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Here’s why connecting with nature is the perfect way to improve your wellbeing
Getting in touch with nature is a fantastic way to improve your mental and physical wellbeing. Studies show that as little as ten minutes in the great outdoors can relieve stress, and people spending just two hours a week in green spaces are more likely to feel happier and healthier. As autumn rolls in and Markshall Estate looks particularly lovely, Markshall Estate Horticulturalist Zoe shares a few ways to enrich your mental wellbeing on your next visit…
Enjoy a quiet moment
Take a pause in our Silent Space
Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to just relax and take things easy. As part of the nationwide Silent Space project, Markshall Estate has the perfect spot to do just this. Nestled amongst our beautiful eucalyptus in Gondwanaland, you can sit and quietly reflect while the aromas of the snow gums work their magic. Eucalyptus oils have long been used for their antimicrobial properties to help fight off winter colds, and can also help you to destress and unwind.
The Upper Lake
Reflect in the lakes
There are few things as calming as sitting near clear, still water. Author Wallace Nichols writes that the sights and sounds of water cause chemical releases in our brains that help with relaxation and wellness. This certainly seems to be the case at Markshall Estate, where our pair of lakes provide not only a home to fish, insects, and waterfowl, but serene spots to sit and breathe for our visitors. And if the stillness of the lakes isn’t your thing, the babbling sound of Robins Brook offers a different kind of relaxation.
The willow in our Arboretum
Meet our magnificent trees
Whether you’re standing beneath the bows of an enormous weeping willow, or marvelling at the shifting colours of a claret ash, these wonders of the natural world can be sources of joy, contemplation, or perspective. For the real tree lovers out there, why not try a shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of forest bathing? The dawn redwoods of our Asia geographic zone are a perfect spot, and the intricate twisting patterns of their trunks are unique. Carl Jung wrote “Sometimes a tree can teach you more than you read in books”. What might you learn from the trees of our Arboretum?
The Walled Garden
Soak up the sights and smells
The Walled Garden is a fantastic place to get in touch with your senses. Why not head through the wavy paths and be dazzled by the colours of orange coneflowers and Michaelmas daisies. Taking time to notice and observe is a good way to slow down and relax a busy mind. The smell of lavender (like the varieties growing along the Walled Garden’s border) is known to help us relax and sleep better. Even when the flowers are gone, the stems still hold onto that distinctive scent.
Find out more about what you can see and do here at Markshall Estate and plan your visit.
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