summer oasis that is usable for a variety of different purposes.