Stimulate Your Sensebuds... and Wave Goodbye
to Writers Cramp!
BY LINDA GRAY
When you get stuck for ideas, and the
words won’t flow, invariably it’s because one, more or all of your
senses aren’t being stimulated.
Staring at a blank screen or sheet of
paper really doesn’t help. The best way to stimulate all your senses in
one hit is to provide an inspirational space you can work with.
Lots of Feng Shui arrangements appear
in western homes these days, and they’re great, but outside those four
walls of your writing space, there is another world bursting with
enlightenment and inspiration.
Of course you may have to work at it a
little, but hey, we all need some exercise sometimes!
Whether you have a balcony or a
backyard, you can very simply build a natural living world to plunge
into whenever you choose. If you have neither, consider renting a small
patch of land or sharing a garden with someone.
Gardening conjures up all sorts of hard
work images; tools, backache, blisters, etc., but it’s only as hard as
you make it. Start small and design your garden on paper first. Decide
where you want herbs, flowers — and even vegetables, if you have the
space and inclination!
A tiny balcony or back yard can be
bordered with herbs and flowers. If you’re staring at several square
meters of concrete, don’t despair. Plant your sensory stimulators in
pots. Paint the pots different colors if you like.
Choose strong smelling, long lasting
flowers, such as wallflowers (Cheiranthus). They will grow in some shade
and do well against walls, fences and hedgerows. Climbing roses will
only need a few hooks screwed into the fence, and they will happily
cover your fence in blooms. Both these flowers are colorful, smell
beautiful and are velvet to the touch.
Many herbs will grow in pots. Grow
chives for something to nibble as you wander round the garden. Mint
varieties are many, from spearmint through to the newer varieties such
as pineapple or melon mint. Try them! They really do smell of pineapple
and melon.
Some herbs are perennial and, once
established, will need very little care. But remember to pick them to
encourage growth.
The acoustics in your outside space
will change dramatically when you have flowers growing. Those bees and
bugs won’t be able to resist.
Rub the leaves of your mint plants or
other herbs and fill the air with the scent.
Now relax in a chair, listen to the
humming of the insects and nibble on your chives. Within ten minutes
you’ll either be dozing and gaining some well needed rest, or you’ll be
running back to your keyboard with more words in your head than ever
before!
Linda Gray is a freelance writer
and, with her partner, has spent 10 years renovating an acre of
neglected woodland. Drop by her
Flower & Garden Tips website for pots of gardening
inspiration!
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