Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
If you want to live a more peaceful life all while bringing greater health to your family, consider gardening. Just ask any of your gardening friends or relatives how they feel about their gardens. Additionally, research shows a garden can be a sanctuary that brings peace, quiet, and mental and physical health. Additionally, in these uncertain times, creating a small, green space you can call your own can also give you extra security. That said, you want to get the most out of our garden because they take time and effort. Here are several ways to do just that!
Start Simply
If you’ve never had any type of garden before, give yourself some time and space to learn and grow as a gardener. Some women spend years honing gardening skills and getting things just right. I recommend starting with easy-grow plants in containers or a small area of your yard. Herbs are usually easy to grow and can give back immediately.
Assess the time and energy you have to put into your new garden. This will help you to not get in over your head. I also recommend enlisting your family to help you with all phases of your garden, especially if you are growing any type of food. Young children should naturally be curious about the process and want to help.
Grow Your Own Food
Growing your own food is typically seen as something that is only done in the countryside, far away from suburban or city landscapes. This is a false conception, however! There are so many innovative ways to grow food in all settings.
If you have a small garden space or balcony, you can still grow herbs and some small plants. Herbs such as rosemary and mint are easy to grow in containers outside or inside. You can actually grow tomatoes, peppers, and some other vegetables inside or on a patio.
For those of you who have a larger space to cultivate for a garden, you will need to plan it out sometime in advance. Decide what you want to grow and how much. You can then begin to plan out your garden, according to your zone. Crop zones can be found in the Farmer’s Almanac, which is available online. This information is valuable and helps you to know what to do and when. Do also watch some YouTube tutorials if you are new to this.
Add a Water Feature
If you’re looking for a bigger project with some added appeal, consider adding a water feature in your garden. This does not have to be in the form of a huge, expensive fountain. Even a birdbath, a small but exciting feature, can change everything! If you want fire and water fountains outdoor excitement in your garden, something larger and more dramatic might do the trick. Make sure you get the necessary information before you begin. Here are a few things you will need to start creating your water feature.
Hand Pumps: You can purchase these online and they’re perfect for any kind of liquid transfer you need to do. For example, to set up an antique hand pump water feature you will need to transport large amounts of water, and can do this easily with a modern hand pump!
Water Feature: Creating a water feature needs a slightly larger garden than a tiny city balcony. You will need a patch of grassland on which to build your feature. Try adding something small to start or go big with a pond if you have the space. If you can’t take care of it yourself, there are pond management specialists that can take care of installation and maintenance.
Get Expert Advice: Before you begin, to ensure the safety and longevity of your water feature, seek the advice of an expert gardener or landscaper.
Attract Wildlife
Using your garden to attract wildlife can bring you and your family joy and an added opportunity to learn about the environment. Having a wildlife-friendly space allows animals and insects to find safety and places to build homes and find food.
Try something simple like adding a bird feeder, or installing nesting boxes in trees. Even planting flowers that attract bees and butterflies is a simple way to serve the wildlife in your area. If you install a water feature, you can attract aquatic life such as frogs and newts. Leaving your space relatively natural, with twigs, leaves and foliage encourage hedgehogs to nest there as well.
