_ODG Fall 2026 (3) - Flipbook - Page 16
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Martie Parch, Horticulture Chair
Healing in the Garden
ut your garden as a refuge
from the world. Using spaces for paths,
benches, rocks, water, color, and native
plants, you can turn your garden into a
place of peace and serenity…a Wellness
Garden.
Think abo
winding path will interest you and carry
your eyes to a distant view. That
encourages you to walk farther while
experiencing the sights, sounds and
colors of your garden. Place a bench to
rest and listen. A water feature will bring
birds, butter flies and bees in for a drink.
It ’s fascinating to watch birds bathe and
feed. Be sure to add feeding stations,
and you’ll have a natural habitat for
wildlife!
A
you want a seating area for family and friends to gather, choose fragrant flowers
like lavender, peonies and jasmine to add a sense of calm to your environment.
Pleasant breezes make ornamental grasses and perennials like wandflower (Gaura
lindheimeri) sway gracefully. Colors such as blue, light pink, green create a
peaceful atmosphere that reduces our stress and makes us slow our pace in this
busy world. Reds and yellow are energetic colors that evoke positivity and
happiness.
If
tudies show that gardening is very beneficial to our bodies as well as our minds.
Digging, planting, weeding, pruning are all activities that have healing powers.
Gardens can help control issues like sleep, weight, focus, and memory. There is a
feeling of accomplishment achieved when tending a garden. Make yours a
wellness retreat where you can relax, restore, and refresh!
S
Phot o credit; Kathy Ward
16.
ODG Fall 2026
