This article was first published in the March/April 2024 issue of IQ, the exclusive magazine for Mensa members. Find out more about becoming a Mensa member here.
Bringing together the glories of art, science and nature, here are five fabulous and inspiring gardens to lose yourself in this summer
Jupiter Artland, near Edinburgh
Nestled on the edge of the Pentland Hills just outside Edinburgh, Jupiter Artland is a 100-acre contemporary sculpture park famed for its otherworldly landscape designs. Entering the park you are confronted with Charles Jencks’s Cells of Life: eight dramatic landforms surrounding four lakes that were designed to reference the cellular process of mitosis.
The Ewe Sculpture Garden, County Cork
Billed as Ireland’s only ‘interactive and interpretative sculpture garden’, The Ewe is the creation of artist Sheena Wood and her writer husband Kurt. Set beside a waterfall, meandering pathways take you through a water garden, a peaceful clearing and an environmental woodland revealing playful sculptures, many of which are made from recycled materials.
The trail then leads to ‘the valley of Eden’ (Ewe is often compared to Cornwall’s Eden Project), with stunning views over the sea and the mountains.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield
Home to countless Hepworths and Moores, Yorkshire Sculpture Park was founded in 1977 – the UK’s first sculpture park and the largest of its kind in Europe. Set within the 500-acre Bretton Hall estate in West Yorkshire, the park is the only place to see Barbara Hepworth’s iconic The Family of Man in its entirety.
Wandering the grounds, you’ll come across vast lakes and cherry blossom trees as well as striking sculptures. After hours of exploration, retire to the restaurant to enjoy freshly made food and stunning views across the park’s rolling hills.
The Sculpture Garden at the Barbara Hepworth Museum, St Ives
This peaceful Cornish oasis pays homage to one of Britain’s most important 20th-century artists. The Barbara Hepworth Museum and its sculpture garden are located at the very studio in St Ives where the artist set up in 1949 and worked for the rest of her life.
The collection comprises over 30 of Hepworth’s favourite works in wood, stone, plaster and bronze, most of which are displayed outdoors in the studio’s secluded garden, surrounded by exotic plants and vibrant greenery.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire
Set in the beautiful countryside of Carmarthenshire, The National Botanic Garden of Wales is home to a range of themed gardens, works by renowned artists and the world’s largest single-span glasshouse. Full of natural wonders, the park is a constant source of inspiration to artists throughout Wales and beyond.
Exploring its 568 acres, you’ll stumble upon everything from rare plants to cascading waterfalls, stunning sculptures to orchid-filled meadows. With the British Bird of Prey Centre also on site, you might be lucky enough to spot eagles soaring over the picturesque valley.
Smelling the roses
How time in the garden could help you bloom
There may be a simple way to boost your mood: look at flowers. There’s long been evidence to suggest that proximity to plants brings health benefits for humans, but more specific studies suggest that, in addition to brightening up your space, flowers are a natural mood enhancer and can contribute to long-term emotional wellbeing.
Studying participants over 10 months, researchers from Rutgers University in New Jersey found that exposure to flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens life satisfaction and positively affects social behaviour. Male and female participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious or agitated with exposure to flowers and even demonstrated improvements in their memory.
Other research suggests that, for psychological benefits, not all flowers are created equal. A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental and Public Health found that viewing yellow and red flowers brought greater relaxation, cheerfulness and comfort compared with white flowers.
Main image: The Sculpture Garden at the Barbara Hepworth Museum. Shutterstock
Inline images: Shutterstock
