My garden retreat

It’s holiday time now and I’m looking forward to relaxing outdoors … making the most of some R&R and enjoying my garden.

I have a bench seat in the corner of my little backyard that beckons me whenever I’m out there. Whether I’m working hard digging, planting, fertilising and weeding or simply sitting back and admiring the results of all my hard work … you’ll find me resting on that bench.

It’s a place that quietens my spirit from early in the morning. I grab a cup of coffee as I wandering through the garden …. pondering what the day or week ahead may will bring. Then I sit in this quiet corner shaded by the overhanging Evergreen Ash tree in the garden bed behind the bench and look out onto the backyard.

The veggie patch is what I see first and I consider what delights I can collect from the garden and cook up for that night’s meal. I make a mental note of some of the things I need to attend to … pruning, dead-heading, mulching etc. Then I watch the chickens as they fuss, forage and fight playfully together further away, behind the veggie patch.

After assessing the ‘productivity’ of the garden I’m drawn to the ‘pretties’ in the garden as I glance around from my protected viewing corner. Flowers are blooming and they bring a smile to my face when I see some real delights. One of those is the clematis that adorns the arch at the side entrance to my garden, on the other side of the veggie patch.

This is my favourite spot in the garden and I’m drawn back to this spot time after time. Maybe you have a similar place in your garden.

What is it that makes a certain part of the garden so special?

My favourite spot has particular elements that make it special. Shade is important because it creates a soothing and relaxing atmosphere. A bench allows me to sit and rest for as long as I want. It’s out of the way, but i can see the bench from the back door, so it draws me out and entices me to wander over. Any seating in the garden should draw you towards it, so make sure you place it somewhere you can see it. Smell and sight when you get there is also important so that you remain there. My bench has a carpet of chamomile lawn in front of it. As I walk over it and crush the plant under foot, it releases a lovely sweet smell to enjoy while I’m sitting looking around. The veggies, flowers and chickens are all a visual stimulant that keep me there for longer.

What’s your favourite garden retreat?