Blog,  Monday Moments

Gardens and the Five Senses

The greatest give of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.

Our five senses – sight, smell, sound, taste, touch.

In researching flowers that would invoke all five senses, I discovered one such plant that fits the criteria – LAVENDER.  

Lavender has many benefits.  

  • It acts as a bug repellant. 
  • It helps with insomnia.  
  • It soothes the nervous system.
  • It aids in skin conditions.
  • It protects the immune system.
  • It promotes circulation. 
  • It aids digestion.
  • It is used for pain relief.
  • It aids diabetes treatment.
  • It promotes healthy hair.

There are many reasons to grow lavender.

  • Sight – It is a beautiful perennial shrub.  It is easy to grow.  It is just a beautiful plant to look at.  
  • Smell – It has lovely scented foliage and flowers.  Its scent is calming and relaxing.  It can be used in bath and body products.  
  • Sound – Bees love it (and it also attracts butterflies).  
  • Taste – It is delicious in sweet and savory foods.  It can be infused in honey and sugar.  It can be made into jams and jellies.  It can be added to tea and lemonade.  It can be made into syrup.  
  • Touch – Is soft to the touch.  It is great to use in craft products.  

Lavender is often used in sensory gardens that stimulate the five senses.  Lavender is also used in memory support gardens as residents can usually identify the plant and its aromatic scent. 

My favorite quality of lavender is its ability to have positive effects on mood, stress anxiety, and depression.  Its calming and soothing aroma can relax the nerves and provide relief from emotional stress.  Lavender can provide a much-needed pick me up.  

I have never grown lavender.  After reading about its benefits I decided maybe I should give it a try.  So I went out and bought four plants this past week!

Lavender

I hear lavender is deer and rabbit resistant (I’m hoping that is true as the rabbits have eaten my hostas). 

Black-tail doe 2020
Black-tail doe and twins 2020
One of our new families.
Black-tail fawn 2020
Rabbit 2020

 I’ll let you know how my lavender garden grows! 

Walking through my lavender garden. Time sets, and pardons. Life softens, and unhardens. Blue cascading, rivers flow. Flowers blossom and grow. Birds sing love songs, whispering soft, and low. Where dreams live, and suns set slow. And awaken, in the nights glow.

2020 Week #26