Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine sitting in the middle or a large, sprawling meadow, vibrant wildflowers, all colours of the rainbow and delicate grass swaying gently in the breeze. It’s not just a treat for your eyes; it’s also a sanctuary for your mind and an ideal place to connect with nature through what you can see, hear, smell, feel and even taste – connecting with all our senses. Wildflower meadows are much more than just a beautiful backdrop; they are a powerful tool for mental well-being.
The simple act of sitting in a meadow or a wildflower-rich spot can soothe your soul, offering a peaceful and gently restful place, an experience that differs from nature-friendly planting in parks and gardens because of the sheer scale. The connection between nature and mental health is well-documented, with studies showing that exposure to natural environments can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression even just looking at a picture of a flower has been shown to reduce signs of stress!
Wildflower meadows, with their diversity of flora and fauna, provide a unique environment that can help calm the mind and uplift the spirit. We explore the impact of some of our key wildflower meadows in Cornwall by asking visitors about their experience. What was encouraging was the feeling of peace that many visitors felt, with meadows providing a quiet and calm place to reflect and connect with nature as well as enjoying the different sights, sounds and smells of the meadow.
Over the summer we have been sharing some of our favourite responses of people’s experiences in some of our wildflower meadows over on our Instagram as part of a #mindfulmonday series.
Here are some of our favourites-
“It feels good for the soul to be among such stunning flowers and insects. Calming and meditative.”
“I loved hearing all the sounds. I’m feeling a bit low today and being here helped my heart.”
“Lots of dancing butterflies. Very peaceful. I know the importance of wildflower meadows so it was heartening to see.”
5 steps to Meadow Mindfulness
By adapting the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique for anxiety and stress you can enjoy a moment of calm and engaging with nature in a flower-rich spot.
- Step 1 – sit or stand in a comfortable and safe spot, take a deep breath in for 3 counts and exhale for 3 counts, look around you and find 5 different things you can see, perhaps a particular flower in the meadow or insect life or things in the distance.
- Step 2 – find 4 things you can touch, register how they feel, smooth, rough, soft or prickly
- Step 3 – close your eyes and listen to 3 things you can hear, birds, crickets, bussing, grass swaying in the wind
- Step 4 – take a deep breath in, 2 things you can smell, flowers, hay smell
- Step 5 – become aware of the tastes in your mouth, and notice 1 thing you can taste, take a last deep breath inhale for 3, exhale for 3 and open your eyes.
So, whether it’s through gardening for wildlife, wildflower walking, or simply being in the presence of a wildflower meadow, we can all take the time to connect to nature and enjoy the mental health benefits.