Planning A Serenity Garden
Jeff Slokum

"Kiss of the sun for pardon. Song of the birds for mirth.
You're closer to God's heart in a garden
than any place else on earth." -- Dorothy Frances Gurney

It’s an oft-quoted (and misquoted! I had to look it up for the
exact words) poem. Dorothy Frances Gurney expressed the way
that most people feel about their gardens. It is in the garden
that we feel the touch of the Divine more than anywhere else.
It is the reason that throughout the world, men and women have
put aside careers to become gardeners, planters and farmers.

There is more to it than the kiss of the sun and the song of
the birds, though. When you garden, you find yourself becoming
attuned to the natural rhythms of the earth – the pull of the
moon, the promise of the rain, the life-giving warmth of the
sun. You find yourself rising early to pluck a few berries with
the dew still on them. After dinner, you retire to the garden –
not because it needs you, but because you need it.

A true gardener’s garden is never finished. It is a work in
progress throughout its life. However beautiful or simple it
may be, it never has a sterile ‘landscaped’ feel to it. One can
sense the changing of the season from day to day – even from
hour to hour. In that light, there is no ‘plan’ for a serenity
garden. It is one that simply grows as you do, changing to
reflect your favorite colors, the landscapes that make you feel
comfortable, the philosophy that brings you peace and comfort
this month or this year.

With that said, then, take the rest of this with a grain of
salt, and adjust it to your own tastes and pleasures. These are
ingredients that go into making the perfect garden for me – your
mileage may vary.

Rocks – whether they edge a path, line a walkway, or form the
basis for a rock garden, stones and rocks are an integral part
of the earth. I know that most gardeners consider them
anathema, and will root out every last pebble in the interests
of providing ‘good soil’. To me, a garden can not be a garden
without rocks. I use them to build raised beds, plant
shade-loving ground covers beneath the overhang of large
boulders, and embed them in the earth to form pathways between
rows of shrubs and flowers.

Water – The sound of running water is like balm to a worried
mind. If you’re lucky enough to be able to build a backyard
pond, you have my everlasting envy. For the rest of us, there
are garden hoses and sprinklers to bring water into the garden.
Watering time is easily my favorite time of the day.

A Nearby Bench – Enjoying your garden is the reward for your
labor. Whether your ‘bench’ is a large boulder or your back
porch, be sure there is somewhere to sit close by so you can
bask in the scent of earth and growing things.

About The Author: This article courtesy of
http://www.best-florists.net


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