Sacred Gardening

photo by Andrew Bennet

Callanish Stone Circle, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK

photo by gareth wiscombe

Stonehenge is a world heritage monument that sits on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. The great standing stones are surrounded by Neolithic earth works and Bronze Age burial mounds, and are linked by an ancient processional way to Avebury Stone circle. It, and the land around it, has been designated a World Heritage Site.

Garden photographed, designed and built by greenspiritgardens

This garden consists of a bound shingle circle, surrounded by flower borders, with a fire spot in the middle. The circle is reached by a path that winds through planting that is designed to have four great seasonal event

Animals, trees and flowers, and all the unseen creatures and minutiae of our eco-matrix all benefit from sacred spaces in ways we hardly yet understand or have words for.

photo by Alex Southward

photo by ha pe gera

It might seem that different cultures use sacred space in different ways for different purposes.

Land based cultures and tribes still gather at sacred places before hunting and war to mark events in the wheel of the year and the community, gather strength, gain inspiration and approach whatever God or Gods they feel appropriate.

This is exactly what we all do whenever we gather together; our event might be a family b-b-q, our 'hunt' may be going to work, and our 'war' may be with the neighbour who was playing drums at 4am. in the morning. All these events make the pattern of our lives, and so special places places where we can contemplate, mark events, celebrate and gather together are as important today as ever they were.

Every religion builds sacred gardens large and small; the styles reflecting the cultural tastes and specific beliefs of that culture. Whatever the belief, we humans seem to benefit from being in places where we can take time out and connect to the planet, and are reminded of our deeper and profound selves.

Garden photographed, designed and built by greenspiritgardens

"Earth, water, fire and air,
Met together in a garden fair,
Put in a basket bound with skin,
If you answer this riddle you'll never begin..."

We can bring in the four elements of earth, water, fire and air easily...

photo by trekky andy

We already have the earth...our plants grow in it and our feet stand upon it. The act of growing things helps us to link with it.

photo by s fox

The flow of water helps us find fluidity in our lives, the sound relaxes us, it's presence helps to wash away the griefs and troubles of the day.

Garden photographed, designed and built by greenspiritgardens

For those of us not lucky enough to have running water passing through our garden, a simple water feature is the next best thing.

photo by dr_pete

There is nothing like the magic of lighting a fire in your sacred space.

Garden photographed, designed and built by greenspiritgardens

photo by Akuppa

Air is everywhere, and we can celebrate it with flags and chimes...Let them flutter and ring as the wind passes through them...

This link will take you to Days to Fly Flags where you can see festivals and holidays that deserve a flag every month.