Smell and its effects in Healing Gardens
From CollabLandWiki
Chidozie Ehiemere & Joshua Mckinney
WHAT DO WE TERM A HEALING GARDEN
A healing garden basically does what its name implies "Heals".Its a garden that takes into consideration Human interaction with respect to the five sences we possess( touch,taste, sight,smell,hear)and nature.Its main tool of use happens to be the natural enviroment it has at hand .With this it is able to indulge the human body both mentally and physically.The occurence of plantlife , insects and animal interaction with the plant life as well as terrain all come together to create an enviroment that will supposedly aid in spurring up the healing process whether it be mental or physical.
WHAT PURPOSE DOES SMELL HAVE IN A HEALING GARDEN
AROMA -EMOTIONS-MEMORIES
There is a strong attachment between our ability to perceive odors , our emotions and the memories certain odors recall to us.With the use of this as atool , a healing garden can subsequently aid in producing certain memories that its parcipants may have experienced at one time or the other in their lives.These memories in time trigger emotions that cause the body to feel good.As the body feels good it begins to function readily responding to natural treatments (self body repair) ,medical treatment (drug use)and theraphy(physical and mental).
In the ancient days Romans used these aromatherapuetic odors to expel certain mental and physical conditions.Here it was beleived that Frankincense and Cypress aided in dispelling greif , while ylang ylang and juniper are claimed to have aided in physical and mental recovery.
Most of the odors induced in healing gardens are subsequently as a result of the planting of certain therapuetic and aromatic plants.These plants are set in strategic areas to achieve certain goals .It was decided that a breif look would be paid to lavendar and a citrus plant(lemon balm) to point out he significance of smell in a healing garden.
Lavendar
lavendar happens to be one of the most widely used therapuetic plants in a healing garden.It a native of the mediterranian region and is cultivated in France,Spain , the United states and many other countries.Due to its pungent smell it is used mainly for aromatic purposes.Romans till date still use it in washing waters and baths .Its natural use is beyond limit curing ailments from headaches realted to stress , depression associated with weakness and natural depression.it is also incorporated in physio-theraphyto releive aches and pains of rheumatism.some of its Main acheivements with regard to use are releiving muscle pain,antidepressant,antiseptic and stimulation of blood flow. It could do very well in a psych ward with traumatised patients.Exposing them to lavendar in a healing garden could calm continuos manic fits and alleviate depressive thoughts.Abetter solution than the continuos administration of drugs.Also letting the physically sick work for periods of time in agarden patch of lavendar ,basil or mint has been proven to relaxand lift their spirits spurring on thier physical recovery time.
Mellisa: lemon balm
lemon balm is another therapuetic plant that has been proven to work very well in the healing garden.It has been cultivated in the mediterrainian for over 2000yrs but found its way eventually to many other countries one of which includes America.It has both edible and medical uses.It releives alot of health realted issues associated with heart problems.Smell wise it has been proven to act as a tranquilizer calming nervous spasms and psychiatric problems one of the most common being Dystoma. In the natural enviroment it also acts as an insect repellant during the summer and when plucked or planted outside windows provides popourri like odors that have a calming effect.
SOURCES
www.flickr.com ( for photographs)
www.landscaperegistrar.com
Aroma theraphy and emotions by Joie Power.
