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5 Ways To Live A Happier, Healthier Life
What type of image do we see promoting a healthy life? Someone who eats salads and goes for a morning run every day? Although…
What type of image do we see promoting a healthy life? Someone who eats salads and goes for a morning run every day? Although…
Lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic has ignited a love of gardening in many of us, as we cherish the moments we are able to spend outdoors. And while some of us may be more fortunate than others when it comes to what outside space we have, no matter what the size or state of your garden there’s always something that can be done to make the best of it and turn it into your very own wellness haven.
Whether you have a balcony or window box, a courtyard patio or roof terrace, or acres and acres of land, there are lots of purse friendly solutions to help brighten up your outside space, and we’ve got 5 ideas for you right now.
Add Colour
If you rent your home it’s worth checking with your landlord first whether you’re allowed to decorate or change the garden. And if you’re the landlord now might be the time to compare landlord insurance because who knows what your tenants might get up to if you agree! One of the easiest ways to brighten up any outside area is by introducing a splash of colour and so if you do get permission or if you do own your own home then this is a fantastic starting point.
Colour can come in the form of brightly coloured annuals like marigolds, pansies and geraniums, which you can plant into hanging baskets, window boxes, raised beds or patio containers. Custom flower boxes can make your space feel unique to you and will allow you to choose a style that suits your home and your personality. Have a go also at painting planters or plastic pots in your favourite colours to helps make those colours really pop. Or why not give your garden furniture a fresh coat of paint to breathe new life into them and to give your garden a brand new look. You may even have some old tins of paint knocking around that you can use, which will save you even more money and is better for the environment too. It’s amazing how just a small amount of TLC, rubbing down and a lick of new paint can transform something that was once old, rusty and marked up for the tip.
There are literally hundreds of garden ideas boards on Pinterest to help you plan your garden, create custom sheds, to bring some wellness to your outside space. So, go take a look and find a style that works for you and that helps you to create the perfect wellness haven to escape to.
Upcycle
Upcycling, where you take an object you no longer use and change it into something you will use, has revolutionised the home and garden scene. As our knowledge increases and our desire to invest in the wellbeing of our planet strengthens it’s only natural we should want to reuse objects to prevent them from going to landfill. And that’s good news for your garden too, as there are so many things you can upcycle to transform your garden into the sanctuary you’ve always wanted it to be.
Just check out these ideas for starters:
Welcome Wildlife
Nature is one of the best health tonics and being able to spend time outdoors in your own safe oasis of tranquillity is the perfect antidote to what is going on in the world. And what better way to feel at one with nature than by welcoming wildlife into your garden. Make bug hotels out of old logs or wooden pallets (yep there’s those pallets again!). Plant bee and butterfly friendly plants – butterflies will flock to shrubs such as buddleia and bees get a good old buzz from pollen heavy plants such as lavender and ox eye daisies.
Research shows that listening to the sound of birds helps lower stress and anxiety, so start making those DIY bird feeders (see above) and encourage those feathery friends to start paying your wellness haven a visit. If you have space in your garden, think about adding a water feature for them to drink from and to also encourage newts, frogs and toads to join in the party too. Plus, the sound of trickling water is enough to wash away anyone’s worries, wouldn’t you agree?
And let’s not forget our nocturnal friends too. Make a hedgehog hotel out of logs, old wood, or old roof tiles for them to have a safe space to hide away in. Remember to check your garden to make sure there are plenty of gaps for them to be able to enter and exit your garden with ease, for example under a gate or by a fence post.
Grow Up
When you haven’t got much outside space, but you love gardening and are keen to make the most of what you do have, it’s worth considering growing up rather than out. Vertical gardening is perfect for balconies, patios, or even homes that don’t have a garden. As long as you have a wall you can have a garden!
Some DIY vertical garden ideas include:
Light Up
No wellness haven is complete without some twinkling fairylights to take you from day to night. Strings of external fairy lights don’t cost that much and many of them are solar powered too so they won’t be racking up your electricity bill. Attach to fences, wind around tree trunks, or suspend them from bamboo canes in the ground to create a magical place to escape to after hours.
Candles will give your wellness haven an ambient glow and will help you to relax and destress if you’ve had a tough day. Just make sure they are positioned away from any low hanging branches or foliage as even a slight breeze poses a fire risk. An alternative would be to pop some fairy lights into a Kilner jar, or an old washed out jam jar, and make a handle out of some string. These pretty portable lights look like sparkling fireflies and can be easily picked up and placed wherever you choose to sit that evening.
Creating a wellness haven in your garden really isn’t all that difficult and no matter what your budget or the size of your garden there is always a way to make something beautiful for you to enjoy. We hope we’ve helped inspire you!
*collaborative post