Most people find Coy Pond and its surroundings both peaceful and tranquil. For the gardening volunteers, one of the ‘perks of the job’ is that it gives us ‘green therapy’ a modern phrase reflecting much the same idea. For some regular visitors to the pond, it may also invoke precious memories.
Extra points of interest have been added around the pond and rockery, to attract and engage the attention of children. From that, they become aware of the whole natural environment and begin to appreciate it. The various ‘Bug Hotels’ are an example. We have previously blogged separately about the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ garden, under the heading of ‘Tree of Heaven’. Having made a series of steps, which now lead upwards to that tree this may be a good enough reason to give the garden that name. However, many adults will be aware of the iconic rock status of the song, ‘Stairway to Heaven’. They will therefore appreciate the significance of the cartoon on that garden’s notice board.
A card left at the foot of the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ notice, however, took the title at its face value. For it was a Father’s day card. Carefully written by a young girl to a much-loved dad, who had died four years before. It touched all who had read it. Instead of our facetious naming of a hillside garden, she had taken the title at its face value. It meant for her a conduit for her love and loss, her message to ’the best dad anyone ever had’.
Our volunteer gardeners plant for both people and pollinators, and nurture the natural environment. Reactions span the whole range of human emotion, from tears through to tranquillity; from enjoyment to laughter, given our quirky additions.
Nature is the best medicine.
