Silent space
We have recently become aware of a project called ‘Silent Space’. The simple aim of the project is to encourage garden owners to set aside an area where visitors can enjoy peace and quiet without noise or chatter or mobile phones. We know that many visitors to our garden appreciate the tranquillity which our garden as a whole offers, so we thought we would find out more about this project. Here are a few snippets from the Silent Space website…
There’s nothing complicated about a Silent Space. It’s an area of a garden or a park, already enjoyed by the public, that is reserved for silent visiting. While some gardens run their space for as little as a few hours a week, others are permanent.
Once inside a Silent Space, we stop talking, turn off our phones and cameras, and switch off from social media. There are no other rules.
Whether sitting or strolling, we take time to notice the beauty around us. Even as little as five minutes will help us to enjoy the restorative benefits of being peaceful in a green place.
Our lives are often hectic. It can be difficult, particularly for those of us who live in urban areas, to find five minutes peace.
As the understanding of the benefits of spending quiet time in green places grows, so does the number of gardens taking part.
We have designated an area of our garden as a ‘silent space’.
Our Silent Space is a simple rustic bench alongside the Grwyne Fawr river, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designated for salmon and otter.
Take the path from the Potager through the inviting gate flanked by Cedric, who welcomes you to the forest, Coed y Bedd.
The gentle path leads you through majestic trees
and along the riverbank to find this quiet and secluded spot amongst the natural green space.
Here, you can sit above the river flowing by and listen to the birds and the wind in the trees. Breathe in the scents of the forest and soak up the peace and tranquillity.
A perfect spot to recharge the batteries.
Available any day that the garden is open.
Nant y Bedd 
The gate, path, bench and natural green space all look very inviting indeed! Thank you!
Nice to hear from you again. How are things in your part of the world? We’ve seen pics of terrible fires. Are they near you?
Thanks. Things are good here at home. It has been a good and busy summer, a bit hot at times, but very good for swimming. The fires are mostly on the mainland, in the south/central part of the province, and there things are not so good….a lot of destroyed forest and range land, some have lost homes, property and livestock. The smoke has been unbearable there for many weeks. We have been lucky so far with only one or two fires on Vancouver Island and mostly smoke-free. We are lucky. Have had no time or inclination to write though, busy in the garden etc. I hope this will change soon; time for a little more creativity. I hope all is well with you and yours over the pond in Wales.
Glad to hear you have escaped the worst of it. We’ve had a weird start to the year. Frosty and really dry in April, very wet in May. Seem to have gone from winter into Summer and now back into Spring!! Some plants growing like topsy, others not bothering to grow at all. If this really is climate change we all need to do some big rethinking about what to plant.