DOWN IN THE GARDEN: CREATING A PEACEFUL GARDEN

garden is just an old sleeper bolted to a couple of tree stumps or go all the way with a lounge or day bed.

Art Works

This can be the form of a created sculpture of any size or a nature feature that serves as a sculptural piece.

An interesting log, an old piece of machinery or equipment.

Sculpture in the garden rests our minds with something of beauty or makes us curious and in turn this takes our thoughts away from what may be disrupting our peace.

Small whimsical garden ornaments and decorative panels are also artistic pieces that you could consider. Choose something that delights you and matches the style of your garden.

Water Features

Fountains, fishponds and water plant features are all such soothing and alluring places in gardens and if you have the space and the desire then you really should investigate.

Should you already have a pool or spa, consider surrounding with some of the plants listed below to add to the

Garden News

Zen.

Why water makes us feel calm is not really known but it has been shown to slow our brainwaves and there is some evidence that the sounds we could hear in the womb, a time we would have felt safe, are reminiscent of other water sounds.

Wind Chimes

While are talking about the sounds of water, let’s not forget wind chimes.

These come in a vast array of sounds and from gentle tinkling to bass clanging loudness and your selection will depend on placement, size of garden space and personal taste.

They can all be silenced when needed but a wind chime adds a beautiful interaction with the breezes moving through your space and the sound, if chosen well, will help promote calm.

Indoor Oasis

The houseplant craze is well and truly upon us and to be honest, I’m a fan.

It’s created a lot of new garden-curious people and that’s not a bad thing at all.

While you may not need an Instagram-worthy indoor curation of plants, having an area with an inviting chair

Woy Woy Produce Swap - 10 – 11am 26th February at Woy Woy Peninsula Community Garden. 85 -87 Moana Street, Woy Woy

It is a very casual affair and nobody keeps score. By bringing your produce you are saying that you are happy for other swappers to take what they need because it is excess to your needs. It is simply a way of sharing the food you have grown with the fellow growers in your neighbourhood and a great way to meet local gardeners.

Bonsai Open hosted by Central Coast Bonsai - Saturday 4 March (9am-5pm) and Sunday 5 March (9am-4pm) 2023 in Mingara Events Centre

Along with sales and competition, there will be demonstrations across the weekend from some of the country’s finest bonsai artists including Andrew Edge, Evan Marsh, Hugh Grant, Joe Morgan- Payler, Tony Bebb and Marcela Ferreira. CoastFM Gardening Gang will be broadcasting live Saturday 8am – 10am Tickets at door: $7 adult, kids free. mingara.com.au

Gardening Planner

This week you could plant: culinary herbs, beans (dwarf), beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chicory, cress, endive, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard, onions (spring), parsnips, peas, potatoes (tubers), radishes, rhubarb (crowns), salsify, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, turnips, alyssum, calendula, candytuft, Canterbury bells, cineraria, coneflower, delphinium, dianthus, everlasting daisy, forget-me-not, foxglove, godetia, gypsophila, hollyhock, honesty, larkspur, linaria, lobelia, lupin, nasturtium, nigella, pansy, poppy (Iceland), primula, statice, stock, verbena, vinca, viola, wallflower

Cheralyn Darcey is a horticulture author and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 - 10am live every Saturday on CoastFM96.3, on air locally or streaming by asking ‘play coastfm963’

Archived articles: florasphere.com

Send your gardening questions, events, and news to: gardeningcentralcoast@gmail.com surrounded by botanical goodness would qualify as a Zen indoor garden in my books. Adding plants to areas of high traffic and family activity can also help calm the vibe.

Calm Inducing Plants

So which plants suit a peaceful garden? All plants will but consider greening up areas with soft textured plants that suit your environment, and this could include ferns, shrubs, and grasses.

The gentle movements in caught breezes of softer textured plants will calm the mind and the greenness soothe the soul.

The following plants can all be grown inside or out and have additional therapeutic qualities for calm living.

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) is known for its skin healing benefits but it also purifies the air of carcinogens and emits oxygen at night.

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) when grown near pathways and seating areas will enable you to brush past and release the aromatics that help bring clarity to your mind and feel less frustrated.

Been found to lower frustration and boost alertness.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is almost famous for its sleep inducing and relaxation characteristics when used in teas.

Cutting the flowers and drying to use in potpourris will bring the same benefits into your home.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) contains within it a compound known as ‘linalool’ which has been found to reduce the activity of certain genes that are triggered during stressful situations.

The Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata) is one of the best plants for purification of the air, according to NASA and while they purify the air during the day, they emit oxygen at night.

Lavender (Lavandula spp.) is a must in any garden as the flowers and the leaves contain the powerful aromatics.

By inhaling the scent of lavender, it has been shown to especially decreased feelings of depression and confusion.

Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) fragrance is a super soother and anxiety reliever for many.

A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry reported that the smell of Jasmine can be a soothing as Valium.

Catmint (Nepeta cataria) is not just for cats! It not only sooths the nerves of our feline friends but of humans as well.

Football

Australia’s women’s football team the CommBank Matildas played a dominating game of football against The Czech Republic aka Czechia at Gosford’s Industree Group Stadium on Thursday night, February 16, winning the game 4-0.

Star players from around the world have flown in for a four nations tournament the FFA have called The Cup of Nations. The national women’s teams from Jamacia, Spain, Czechia