Why is a garden important?

In my life before garden design, gardening was the one hobby that could distract me from the stresses of my old job.  Somehow putting my hands in the soil, and nurturing a new seed or plant, helped me to feel totally absorbed in nature.  

More and more people now agree that gardening is good for the soul as well as providing gentle exercise which releases feel good hormones.

Many people I meet are keen to develop gardening skills and I love to help them and enjoy seeing them get more confident with their plants.  Designing a garden for someone, which suits their needs and lifestyle, is often the first step to helping them on their gardening journey and, potentially, the first step to their well being.  

And let’s not forget about climate change.  Trees are great weapons against this - they absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide and pollution and trees in cities help to keep the climate cooler too.  Smaller plants are good for the environment too with many flowering species attracting birds, bees and butterflies.  

So what are you waiting for?  If you are keen to start gardening, but are not sure where to begin, why not start with a few raised beds?  You could try growing easy vegetables or some uplifting flowering plants.  I’ll add some ideas to a future blog so watch this space.