Sacred Gardens

 

Galbraith's sacred garden installed with Soilutions

  A sacred garden first must strive for sustainability, producing life from within.  By raising pathways, we create depressed planting beds that catch and absorb rainwater where it is most needed, by the plants.  I use other methods of sustainability such as passive and active rainwater harvesting systems, low-water plants, drip irrigation systems, and thick organic mulch. 

           Pathways mimic patterns found in nature: waves, spirals, mushrooms, tree branches and roots, etc.  Such natural shapes create great visual interest, making the garden into an art form.  We subconciously relate to patterns in nature being products of nature ourselves.  The mental effect of looking and tinkering in a garden shaped in a life-creating pattern calms the mind in the same way the weekend in the mountains does, by making us feel connected to the Earth.  Natural patterns also increase edge effect, the law that life thrives where two ecosystems meet.  In our garden, the edge is where the path meets the growing beds. 

Front yard before

Front yard triple spiral

Galbraith’s sacred garden installed with Soilutions

           Paths of sacred gardens should promote walking meditations by looping and meandering.  Flowing paths as well as hidden sitting areas just beyond the bend in the path pull a resident into the garden.  This is when real magic happens, when a home owner begins to interact with the garden. 

          Many people seeking my services request a no-maintenance landscape.  Wild areas left to achieve its own balance (there are few left in the States) and parking lots are two examples of no-maintenance gardens.  Our city gardens, however, demand a little tending.  Yet with appropriately placed plants (in naturally wet areas, clumped plantings), a drip irrigation system, and a thick layer of organic mulch to suppress weed growth, maintenance is minimal but still required.  I invite my landscaping customers to attend my Abundant Gardening, Abundant Life class in order to learn how to make the “task” of gardening into a meditative experience.  Part of my product is the skill to connect with nature through our gardens.

         

 

 

 

 

 

Abundant Gardening, Abundant Life Class

    Nature creates life in predictable patterns of place and time.  The study of permaculture teaches us about patterns in nature as they occur in space and how we can imitate them to achieve healthy, sustainable communities.  In my class, Abundant Gardening, Abundant Life, I review many of these permaculture ideas and show students on-sight examples in our garden designs, plantings, and maintenance. 

     The second element of the class teaches students to imitate natural timing patterns by understanding and following lunar energy patterns.  Farmers since the beginning of farming have followed lunar rhythms to maximize their yields.  Only recently has this wisdom been ignored and, consequently, our connection to natural creation has weakened. 

     Finally, this class attempts to bridge the narrow gap between following natural patterns in our garden and then in the rest of our lives.  If nature creates life in semi-predicable ways and we are elements of nature, wouldn’t we benefit by following these patterns in more than just our effort to create a beautiful garden?  With the forces of nature backing us, what else might we wish to create?  Balanced, loving relationships; fulfilling work; productive communities; a peaceful world.  That’s a good start.  Nature demands our fulfillment and gives us pathways to achieve it.  By becoming students of nature, we may just become a thriving, sustainable ecosystem.

     I will host the next Abundant Gardening, Abundant Life class on May 20th at 11 am at my Albuquerque home in the south valley.  If you are interested in joining us, RSVP 505-242-4803.  Class fees are $20 and class will last about two hours.