Gardens For Winter Wellness - A Design-Led Approach
Winter in the UK can be a challenging time for our mental and physical health. But did you know that your garden can be a powerful tool to boost your well-being, even in the coldest months? By investing in quality garden design and landscaping, you can create a welcoming outdoor space that supports your winter wellness.
Key Garden Design Features to Enhance Winter Wellness
Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD), colds, flu, aches and pains and gloomy weather, can make all of us feel like battening down the hatches and staying indoors. Yet embracing the weather and spending just a few minutes outside every day offers a wealth of benefits for our mental and physical wellbeing.
A well designed garden will be inviting and comfortable 365 days of the year which means you’ll have no excuse for avoiding all that lovely fresh air. These design features are certain to lift your mood and encourage you to take a little physical exercise in the safety of your own garden.
- Cohesive design offering points of interest with sturdy paths between them
- A logical journey around your garden with resting places offering different views of your property
- Aesthetically beautiful sheltered areas create a comfortable resting place away from cruel breezes and cold rain
- Winter interest plants offering a treat for all the senses. Garden designers are very clever at building winter colour and scent into planting plans
- Outdoor lighting in winter time has a way of feeding the soul. Think bare trees adorned with twinkling lights, plants and water features accentuated by subtle illumination and soft lighting in cosy nooks
- The art of hide and reveal, giving you a surprise at every turn. Imagine spotting the first green shoots of snowdrops pushing through the soil or a flash of red as a robin explores your garden
- Carefully coordinated colour scheme for a restful atmosphere
Of course, a well designed garden is not just about winter wellness. When outdoor spaces are carefully considered and well built, they are a joy all year round.
Creating a “Joined Up” Garden
Creating a beautiful garden takes vision, product knowledge and a strong understanding of design principles. There’s more to it than choosing a couple of features and squeezing them into the available space. Garden designers consider many things before they finalise a layout and choose materials. Especially when your winter wellness is at stake.
- How will the garden be used? Not just in winter but all year round
- What will it look like from various angles? From the garden gate, through the kitchen window, from the patio doors, or looking from the bottom of the garden towards the home
- What problems need solving? Does your garden get muddy in winter? Is it overlooked by neighbours? Difficult for you to access safely?
- Are there any restrictions on what features you can have in your garden? For example, tree preservation orders (TPO’s) or local planning requirements
- Do you have pets? What do they need from your garden?
- How much garden maintenance are you able to do throughout the year?
- What is the soil type and how exposed is your plot? This will influence plant choices
- Your personal taste and style
- Your budget for the project
All of these considerations and more will be thoroughly thought up designing the layout for your garden.
Your garden designer will aim to arrange features in the most practical and aesthetically pleasing way ensuring there will be nothing to discourage you from using your outdoor space, and so that you feel good about your garden.
Maximising The Benefits of Your Garden
Bringing a beautiful garden design to life involves a whole raft of skills. Bricklaying, paving, carpentry, tree pruning, turfing, planting, tiling, electrical work, drainage and sometimes even plumbing.
A beautifully designed but poorly built garden is always a sad sight to see. And it will do very little to enhance your wellbeing. No, to maximise the winter benefits of your garden, you need to be sure that it is professionally built. Always hire a reputable landscaper who knows exactly how to work with each of the materials in your design and can solve problems with drainage, uneven ground and difficult soil. When you choose a member of the APL to design and/or build your garden, you can be sure your outdoor spaces are in good hands.
When you feel confident to use your garden all year round, you are well on the way to safeguarding your physical and mental health through the winter months.
And while you are waiting for the garden design and build process to come to fruition, why not wrap up warm and enjoy some of the parks, open gardens and footpaths near you? Combining a brisk walk with a luxurious mug of hot chocolate from a small cafe is a wonderful way to lift your spirits.
More Reading.
Why you should start planning your garden makeover months in advance https://www.landscaper.org.uk/landscaping-guidance/why-you-should-start-planning-your-garden-makeover-months-in-advance