After an especially cold and snowy winter, spring beckons us outside. Its smells, sights, sounds, textures, and tastes offer us countless chances to enjoy its beauty. These rich experiences don’t just boost our mood and health — they also exercise our body’s sensory system, which in turn encourages our brains to stay sharp against cognitive decline. So, whether you venture out into the natural world or welcome the outdoors in, engage your senses and immerse yourself in nature this season.
Invite nature to your doorstep
Of course, flowers come to mind when we think of nature, and they ignite at least three of our senses. Our eyes see their vibrant colors, our noses catch their scent, and if we’re lucky, they attract birds whose chirping sounds are music to our ears.
Horticulturalist Shelly Nold, owner of The Plant Kingdom garden center, has some suggestions for flowers to try in your efforts to bring nature near: “A few of my favorite low-maintenance perennial flowers with a long bloom sequence are Russian Sage Denim ‘n Lace, Rudbeckia American Gold Rush, Salvia Pink Profusion, and Agastache Blue Fortune.” In addition to being pretty, she says, “All of these perennials are heat- and drought-tolerant and are attractive in some way to hummingbirds, songbirds, and pollinators.”
If you are only able to have small planters on a deck or patio, Shelly says nearly all herbs can be grown in containers. She suggests planting culinary herbs and summer annual flowers together in the same planter. For example, basil and nasturtiums complement each other with their similar sun and water needs. While viewing your flowers, it would be lovely to hear the sound of water, so consider adding a water feature to your yard. Trae Gibson, owner of Bluegrass Aquascapes, says, “Clients often cite a variety of reasons for wanting a water feature near their homes, [such as] relaxation and stress relief, aesthetic and property enhancement, and connection to nature.” There are all kinds and sizes of water features, from bubbling water urns to backyard waterfalls. In addition to being pleasant to watch and hear, a water feature can also bring more wildlife into your yard, such as birds and frogs. Some water features, such as koi ponds, put wildlife front-and-center.
There are ways to bring nature inside your home, too. Consider painting a wall a soothing shade of green, or maybe add some cut hellebore or evergreen fronds to a vase in the living room. You can arrange interesting stones on a tray along with a scented candle and some dried flowers. Bringing nature indoors doesn’t have to be involved or expensive.
Explore natural wonders beyond
If you want to venture out past your yard for more serious water features, consider taking a trip to Cumberland Falls in Corbin, Kentucky. Not only can you hear the rushing water, but if you time your visit well, you can see a moonbow, a phenomenon that happens when light from the moon is refracted through water droplets.
A much drier but equally amazing natural feature can be found a 30-minute drive from Cumberland Falls in Daniel Boone National Forest: Natural Arch Scenic Area. Feel the earth under your feet as you walk the half-mile trail leading directly to the sandstone arch, and feast your eyes on its 100-foot span.
Indulge your hearing and vision with a hobby that draws your gaze out and up: birdwatching. You can, of course, do this at home, but there is no better way to expand your bird knowledge than by learning from fellow bird enthusiasts. The Beckham Bird Club offers a variety of field trips throughout the year, as well as regular meetings on the second Tuesday of every month.
Spending time in nature can help us recenter ourselves emotionally and spiritually, and if that is your goal, drive to Mount Saint Francis Center for Spirituality in Floyds Knobs, Indiana. Mount Saint Francis sits on 400 acres, and while it offers several trails, visitors also have the option of doing a self-guided outdoor pilgrimage to see 19 amenities, including a Peace Pole, several shrines, and a meditation path.
For a next-level multisensory experience, Bernheim Forest in Clermont, Kentucky, offers outdoor exhibits that blend nature and art in its L+A+N+D (Landscape + Art + Nature + Design) project. Walks in the Fictional Woods by Merve Tiryaki is a large, circular pavilion made of bamboo canes that vibrate — imagine yourself standing in the center of a gigantic wooden wind chime. If touch and texture spark your joy, you will almost certainly love the carved patterns of Bernheim Burl by Stuart Ian Frost, created from part of an old oak tree.
By Carrie Vittitoe
P.S. You may also enjoy: Take The Grandkids On A Spring Flower Hike
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