Stress is a prevalent component in today’s fast-paced world which can negatively impact on an individual’s health and well-being.

However, the Granny Mouse Spa team says that “Massage therapy is beneficial in many ways, with the top factor being reduction in tension and stress and with so many of us having high stress levels due to work load, family responsibility, financial status and more; massage helps your mind relax and your body circulate blood and put tired muscles to rest.

There are many types of massage that assist in stress relief, including Swedish massage, using long strokes, vibration, tapping and deep circular movements, Deep Tissue which uses slower, forceful strokes to target deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, Sports massage that is similar to Swedish but is aimed at people involved in sports to help or prevent injuries, Trigger point massage, which focuses on areas of tight muscle fibres that can form after injury or overuse and Hot Stone, which uses smooth and flat heated stones placed on key areas of the body, to mention a few.

So, if you are feeling stressed, don’t stress any further. Just book a massage at Granny Mouse Spa and allow our trained therapists to treat you.

Gardening can be a tiring and frustrating process if one has the incorrect tools, or no tools at all, yet incredibly soothing and enjoyable with the right tools!

Well known for their magnificent gardens, we chatted to William Brown, Horticulturist at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, to enlighten us as to some of the basic tools needed to start creating your garden.

According to Brown, some of the basic tools on your list should include:

• Gardening Gloves – to protect one’s hands whilst gardening.
• Pruner or pruning shears – to cut twigs, branches, or roots.
• Rake- to sweep up leaves, grass, etc. It is also used to loosen the soil before planting.
• Spade – to dig into the soil and covering after planting. It is also used to edge the grass beds.
• Wheelbarrow – used to carry spoil, grass and just about anything present in the garden quicker and easier.
• Watering can – used to water flowers conveniently
• Pitch fork – used for turning soil
• Trowel – A trowel is a small hand tool used for digging, applying and smoothing.
• Lawn mower – used to cut grass evenly and conveniently.

Brown elaborated that the best time to start planting was most definitely Spring, as the weather warms up again, and the general increase in rain fall helps most plants to establish themselves before the weather changes again in Autumn.

“Simply pick a spot where you want to plant, add some compost and then dig! Ensure that you know what you intend to plant, and where, as this will also determine the size of the hole you need to prepare, as some plants require deeper root systems, so you will need to plant them deeper into the soil” says Brown.

If you’re first time planter, Brown suggests planting marigolds, geraniums, daylilies, pansies and veg such as lettuce, pepper, spring onions and tomatoes. Prepare the soil by fluffing it using the pitch fork and spade in a rocking motion back and forth to loosen the soil. The spade will then be used to edge the garden bed and overturn the soil to make it easier to plant.

Plants the seed or seedling and then cover with soil.

Water the flowers.

Weed often to allow the flowers to grow healthily.

Happy planting!