The garden is being designed in harmony with the local landscape and to express a spiritual connection with the East. Physically it is connected to the green corridor that runs from the city along Woodhouse ridge and out into the country: A thin sliver of green wilderness, a sanctuary for wildlife, that moves from narrow, shady, enclosed, tree lined corridors to wide and open spaces with expansive views of the valley. Woodland edge plants colonise the footings of the woods capitalising on the increased light. Grasses and wild flowers abound and swish in the wind that blows over the open field like expanses. The garden will also express the spiritual connection with the aspirations of the sangha by expressing the qualities of metta and mindfulness.

METTA here being interpreted as the positive encouragement of all creatures into the garden which in turn establishes an ecological philosophy with which to choose plants giving an underlying strength. An ecological approach also encourages the interdependence of the natural world. The garden thus becomes a wild garden reflecting both its location and the encouragement of wildlife into the garden. The essential needs for a wild garden are diversity in both species and habitats. Grass mown at different levels provides habitats for different kinds of insects while shrubs and climbers of different kinds provide nesting and roosting sites for a variety of birds. Plants will be chosen for their ability to support and encourage wildlife. Many insects, especially their larvae are particular about what plants they will eat. For example the larvae of the red admiral butterfly feed on stinging nettles, while the Brimstone butterfly, generally the last butterfly to be around in autumn, feeds on the buckthorn.

MINDFULNESS is interpreted as the general raising of awareness of one's surroundings and different aspects of the natural world. The aim is to heighten the senses with a sensuous garden.

The sense of sight heightened through contrasts of form and texture, the clipped against the natural, straight against curved, see-through against solid.

The sense of touch can be explored within the garden and plants with all manner of textures selected to be felt. Monty Don, author of The Sensuous Garden believes it should be essential for every gardener to walk barefoot in the garden at least once a month!! 'to use our hands is to come into direct contact with the world ... Sight and hearing imply a distance between the world and us. Touch means that the distance between us has been bridged ... Subject and object are brought together ... it is the sense of touch that first connects us with the world...' (Paramananda) Every day we each draw about 23000 breaths dipping each time into a deep well of smells.

The sense of smell will be heightened in the garden by a succession of plants that have scent throughout the year, an awareness of seasonal scents being awakened.

Sound can be engaged with the swish of long grasses in the wind, the creep of insects, the song of birds, trickles of water, the rattle of seeds in their cases will all be there. Article by