The Soul Garden: Creating Garden Spaces for Inner Growth and Spiritual Renewal

by Donald Norfolk

In this exquisitely crafted and unique book, Donald Norfolk offers a fresh and illuminating approach to what has been a treasured part of human culture for more than nine thousand the garden. An acclaimed osteopath and international bestselling author of numerous health and self-help titles such as The Habits of Health and The Stress Factor , Norfolk developed his philosophy of the "soul garden" or "therapeutic garden," after observing that the healthiest, happiest and fittest of his patients were those who gardened. He believes that the garden has the power to imbue people with a higher level of mental, spiritual and physical well being and in this book, brimming with wisdom and insight, he utilizes concepts from the writings of historians, philosophers, landscape gardeners, psychologists, and medical researchers in order to show how, regardless of the space and time available, we can all discover the secrets of nature's healing, restorative powers.

Uniquely inspirational, The Soul Garden offers a vision of peace and harmony that leads us to understand how, when cultivating the soil, we can cultivate the soul.

"I heartily recommend this book . . . it is a little book of calm in our frenzied materialistic age." ( Daily Mail )

Genres: Gardening, Spirituality, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2002

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author looks at the benefits of having access to natural space and the act of gardening for your own well-being, for connecting with nature and for community.
As well as useful suggestions it has a surprising amount of trivia - not that it's trivial, but its things like the etymology of words (orientation: from the habit of constructing buildings, especially churches, facing east, the orient. Or company: from the French 'comme pain' which he says is 'with bread' - a loose translation).
And quotes - I'm discovering that gardening book authors like their topical quotes.
It's written like a standard book rather than a reference book, so no pictures, and no text boxes - it would be hard to refer back to and find anything, but it was nonetheless interesting.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a how-to book, but more about how gardening is good for our spirit. Really enjoyed reading it. Also, it seems to have a British/Euro slant, which I loved.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

great gift for a gardener.