It’s garden season. Yay! The garden is such a wonderful place to spend your time. But what if you could extend the garden to other areas of your life? It is possible. Surround yourself with the garden, both inside and out of your home. Here’s how to cultivate a garden inspired life that will have you jumping for joy every single day.

Why Cultivate a Garden Inspired Life…

The Garden is Relaxing

Your garden is such a blessing and it can bring joy to each day. When you work in the garden, it’s nourishing to your physical and mental well-being. So why stop there? Spread the garden to all areas of your life for a truly relaxing lifestyle.

Reduces Screen time

Our lives have become so focused on modern technology. We spend our days on our cell phones, computer, and other gadgets. We’re constantly looking at screens. By focusing more time in your garden, you can reduce technical overload. Nurture this reduced online time. And leave your gadgets behind when you head out to the garden.

Brings You More Happiness

How can you not be happy when you’re surrounded by God’s beauty? Whether your garden is a 5-acre spread, a little piece of suburbia or just a plant on your windowsill, there’s something so special about plants. Studies show that when we spend more time in nature, our levels of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins increase (feel good hormones) while cortisol (stress hormone) decreases. What an easy way to boost your happiness.

Share With Others

When you live a garden centered life, you’ll have more to share with your friends and family. More time, more bouquets, and more produce to pass around to those you love. Our world is so filled with pain and hurt right now. Sharing your garden bounty and beauty can offer healing to our dear ones.

7 Ways to Cultivate a Garden Inspired Life

Cultivating a garden inspired life is more than just growing your garden. It’s about wrapping your life with the garden. Bring the garden both inside and out to create this magical life. As you add garden features to everyday living, you’ll be rewarded with a calmness and a sense of peace.

#1—Spend Time in Your Garden Every Day

Make your garden a daily habit. Spending time outside, even in the cold winter months, provides wonderful benefits. Some benefits include a stronger immune system and better sleep quality. Who doesn’t want to sleep better? Find more benefits of being outdoors in this article… 10 Science-Based Benefits of Spending Time in Nature.

Here are a few ways to spend time in your garden each day.

• Take a short garden walk every day. Watch for the changes that take place.
• Soak up a few quiet moments in your garden before your day gets busy.
• Enjoy your morning coffee or tea in the garden.
• Say your morning or evening prayers in the garden.
• Water your containers. As a child, I watched my mom watering her flowerpots every evening to relax.
• Pull a few weeds.
• Breathe deeply and do your morning stretches.
• Keep a journal of the daily changes you see in your garden.

READ: 7 Ways to Relax and Enjoy Your Garden

#2—Live Within the Season

We think of spring and summer as being the “garden” seasons. But the garden has much to offer in all seasons. Don’t rush through the seasons. Instead, enjoy what each season offers.

#3—Work Your Garden

If you want your garden to flourish, then you need to work in it as often as possible. I like to say “work it every day.” We can’t have the benefits if we don’t spend active time in the garden… planting, harvesting, maintaining, and weeding are all needed.

By working in the garden, you’ll not only have more productive and lovely plants, but you get to see and hear the wildlife as well. You can’t miss the birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, and other creatures when you’re in the middle of garden work.

#4—Bring the Garden Inside

Don’t keep the garden outdoors. Bring your garden in where you can see it up close. Here are a few ways to do this.

• Bring in blooming flowerpots.
• Plant flowering bulbs indoors.
• Create seasonal bouquets to brighten up the dark corners.
• Display greens even when there are no flowers in bloom.
• Set up garden displays with vintage tools, bird’s nests, garden decor and even bare branches.

How you do this is personal. Some people will enjoy a bit of garden, while others want to cover every space with the botanical. Do what’s right for you.

#5—Use Garden Inspired Furniture and Decorations

Whether you’re decorating indoors or out, consider using decor that has a garden vibe. You can make the most of what you already have or go on the hunt for new and used treasures. For example:

• Wicker furniture
• Wooden tray tables
• Wicker baskets
• Floral fabrics
• Nature-inspired dishware
• Botanical pictures
• Garden critters such as squirrels, birds, toads, butterflies, and bees. There are many options made of stone, wood, metal, porcelain, and resin.
• Garden decorated pillows

#6—Spend More Time in Nature

Take the garden inspired life with you. Don’t just stop by spending time in your garden. Whenever possible, get outdoors. Consider these options…

• Go for daily walks.
• Visit Arboretums
• Head to a park or nature preserve
• Plan a trip to the beach or the forest
• Look for restaurants with outdoor seating
• Take the annual Garden Tour in your town
• Visit your friend’s gardens
• Go camping
• Hike the hills and enjoy the wildflowers

#7—Read Books About Gardens

You can learn so much when you spend time in books. If you can’t afford to purchase the book you want, check it out from your library. If they don’t have the book, ask them to order it. Many times they will when asked by a patron.

Your garden books don’t need to be new. You know that old saying, “What’s old is new again?” You can learn so much from gardeners of old. So look for garden books at yard sales and thrift stores when you’re out. Or ask your older relatives if they have any garden books they want to get rid of.

You can also read garden magazines to get ideas. Magazines have the benefit of lots of images to motivate you as you create your garden inspired life.

My 5 Favorite Ways to Display the Garden

Here are my five top ways to bring more of the garden into my life and home. These are simple ideas that anyone can do to add more beauty and a sense of the garden into their home and life. These are not the only things I do, but they stand out as some of my favorites.

Seasonal Wreaths

As you can tell from the many variations of wreaths that I’ve shared on my website, I love wreaths. I enjoy changing them out for each season, for holidays, and even in the middle of a season. You’ll find wreaths hanging both inside and outside of my home.

My favorite wreaths are those that I make from natural garden materials, but I don’t limit myself. I’ve used faux wreaths as well as real materials. Half the fun of displaying a wreath is deciding what to hang and creating that vision.

Where to get ideas for seasonal wreaths:

• Books on home decor and crafting wreaths
• Pinterest
• Garden Websites
• YouTube
• Craft Stores
• Magazines
• Flea Markets
• Craft Fairs
• Garden Magazines

Floral Containers for Bouquets

When I’m in a hurry, my go-to containers for bouquets are mason jars and white pitchers. But when I take the time for a creative display, I like to use containers that reflect a garden lifestyle. These items might have images of flowers, pinecones, trees, and old garden motifs. Anything that reflects the garden. Here are some containers I’ve used in the past:

• Teapots
• Vintage Glassware
• Creamers
• Sugar Bowls
• Teacups and Mugs

Garden Structures

Garden Gates are one of my favorite garden structures to use for display. You can hang them on the wall, lean them against a tree, place behind other furniture, decorate them with signs and pictures. Other structures to use include garden posts, tuteurs, window boxes, and vintage garden signs.

Display Birds

When you decorate with birds, you bring a little bit of the garden into your home. Try these ideas:

• Hang faux birds from branches
• Place bird pictures on the walls
• Display bird related vintage postcards
• Use a bird decorated cup for your morning coffee
• Look for pillows with a bird image
• Find bird statuary such as chickens, robins, etc.
• Use bird dishes, whether real or paper

Decorate with Nests

Just like with your bird displays, using nests in your home can bring the outdoors inside. Nests represent a cozy place of new beginnings. Place them in jars, under cloches, part of your tabletop displays, or use them to hold egg-shaped soaps. While real nests are fun to collect, they pose a risk of bacteria. So keep any real nests contained and away from areas of food. In these areas use faux nests. They look just like the real thing. Another option is to make your own nests using natural materials from the garden.

Every garden is special, and each gardener that tends their garden puts a little of themselves into it. You might prefer just a few blooms in your garden, while another loves an abundance of plants. It’s the same with your garden inspired living. You might just want a touch of the garden in your home while someone else might want an over-the-top display.

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to your garden inspired life. Take the time to re-imagine your home, your garden, and your life. Whether you’re adding in more flowers, little bits of nature, greenery, or even produce, it’s all a great way to wrap yourself in a garden inspired life.