A garden designed by Kiki Alwan, owner of Beloved by the Sky Gardening.Kiki Alwan/Supplied
People garden for different reasons. Some do it to be out in the fresh air and closer to nature. Others for the satisfaction of growing their own food, to bring fresh-cut flowers into their homes, or to see birds and pollinators thrive in their yards.
Kiki Alwan does it for all those reasons, and one more: She gardens because it brings her joy.
“When the daffodils and tulips pop out of the ground in the spring, when the butterflies and bees surround my peony bushes, when I can eat a carrot or zucchini that I have nurtured from seed myself, I get such a sense of well-being,” says Alwan, who owns Beloved by the Sky Gardening in Guelph, Ont.
Seven years ago, the master gardener started a floral and horticulture design business so she could help clients create their own joyful gardens and learn first-hand how mucking about in soil and growing plants can make them happier people.
Dahlias in Alwan’s garden in Guelph, Ont.Kiki Alwan/Supplied
“In the garden you are fully engaged in the living world, which is deeply grounding and restorative,” she says. “Gardening, for me, refreshes my soul.”
The mental-health benefits from gardening have been well documented, with studies showing it not only lifts our spirits but also helps lower stress and anxiety. One report from the University of Colorado found digging in dirt – which puts us in contact with a bacteria called Mycobacterium vaccae – actually triggers the release of serotonin, the mood-boosting chemical that works as a natural antidepressant, in the brain.
From dahlias to peonies, your grandma’s old-fashioned garden flowers are back in style
So, if we grab a trowel and plant some potatoes or daisies does that mean we will suddenly have sunnier dispositions? It’s a start, says Boston-based landscape architect Shauna Gillies-Smith, whose company, Ground, specializes in designing joyful public spaces. However, she says incorporating fluid curves into your landscape (winding pathways or a circular water features), bright colours (fuscias or, say, sunshine yellow) and unique art elements also makes gardens more joyful.
‘A joyful garden is primarily for the person who owns the garden, so why not make it about you?’ says Alwan.Kiki Alwan/Supplied
“I grew up in the Canadian Rockies,” says Alberta-born Gillies-Smith, whose family owns the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse at Lake Louise. “I have a deep appreciation for the rich dynamic texture of a landscape and how it changes over seasons.
“We use a painterly approach when we start a new project so that the landscape feels artistic, not predictable. We play with scale and try to create a level of mystery, as well as inject elements of the unexpected. For instance, if you walk around a corner, you are surprised by something that makes your heart beat a little faster, like a shooting fountain or a gorgeous flowering tree.”
Alwan also employs many of these same techniques in the residential gardens she designs. She plays with whimsy and has walkways that weave and wind. She plants trees and shrubs that are funky shapes and have striking foliage. She prioritizes plants with beautiful scents. And she isn’t afraid to inject humour into her gardens by adding something like a goofy-looking garden gnome.
And, of course, she fills a joyful garden with happy flowers such as sunflowers, gerberas, daisies and tulips.
“I have clients who tell me they want to go outside and feel energized, so I give them plants that are full of movement and come in striking colours such as fire-engine red, blazing orange or lemon yellow.”
She also loves agastache (also known as giant hyssop or hummingbird mint), which is a fragrant perennial that “looks like something out of a Dr. Seuss book and has cute purple flowers that resemble blobs of fur”; weigela, which “comes in a wide range of vibrant shades and is shaped like an exploding firework”; phlox, which “look like colourful ice cream cones”; and smokebush (or smoketree), which “has beautiful purple-pink smokey plumes.”
You can boost the joy factor by adding plants with chartreuse or lime-coloured leaves such as lemon coral sedum or Angelina’s teacup (stonecrop), which retains its chartreuse yellow all summer long and then turns bright orange and red in cooler weather.
Sean James, a master gardener from Milton, Ont., has a few other suggestions: Plant fragrant plants near seating areas or in paving cracks to release wonderful scents, add a playful bubbling water feature and install some birdfeeders. “Nothing is more joyful than watching birds come and go.”
James, owner of Sean James Consulting & Design, says he’s always preferred exuberant gardens over ones that are more sedate. And he’s been thrilled in recent years that more clients are asking him to inject fun and levity into their landscapes.
Last fall, for instance, a client asked him to design a garden based on Group of Seven artist J. E. H. MacDonald’s painting The Tangled Garden, a dreamy depiction of a garden guaranteed to make you smile.
“We put in sunflowers and hydrangeas, and masses of strawberry seduction yarrow, with its velvety flowers and bright gold centres,” says James. In his own garden, a tree that gives him constant joy is a Himalayan white pine. “I love its vibrant, feathery needles,” he says. “I put it close to a path, so when I walk by, it brushes me. It’s comforting and I love how it feels.”
Sometimes, James says, gardeners take themselves, and their gardens, too seriously. “Remember it’s a hobby, something you should enjoy, so don’t let your garden become a source of stress or a chore. Enjoy the process.”
Alwan agrees: “One of the most joyful things in my garden is a big white-and-blue hammock that always makes me think of a French seaside,” she says. “My dog loves it too and will spend hours keeping me company while I work away in my happy place.”
Small garden tips
Daffodils in Ms. Alwan’s garden.Kiki Alwan/Supplied
Spending time in nature is good for our health and our well-being. You don’t need a huge garden to benefit. A simple planter on a balcony or deck can also do wonders to raise your spirits.
Get the kids involved
Have your children paint colourful “affirmation” rocks with happy reminders such as “Keep Smiling” or “Enjoy the Easy Moments,” says Alwan. Kids can also paint pots in bold primary colours, which are guaranteed to brighten any space.
Celebrate diversity and mix it up
Alwan likes to group together three pots of different plants, such as a vibrant annual, a unique herb and a lively grass. For instance, zinnias are an ideal balcony plant and come in rich, vibrant colours. A favourite herb is mammoth basil, known for its large ruffled leaves and intense, sweet aroma. And love grass is a simple green at first, then turns pink and purple as the temperatures dip.
Bring on the kitsch
Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself by adding funny little touches, such as a statue of a frog or a pink flamingo. “A joyful garden is primarily for the person who owns the garden, so why not make it about you?” says Alwan.
