Sensual Gardens – By Design

Have you ever day-dreamed of creating a beautiful, sensual garden room where you and your lover would spend hours discovering each other in a secluded area that fills the senses with indulgent pleasures?

OK, so just what is a sensual garden room?

It is a sacred space that is created by you and your partner, with your combined energy, inspiration, passion, enthusiasm and intention. It is a well-designed space that is purpose built for your comfort, which inspires your spirit and awakens your passion and expression.

Your sensual garden room provides the perfect space and atmosphere to explore your sexuality, love and relationship.

With some research, careful planning and attention to detail you can create this gorgeous, sacred space for yourself. To create a sensual space that is sacred for you both, you will both need to be involved in its design and creation. Take some time apart to think about your ‘must haves’, preferences and dislikes.

There are many things to consider during the design phase of your sacred garden room. Use both your creative mind and your intuition to get your best possible design.

Take into consideration practical issues, such as:

• Access to your sacred garden room
• The lay and levels of your property
• Layout of your home
• Aspect – for winter sun / summer shade
• Style of structures that will serve, inspire and create a sacred room for you
• Hard landscaping material’s that complement the architecture of your home, your desired aesthetics and budget
• Feng Shui attributes

Then list your sensory and cultural preferences for:

• Colours, images, textures, scents
• Furniture
• Lighting and music/sound
• Plant selection – climate compatible, water-wise, screening, layers & levels with foliage, texture, colour, scent & form.

Other things to consider:

• How will you spend time in this sacred space you’re creating? Eating and drinking, relaxing, reading, dancing, playing, being intimate?
• How will you want to utilise your energy in your sacred garden room? In the spa relaxing and rejuvenating your body, mind and soul; times of meditation and solicitude or entertaining with family and friends?
• The type of things you would see in a romantic retreat, health spa and or your favourite holiday destination that you like or want in your personal sensual garden of outdoor rooms. Why wait for holidays when you can have it in your own back yard?

When you have each spent some time thinking about how this space will best serve you and what feel or mood you want to create, come back together to share, discuss and combine the results with each other. By asking yourselves the right questions – and lots of them – you will be able to create a beautiful and personalised space that you will want to spend as much time in as possible.

You can now incorporate your combined ideals into a theme or concept that is both pleasing to you and your partner and complements your home. Your intuition can guide you to discover what aspects and features of your sensual garden are most important to you. When you have a concept of what you’d like, you need to next look at the detail.

If this task is too big for you, or you don’t have the time or skills, you can consult with a garden designer like myself who specialises in sensual gardens; who would take care of any or all aspects of bringing your concept into reality.

However, if you want to take a ‘hands on’ approach you might start by considering the structure for your sensual garden, sacred space. Whenever you are choosing materials for walls, floors, furniture, features, plants and accessories, bear in mind that they must be harmonious with the atmosphere you wish to attract, the uses you wish it to fulfil and the aesthetic look you wish to create.

There are no wrong or right styles; it is all about what fits you and your intensions for the space, what looks and feels good to you both and will serve the function that you have in mind.

Included representations of all the elements in the design of your sensual garden room, there inclusion will feed your spirit and senses in all areas and on all levels. You will feel wonderful when your senses are awakened, enthused, stimulated and nurtured. Include elements in proportion and balance to create a sense of peace and sensory fulfilment.

The element of light

Structures can be fitted with ambient lighting. Consider the use of down lights, soft directional ambient lighting, fairy lights, coloured globes or lamps – all create a different atmosphere. What about a combination of lighting for different moods?

Candles offer variations of colour, shape and size. Their soft, romantic, often fragrant, sensual lighting add warmth and ambience to live, love and play in.

The element of Fire

Think about the advantages of including a sacred fire pit to sit or lie around, or an open fireplace, or a wood fire oven for cooking sensual dinners – any could serve as a focal point or feature, adding ambience, the element of fire, warmth and comfort.

The element of Air and Movement

Bring movement to your sacred garden space by including flags of all fabrics, colours, shapes and sizes. How about hanging sensual flowing silk type fabrics, fixed to the sides of your structures? They frame the space and create an intimate space and feel.

Wind chimes singing in a gentle breeze add ambience to your sacred space. Trees with an open canopy of light branches and soft foliage gently dancing on the breeze are very peaceful and relaxing to watch.

The Element of Water

Water can be represented by birdbaths, water features, fountains and ponds. A gentle water flow, adds a soft and nurturing sound element. They have your senses believing you are surrounded by a natural setting. In hot, dry climates you will also benefit from the cooling and greening effects of water.

The Element of Sound

Wind chimes touched by a gentle breeze add to the ambience of your garden room. Music creates atmosphere and adds ambience that complements the way you are utilising your space at the time.

The element of Scent

Scent can be introduced in a number of ways. Grow scented climbing flowering plants over structures to add perfume and visual ambience to your sensual garden room. Perfumed oil burners, incense and candles also offer ways of bringing in the element of scent.

I am currently writing a book which expands on the ideas and suggestions you have just read here. You will be able to create your own sacred garden room/s from the detail in my book. If you want to be the first to know when it’s available, please email me kerrie@kgmgardendesign.com.au to register your interest.

If you’re interested in my design services to create a sensual garden for you now, contact me for a consultation to start the process now!