When we spend so much time taking care of others, it can be easy to feel super wrapped up in all of our responsibilities and lose sight of our own wellbeing. As a mother, it can be even more difficult to find the time to be away from home or even enjoy some fresh air outside. One great alternative is enjoying the wellness benefits of gardening.
How lovely would it be to not only have an outdoor edible landscape, but also your own little peaceful escape from reality? Edible landscaping is all about adding on foods that make sense for both your garden and your dinner table. It means finding the right fruits and veggies that go well with any plants you may already have, along with adding on to the beauty of your front or backyard.
Wellness benefits of gardening
Not only is gardening considered a very soothing and mindful activity, but it is actually a form of ecotherapy, which is actually also shown to be quite beneficial for mothers. Gardening can be done as a way to quiet the mind from everyday to-dos, while instilling a sense of personal commitment to a more holistic way of living.
On a more scientific note, it can also invite in more fresh oxygen into your home, your mind and body. Allowing you and your family to breathe easier with each passing day, especially whenever you find yourself caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
So taking the time to invest in your own edible landscape is like developing a relationship with your own little natural and intimate sanctuary. Because the art of gardening truly comes with patience and dedication, it’s always nice to have a well thought-out plan of what you want in order to get started.
Read below for some pro-tips on how to get started.
Tips for starting your own garden
Familiarize yourself with the landscape
What type of climate do you live in? Is it predominantly sunny, humid, or dry? Get to know what types of plants grow well in your region, as this is the first step to ensuring that your garden not only grows well, but is also more eco-friendly and sustainable.
Another important factor is studying what areas of your yard receive the most sunlight. Many outdoor plants need around six hours of sunlight per day, so prioritize those well-lit areas for setting up your leafy friends.
For shaded areas, consider the following as good options that require less attention from the sun:
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- Cherry tomatoes
- Currants
- Artichokes
- Blueberries
Regardless of whether you have loads of sunlight or cloudy shady weather, the important thing is to be mindful of your selection so that it feels appropriately matched with its surrounding habitat.
Switch out any toxic pesticides or fertilizer for organic bug repellant and compost
Most pesticides are not meant to be ingested by people. So keep you and your veggies safe by incorporating more organic and toxic-free solutions into any safe guarding methods used in your garden.
Delineate a walkway for better organization and accessibility.
One easy idea you can implement is setting aside a walking distance between your plants so that you can easily move around while tending to them. Some examples of how you might do this are by adding bark or stones to separate the walking versus planting zone.
In the end, it’s all about what calls out to you, your personal taste, and your family’s home space. With so much going on all around us all the time, having a quiet space to appreciate nature, cultivate our own home grown produce, and being able to bring more mindful practices into your everyday life is well worth the effort.
Author Bio
Rebeca Camacho is a content creator who focuses on weaving in insightful perspectives into various forms of communication. Her deep enthusiasm for digital marketing and crafting perceptive narratives has led her to write about various subjects from entrepreneurship to mindfulness.
