Happiness is my Garden

My first published piece.....

QCWA Ruth Magazine Autumn Issue

An absolute joy for me has been to create a garden to share with those I love. 

Gardening is many things to many people, but for most it is time we can spend enjoying our homes and gardens.  Hard work at times, but when the hard work is done how wonderful to have time to spend a moment or an afternoon enjoying what we have created.

In creating a garden to enjoy with our family and friends it is important to plan and create special areas.   These areas can come in many forms.  Some simple, while others can be more complex in design.  Ideas can come from so many places.  Visiting beautiful open gardens, reading blogs and searching places like Pinterest and Instagram and of course reading inspiring magazines.

Take a simple idea, and begin with a small space or if you have a blank canvas to work with then you will be able to dream big and enjoy creating your beautiful garden.

A quiet area hidden from view of the house is a great place to start.  If starting from the beginning, plant some areas with screening plants to eventually give you the space you have envisaged. I have found Murraya Mock Orange and Photinia to be great plants for this.

A garden bench or a pair or Adirondack chairs to share the time with someone will be a lovely way to spend an afternoon or evening enjoying the garden.  Read a book, listen to some music, chat with someone or just sit and enjoy the peace and happiness that can come from spending time in your garden.  Make your space comfortable.  Cushions are an easy project for the garden.  Cheap and cheerful fabric or even pretty linen tea towels can be made up into great cushions.

An outdoor eating area can also be another way to share the garden with family and friends.  Many happy hours can be spent creating special memories of friendship shared and wonderful family times in an area created within the garden.

This can be as simple as a table and chairs with an umbrella for shelter from the sun.  A barbeque or a pizza oven can be incorporated into the garden.  Remember to plant beautiful perfumed herbs and plants in these areas to enjoy their fragrance. 

Herbs could include Rosemary, Lemon Balm, Oregano, Mint, Chives, Basil and Thyme – these are then also handy to snip and use in the meal being shared. Recycle old containers such as olive oil tins to make a quirky display of herbs in your garden.

Star Jasmine, Wisteria, Lemon Scented Pelargonium, Gardenia, Lavender and Murraya Mock Orange just to name a few favourites will make your outdoor space a delight to enjoy.  Spring flowering bulbs can be planted during autumn – favourites include Freesia, Jonquil and Daffodil. Citrus trees are another wonderful addition to the garden.  The perfume is amazing in Spring then harvesting and using your own beautiful produce creates another sense of happiness and satisfaction of having a garden to enjoy.

A chair or a bench in the vegetable garden or Potager is also a delightful place to spend some time planning and dreaming of your next project in the garden.

Even those who live in units or have small gardens can make a beautiful space to be enjoyed.  Pots of all descriptions are available and can be planted with herbs and perfumed annuals, bulbs and shrubs to be enjoyed.  Remember to keep the furniture smaller and enjoy creating a space to spend time enjoying your garden.

To plant a garden and create special areas to share with those we love is truly a gift we can give and enjoy.   Those moments of complete happiness are created in enjoying and sharing our creation.