The importance of the private garden in a crisis

With all of us confined to our homes, a private garden or a beautiful terrace has never been more important. It is a place where we can safely step outside and take in some fresh air, and thanks to the decreased amount of traffic on the roads, the air we are breathing is much cleaner than it has been for some time.

Our gardens also offer us a place where we can stretch our legs, or perform more vigorous forms of exercise, such as power walking a circuit around the perimeter, practising yoga, tai chi or Pilates, (weather permitting) or somewhere we can sit quietly and meditate, read a book, knit or tackle a cryptic crossword.

The garden is also a sanctuary where we can connect with nature. We have seen some inspiring examples from amateur photographers on social media, who have taken their cameras out into the garden and discovered a wealth of activity amongst the floral plantings: the bees continue their busyness, and the flowers bloom regardless. It has highlighted for us, as garden designers, the impact that particular plantings have on introducing wildlife into our private space, and the calming, positive effect that this can have on us all.

 

 

Make more of your terrace

Of course, not everyone is fortunate enough to have a private outdoor space, and this situation has perhaps highlighted the benefits of giving more thought to our terraces. How can they be improved to become more a part of our daily life, rather than something we place a table and a couple of chairs on and then forget about? The team at La Menara will gladly offer design ideas to anyone who would like to maximise their terrace space, although it will have to wait until we are once again allowed to visit people’s homes.

 

 

We would like to send out best wishes to everyone in our part of Spain at this time. We hope that if you have a garden you are enjoying it, and if you would like ideas about how to make it an even greater oasis of calm and beauty, then please contact us, even now, and we will pay you a personal visit when permitted.