Calming effects of water in your garden
We are living in a very busy time. We are working harder, longer days and taking less time for vacations and making less time to relax and reflect. This can, and does, take a toll on our health. Take a moment and try to remember your most relaxing vacation. Chances are it involved some element of water. It consisted of either a rushing mountain stream or a beautiful lake, or perhaps a sandy beach with the waves of the ocean crashing upon the shore. This is the sound that calms us; this is the sound of WATER. We connect with it, and it brings us to our center.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to bring that feeling closer to home and introduce water into your landscape? Rather than taking the time to head to the mountains or to the beach, picture yourself after a long, hard day—topped off with Atlanta traffic—coming home and having a quiet paradise in your own backyard! No noisy neighbors or the sound of speeding cars, only the sound of a rushing waterfall as it cascades down a stream to gently fall into a pool of water covered with beautiful lilies and croaking frogs. This is your happy place, and you have created it.
Centuries ago, the Chinese and then later the Japanese developed the art of using water and rocks in landscaping. The Chinese gardens are linked to their poetic and artistic beliefs. They have a reverence for nature, as shown in the effort they put into their gardens. Some of the most powerful symbols of nature were mountains and lakes, reflected in their gardens by the use of water and rocks. This follows the Taoist principle of yin and yang, the unity of opposites.
Water has been used in gardens for centuries, from the romantic formal fountains in Rome, which became famous for the noise and movement of water on a grand scale, to the use of water in a more intimate setting later in Britain. Water has been ever present in garden design from various ancient cultures well into our designs today.
Why is that? Could it be that the calming effect of water and the beauty of nature are directly connected to our physical or emotional health? There was a recent study done by Seong-Hyun Park and Richard Mattson from Kansas State University, indicating that having plants in hospital rooms aids patients recovering from abdominal surgery. The study showed that the patients who had plants in their rooms had lower blood pressure and heart rates, reported experiencing less pain and anxiety, and were more satisfied with their rooms than patients allocated rooms without plants. Surrounding ourselves with nature can do so much for us on so many levels.
There’s a growing trend in introducing water features into home landscapes. Some homeowners are thinking on a large scale by adding a pool to the backyard; others are adding a simple but beautiful vanishing fountain to stand at the entrance to their home. No matter how basic or complex your design, the addition of water will be a welcome enhancement to your home.
The addition of a pond to your landscape can also benefit the environment. We all are painfully aware of the drought conditions we face here in Georgia and the effects they have had on our landscapes. However, have you thought about the effect it may have on our wildlife? By adding a pond to your backyard, you will greatly aid the wildlife that will visit the habitat you have created. The recent announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency was fantastic news for the homeowner considering putting in a backyard pond. Gary Jones from the National Association of Pond Professionals (NAPP) announced in their December 2008 newsletter that “Water Gardens are now part of the EPA WaterSense guidelines.” This is great news for all those people that were under the impression that having a pond is a waste of our water resources.
In November 2008, the EPA released WaterSense guidelines for “Water-Efficient Single Family New Home Specifications” which included water gardens. This change is a breakthrough for the pond industry as well as the homeowner. You can now feel free to add a beautiful water feature to your landscape without guilt. Gary stated, “We, as landscape specialists, understand the environmental advantages of water in a landscape.”
So, in conclusion, to experience the calming affects of movement, the sparkle of light, and the magical sounds of nature, enhance your landscape with water!
For more information:
Wakoola Water Gardens
770-844-0772
5235 Union Hill Road
Cumming, GA 30040
www.wakoola.com
