It comes as no surprise that our staff at Granny Mouse Country House and Spa know the importance of choosing the right type of music to create the perfect wellness setting and optimize the treatments that we provide.

We all know that music evokes emotions and that different people respond to different tunes – but research has highlighted how common themes within music exist across personality types and shows that, in general, most music will evoke the same responses.

According to General Manager, Sean Granger, “In our environment, this translates into optimizing music for relaxation, well-being and therapy, and we follow some simple elements to ensure that we hit the right note.”

• Pitch:We ensure that the pitch isn’t too high as this can startle clients. If too low, the pitch can make people feel gloomy – so it’s important to find a perfect balance.
• Volume & Dynamics:A mid volume with no large variances is connected to energetic emotions. The last thing we want is having our client tapping his or her feet and not relaxing to what should be ambient sounds!
• Sounds: We ensure that we play soft, gentle, warm, rising and flowing music to ensure total relaxation.
• Rhythm:It is always safe to have music that is regular and predictable. We would rather not have any surprises or complexities that draw our clients to engage them, so we choose relaxing tempos, nothing too fast. In fact, we even try to match the tempo to the heart beat that we would want our clients to have at particular touch points. Another rule – little or no percussion in our treatment rooms.
• Composition:We ensure our choices are simple, predictable and optimistic. Music played must not have conflicting or sudden key changes, as it will have our clients thinking that the session was over!
• Instruments:We believe that the most soothing music is largely acoustic. This natural sounding music usually includes instruments such as harps, guitars, flutes, and even wooden marimbas. If there is percussion, we make sure drums are played gently. It’s not band practice.
• Complexity;Less is best, and predictable compositions, no conflicting melodies or sudden shifts in key are perfect for the spa.
• Tempo:We at Granny Mouse know that the right tempo is important to wind our clients down and get them ready for treatments and set the pace within the treatment room itself. We only begin to increase the tempo to help awaken clients once the treatment is complete!

Granny Mouse Country House and Spa is super proud of its beautiful country gardens – but we also know that a great deal of work goes into keeping them shipshape so that our guests can enjoy a peaceful stroll and enjoy the nature that calls this home.

When it comes to gardening, while constant love and care is a must, it should never be a chore. In fact, if you’re constantly potting, pulling out the odd weed, dead heading your daisy bushes or even raking up a few dead leaves and popping them on the compost heap, there’s a strong chance that it will never feel like hard work.

If you’re not one of our naturally green fingered friends, here are some tips to get you out of the winter and into the spring so that you can enjoy the beauty of lovely green lawns and plenty of flowers throughout the summer:

Plan ahead

Make a “to do” list of projects to tackle, such as building a pathway or wall, staining the deck or installing a new water feature. Work out when you need to prune or compost your plants. Prioritize projects by setting up a time schedule and make realistic goals to get things checked off your list.

Clean and prep

If you didn’t do so last fall, scrape excess dirt off tools, wash in soapy water and allow to dry thoroughly. Coat metal parts with oil to prevent rust, and sharpen pruners and loppers. Power wash decks and patios, then wipe down stored patio furniture and set it outside for the season. Scrub out empty containers and fill with fresh potting soil in preparation for planting.

Seed starting

Start seeds of vegetables and annuals indoors 6-8 weeks before you plan to set them out. Prepare flower beds ahead of time so they are ready as soon as your new seedlings are. Make a planting schedule so that seedlings are mature at the optimal time for your region.

Prune shrubs and vines

Now is the time to prune roses, (some) shrubs and perennial vines. Remove dead branches and shape plants once new growth appears. Research proper pruning techniques and timing for each variety, and hold off on pruning spring bloomers until after they flower.

Prepare ornamental beds

Start with areas where spring blooming bulbs are peeking out of the ground to spiff up early colour displays. Gently rake out surface debris and cut back perennials and ornamental grasses before new growth appears. Top dress with several inches of homemade compost or well-seasoned manure.

Add colour

Now is the time to plant summer bulbs including lilies and dahlias, Annuals (such as petunias, marigolds, salvias, cosmos and sunflowers) also add almost instant colour, so look for trays of healthy seedlings or colour bags at your local nursery or garden store. The label should tell you where is best to plant them for optimal blooming. Remember to water with a little liquid fertilizer every few weeks to keep them flowering for longer.

Wildlife friendly

Birds and other wildlife help control pests, balance the ecosystem and add ambience and interest to your garden. Install nesting boxes with the proper dimensions and in the right spot to attract particular birds. Provide a consistent, clean water source and create feeding stations for seed eaters. Plant indigenous plants that offer food sources of nectar, seeds and berries and make sure there are trees and hedging for nesting and shelter.