By Linda Wiggen Kraft
Green & Growing Editor
Now is the time for an easy summer day trip into your outdoor garden space. The cicadas have retreated into the ground for another 14 or 17 years. The garden is what it is and will be that way for a while. It’s too early for fall planting and too late for summer planting. There is beauty in whatever state the garden is in. The days may be hot, but mornings are cool.
Think of a garden day trip as a short vacation. Get into a vacation state of mind. Imagine you are going to a place you’ve never been before. Imagine seeing this landscape for the first time. Find your “beginner’s mind” with childlike wonder and non-judgement. Instead of the usual thoughts of what weeds need to be pulled, what new plants need planting, what plants to get rid of, etc., see the garden in all its imperfect perfection of now.
A day trip can be for part of a day or all day. It’s important to plan this trip with a commitment to taking time without distractions. Clear the calendar. Take messages on your phone and don’t let it distract you. Imagine how you will spend time in the garden. Plan for sitting and wandering in your outdoor garden space. Take a chair if there is no place to sit. Bring some paper and pencil or pen. Dress for the weather. Bring water.
Gather all your supplies and enter into your outdoor garden space. Pause as you enter and take some deep breaths, breathing in the energy of the sky, soil and all the life of the garden. Imagine you are entering through a threshold into a world of new experiences.
Find your sit spot. This is a spot where you will sit comfortably for at least 20 minutes at first. Sit spots are part of outdoor experiences to connect with nature. Finding a sit spot can be done in home outdoor spaces or remote forests and nature wilderness. The reason for 20 minutes is that birds, mammals and other living creatures often hide or go away once humans enter their space. It usually takes 20 minutes for this wildlife life to reappear.
While sitting, become aware of all your senses and let the energy of the landscape enter into these senses. Take 5 to 10 minutes for this. Be aware of your breath. After this time, if comfortable, take the paper and pen or pencil and write about this experience. Try writing a type of poem made up of three simple lines about what is going on around you. If you feel like it, meditate, pray, journal, read, watch birds, or look at flowers and plants.
Alternate sitting and getting up to be close to the garden. Look closely at a flower or plant that calls to you. Take time to really see the details of its beauty. Let your fingers and eyes dance along the edges of a leaf or flower petal. If there are edibles in the garden, taste their flavor. Smell the fragrances and listen to the life of the garden.
May this day trip be a vacation you will want to go on again and again.
Linda Wiggen Kraft is a landscape designer of holistic/organic gardens. She is an artist and creativity workshop leader. She is teaching an all-day “Fantasy & Real Flower Art” workshop Sept. 28th. Her ceramic jewelry and pottery are available online. Check her website for details. Find out more, subscribe to her blog and Instagram at www.CreativityForTheSoul.com, Call her at 314 504-4266