A garden is the best alternative therapy. --Germaine Greer
There is nothing that makes its way more directly to the soul than beauty. --Joseph Addison
As a writer, I find gardens essential to the creative process; as a physician, I take my patients to gardens whenever possible. All of us have had the experience of wandering through a lush garden or a timeless desert, walking by a river or an ocean, or climbing a mountain and finding ourselves simultaneously calmed and reinvigorated, engaged in mind, refreshed in body and spirit. The importance of these physiological states on individual and community health is fundamental and wide-ranging. In forty years of medical practice, I have found only two types of non-pharmaceutical “therapy” to be vitally important for patients with chronic neurological diseases: music and gardens. -- Oliver Sacks
Helping people enjoy nature in their own backyard is satisfying work. I believe gardens can be therapeutic, and I love helping people connect to the outdoors.
In my Landscape Design business, I strive to be environmentally conscious. I buy recycled paper and drive an electric car. Within the confines of the client's needs and desires, I choose plants that need less water, less fertilizer, and less pruning. I try to reuse existing plants and trees. I suggest permeable paving choices to keep water on the property.
I love to blog about gardens, ideas and design. I enjoy sharing information about plants and gardening, and I used to post pictures of gardens I'd see around town. Examining the landscapes around me is inspiring and helps me stay up to date with trends and creative solutions. Though lately I find myself with less time to craft these posts and keep up with the Blog section of this site, I continue adding occasional updates on my own projects. Most of the photographs in the blog are mine. If I include photos from an outside source to illustrate a point, when none of my own photos will do, I always acknowledge the source.
Thank you for visiting my site!
Best,
Kathy Oberg
213-999-5022
