Serenity in the Garden

Color outdoors can make you happy Are you feeling a little down? depressed? Well here is a way to fix that -  go out and plant something... Studies have found that an hour of gardening a day reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke and increases bone density more efficiently than aerobics or swimming! In fact, even looking at nature can result in a drop in blood pressure within five minutes and lower our stress hormones. One 16-year study in Australia revealed that those who did daily gardening even cut their risk of getting dementia in later life.    (Gardening boosts endorphins, the body’s good-mood chemicals. Personally, my theory is that we need the sunlight on our pineal gland and this can delay dementia, but I have no proof, its just a 'knowing') Here is a lovely story from  Timesonline United Kingdom,  dated March 27, 2010 "...Jane Robertson was earning a small fortune in the pressured world of derivatives market...

Isamu Noguchi - Tsukubai   1964 "...  The further you go into the past or the future, the simpler the design of everything becomes... The funny thing about simplicity is that somewhere along the way it got tangled up with philosophy, took on moral significance, and ....became a prescriptive design imperative. " Noguchi Museum Notes Noguchi - 'Momo Toro',   Storm King Art Center

Now that 2014 is closing, I chose the blog post that I think captured the year best.  This interview was conducted in March 2014, upon the publication of my book, 'Heaven is a Garden'.  It is from a wonderful blog called Open Voices which is part of the  Nature Sacred  website.  I am honored that this wonderful group chose to spotlight my new book. I urge you to check them out - there is always something inspiring in t heir blog . A Deeper Place of Being: An Interview with Jan Johnsen Posted on 03/06/14 Jan Johnsen’s forty years of practice in landscape architecture has taught her that gardens not only inspire and delight but also impart a sense of well-being, offer respite, and induce feelings of renewal to those who visit and simply sit awhile. garden and photo by Jan Johnsen Drawing on historical precedents from many cultures as well as design techniques honed through recent practice, her gardens are deeply nuanced, no matter the size....

Pantone says that an eclectic mix of understated brights, pale pastels and nature-like neutral colors will take center stage in 2015. click here for photo source They say designers of all kinds will draw from daydreams of simpler times and  will look to folkloric and floral art to restore a sense of well-being: “... There is a growing movement to step out and create ‘quiet zones’ to disconnect from technology and unwind, giving ourselves time to stop and be still...Soft, cool hues blend with subtle warm tones to create a soothing escape from the everyday hustle and bustle. ” Leatrice Eiseman,   Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute ® I concur! That is why I wrote a book about  Creating Serene Outdoor Spaces for Inspiration and Reflection this year. and one more thing: white works with everything: click here for photo source

(Angelonia with Helichrysum, petunia, Johnsen Landscapes) Blue is everyone's "favorite color."  It is, hands down, the most popular color worldwide and is the least "gender specific" color, having equal appeal to both men and women. Now Purple is giving blue a run for its money as the second favorite color.... Blue is the favored color for toothbrushes, so that says it all!  ( this info is from a great website:  Sensation Color )  but can purple be far behind? Scientists have found that the color blue causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming. This may be why we all like to be around blue....stare at this square and see if it calms you. In fact, over the past decade, scientists have reported the successful use of blue light in the treatment of psychological problems such as addictions, eating disorders, impotence, and depression. Moreover, a deep blue/purple such as Indigo or Deep Violet symbolizes...

“What a marvelous cooperative arrangement -  plants and animals each inhaling each other's exhalations,  a kind of planet-wide mutual mouth-to-stoma resuscitation,  the entire elegant cycle powered  by a star 150 million kilometers away.” -- Carl Sagan, "Cosmos"