A 2021 study from research scientist, Dr. Rachel Buxton of Carleton University, and researchers from Michigan State University, Colorado State University, and the National Park Service analyzed the outcomes of listening to natural sounds and found that “. . . people who experienced the sounds of nature felt decreased pain, lower stress, improved mood and enhanced cognitive performance. The sounds of water were most effective at improving positive emotions and health outcomes, while bird sounds combat stress and annoyance.”

I can attest to the findings of this study! As often as possible, from May through September, I sit outdoors in our garden breakfast nook enjoying the jubilation of water and sunlight splashing together in the nearby tsukubai and the cheerful chirps and chatter of birds at the feeder or in the trees surrounding our home. Here is where I awaken to the symphony of sounds, colors, textures of nature. Here is where I breathe deeply and rest my soul before stepping into the demands of the day. Here is where I find peace.

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& “sounds of nature” celebrant)

“O time of rapture! time of song!

How swiftly glide thy days along

Adown the current of the years,

Above the rocks of grief and tears!

‘Tis wealth enough of joy for me

In summer time to simply be.”

~ Paul Laurence Dunbar (One of the first Aftrican-American writers to gain national recognition for his numerous collections of poetry and prose; 1872- 1906)

Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& summer joy-seeker)

“I have a garden of my own,

Shining with flowers of every hue;

I loved it dearly while alone,

But I shall love it more with you. . . .”

~ Thomas Moore (19th century Irish poet; 1779-1852)

Even before James and I nurtured a garden of our own, we found ways to share garden experiences with others. I still remember sharing a hot summer day at Longwood Gardens with my 95 year-old grandmother, Ada, more than 30 years ago. James pushed her in her wheelchair along flowered paths and through sun-dappled treeways, stopping frequently to let her examine an unfamiliar bloom or plant. He even lifted her (chair and all!) up a long flight of steep stairs so we could explore the gardens above the waterfall. The sparkle in her eyes when we reached the top was ample reward for his efforts. Gardens are best when shared!

Now that we have garden spaces of our own, we take delight in strolling them together almost every evening at twilight, or watching our granddaughters jump from stone to stone along the path through our “Redwood cathedral”, or enjoying firefly fireworks in the dark with our out-of-state guests unfamiliar with this dazzling summer spectacle. How grateful we are for a garden to share!

Whether you have a large garden, a small garden, or no garden at all, there are many ways to share garden experiences with others. (Hey, even a hike in God’s great big garden counts!)

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& grateful garden sharer!)

At Hanselman landscape, we take incredible delight in the creation of gardens that draw families and friends outdoors, into the discovery and play waiting around every turn, beneath every tree–in every season of the year. Are you ready to share some natural beauty with your loved ones and friends in your own garden oasis? Give us a call (717-653-1273) and let the “shared garden joy” begin!

“On such a day, the mere intaking of one’s breath is a joy. The sky spreads above us, a shimmering sea of blue — not the cool and crystalline sapphire of early morning, but the deep dense azure of midsummer noon. How hot the bees must feel in that furry coat! As we lie basking in the sunlight, and watching the buttercups dancing and dipping above the grass, like golden banners amid an army of green-bladed bayonets… We see the hot air quivering and simmering above the clover fields, but all else is drowsily, dreamily, still. The streets of the far-off city are reeking with dusty heat, but here we are in another world, and the bees and the butterflies are our brethren. This meadow is our boundless prairie; our heads are below the level of the grass tops which spread filmy arms above, like the boughs of a miniature forest.”

~Coulson Kernahan (1858–1943)

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& summer celebrant)

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” ~ John Muir (1838-1914; influential spokesperson for the significance and beauty of wild, natural spaces, especially Yosemite National Park)

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (awestruck by God’s handiwork on display in Yosemite)