Therapist's Spiritual Garden

Brighton, East Sussex, UK

The Brief

We’re asked by good friends in Brighton in the UK to help with a small but very special garden design and installation. They’re outstanding, inspirational people, stewards of community woods and woods camps, and they support and host several life-affirming and inclusive community spiritual groups.

One room in their house is used as a professional therapy space and it has a feature window facing outside. We’re asked what can be created there to lift the room, to give an uplifting spiritual focal point…

Challenges

• Window outlook is poor – small area, almost no sunlight, closed in by fences, tucked right under a large conifer tree.
  
• A cool dark place with lots of root competition and leaf drop.
  
• A low budget.

Design & Implementation

Under-pruning a mature tree creates space and the revealed tree trunk becomes an organic sculpture. Three rustic lattice fence panels are installed in a curve to concentrate the view into what then becomes a garden shrine.

Added materials for the project are predominantly inorganic. A white pebble mulch for lightness, re-using existing pots and stones and a large white calm Buddha.

It’s a resilient design that looks calm, clear and powerful any time of the year. A quick brush and rake and minor pruning and it all looks amazing again.

Ideas in Action

• Reverence for Life and Nature
• Simplicity well done
• Desire to acknowledge deeply generous people
• Cared for places – care back
• Therapeutic Horticulture through a window to nature 

Outcomes

• A neat garden installation
• Happy friends/client
• Om

“Charlie & Bridget and [their team’s] gardening are so appreciated here.

I love being in my garden. The shrine shines.”

Property Owner

Therapist’s Spiritual Garden

Brighton, East Sussex, England

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