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Design

Will you be yours?

A bit of departure from the traditional Valentine’s day love note, I realize. Love intended no less.

I’ve been thinking about you, lovely you, as heart decorations go up everywhere and flower delivery trucks roll out the bouquets. You are likely super busy making everyone else feel and know that they are loved, special – that you are theirs.

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When was the last time you gave yourself a Valentine?

Whether it was yesterday (good on you!), or not anytime recently (virtual *hug*), here is a list of 5 of my favorite restorative nature-infused, sweet, soul treats from my #GardenHeart to yours. 

  • Soul Stroll – created by the lovely Erin Stutland – is an uplifting heart/mindset/exercise combo platter that I use to keep my mind Light & body right.  One part meditation/affirmations; one part boogie down, Erin’s series nurtures self-love & inspires! Sign up for this freebie. Go for a soul stroll in nature – you’ll love it!
  • Some sweet nothings to your #GardenHeart & for my designer mind, is the book The Sanctuary Garden. What lovely collaborations shall we make together?

I leave you with these love notes for taking good care of your precious self and connecting mind-body-heart-soul with nature’s healing power.

Will you accept my nature-inspired Valentine, “decorated” with my #TakeGoodCare wishes just for you? 

Love this? Share with your pals & follow the birdseed over to the Resource Roost.
There you will find my ever-growing nest of good & favorite nature-inspired resources, tools & touchstones to grow Peace, Health & Inspiration in your garden & life.

DSC_9163 - cutoutWelcome! I’m Annie Red Bird, Empowering Environment Translator, Serenity Stylista & Feel-Good Garden Designer. I dig deep, crusading about nature’s beauty & benefit to illuminate our truest, best selves because the spaces we keep have a profound impact on our wellbeing & soul-fulfilling greatness.
Are you a style-keen, nature-loving, holistically-inclined “soilsoulsister” (or brother) who wants to tune out stress & dis-ease & tune into your mind.body.spirit connection, thanks to your own slice of everyday, personal paradise? Plant-tas-tic! Sign up for news, resources, good shares and we’ll get on with thriving outside & healing inside.

 

Healing Garden Boost – Tete a tete [darling!] Daffodil

A Red Bird Plant Fav: Tete a tete Daffodil win’s our garden heart for this week’s ‪#FridayPlantHappyHour sip.

Here’s the ‪#‎healinggarden‬ boost:
– engages the senses (sniff that!)
– keeps you timed with nature’s clock (early spring song sung!)
– enlivening color of yellow blossom (hope! courage!)
– encourages positive memory associations (tie a yellow ribbon ’round that old oak tree…)

RBRG_Tete a tete Friday Happy Hour 96

As seen here by this photo taken by Phil Chester Photography of our ‪#‎thriveoutsidefeelgoodinside Showcase Garden at Yard, Garden & Patio Show in 2013, we used this favorite darling daff to induce happiness and cheerfulness for our garden visitors.

Outfitting your garden with purpose helps boost your sense of self, recharges your batteries and puts a twinkle in your eye. Tweet: 1 route to healing is down the garden path of delight. #whatappliesinthegardenappliesinlife @AnnieRedBird http://ctt.ec/3pa3s+[tweet that!]

 Your turn::

How does color and fragrance affect you in nature? Are there certain colors that you are drawn to (or need more of) or smells that cast a happy spell over you?

Need help selecting and styling your outdoor space, purposefully so that you are guaranteed to ‪#‎restoreoutdoors‬? Drop a question in the comments below. And let’s see what Red Bird can do to help you #GetYourBloomOn.

 

Bloom with Design-ly Delights in Healing Gardens – a Tea-zer

One route to healing is down the garden path of delight — positive, happy, giggle moments of delightful distraction.

Because we need to be delighted in life. To be cloaked in naturally occurring opportunities of joy and beauty. We need to grab any and all possible moments where delight blooms. Grab it. Dance in it. Kick the off shoes of the monkey mind for a moment and tip toe through the dog-gone tulips.

Simply, delight.

Red Bird Restorative Garden Tea Table detial - glass water

Special moments where a communion with nature is had, unique and unto themselves, where we are most positively distracted and transported to that happy place — if only for a moment — is preventative medicine.

… a delightful moment of lightness… a reprieve from brain fatigue.

Red Bird’s garden heart design-love-work is to transport you (and your brain) by indulging in a healing garden moment that researchers call “positive natural distraction”.

“A positive distraction is an environmental feature or situation that promotes an improved emotional state in the perceiver, may block or reduce worrisome thoughts, and fosters beneficial changes in physiological systems such as lowered blood pressure and stress hormones.” (Ulrich, 1999, 49 as quoted in Therapeutic Landscapes by Clare Cooper Marcus & Naomi Sachs)

 

Delight = insight and #whatappliesinthegardenappliesinlife. Tweet: 1 route to healing is down the garden path of delight. #whatappliesinthegardenappliesinlife @AnnieRedBird http://ctt.ec/3pa3s+ [tweet that!]

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A Design-ly Delight in bloom…

Garden tea party anyone?

“Why yes,” Annie said. “That would be brew-tea-full!” …and I’ll take some honey with that. (No really, good raw honey, like that lovingly crafted and locally made by Dogwood Bee Farm).  

Red Bird Tea Table Pairings

Sometimes we need levity. Perhaps more often than not. Lightness. Giggle moments. And that’s just what I have planted for you my friends. A sweet, garden giggle moment. Something for your eyes (and soul) to drink up and enjoy.

To spark inspiration. To feel good.

One of latest planting & furnishing designs is shared in these photos. Let’s call it a garden tea party table, shall we?  Fingertip gardening that will tickle the plant fancy, filled with tea-worthy edibles – herbs and flowers – ripe for springily insights awaits. (For a list of Brew-tea-full herbs for Peace, Health & Inspiration, you’ll want to read this.)

Hee!  It’s a Red Bird-er kind of tea party table inspired by another table. One with giggle moments. One with unique character – meaningful & personal – this is so very quite contrary suitable for your Alice moments just as any design-ly delightful, restorative garden element shall be.

Red Bird's YGP show display 2014-full view-Tea Table

Where can you find such a thing? Glad that you asked.

Come partake and par-tea with Red Bird and the great folks from Bauman’s Farm & Garden and Monrovia at the 2014 Yard Garden and Patio show and take a little tea-hee-hee timeout.

Ooh! Need a dose of design-ly delightful support and style inspiration in your garden? To match your life + style? Be in touch over here.

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What healing delights are you planning to design into your garden this spring? Share in the comments below.

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