Walking the labyrinth

I’ve shopped at Sugar Loaf Mountain Herbs in Sugar Loaf, NY many times, bringing home bags of hand-blended tea, lotions, herbs and more.

I’d never before noticed what looked like a garden behind the shop. It looked intentional, like a quiet invitation. When I mentioned it inside, owner Alicia Frosini told me it was her labyrinth.

She created it in 2017 after her mother passed away. Beds planted in soft shades of blue and violet, chosen to attract pollinators, bloom at different times throughout the seasons, honoring her mother‘s love of butterflies and the color blue. Catnip releases a minty, sun-warmed scent. Salvias rise in tall spikes, their nectar drawing in bees. Lavender hums with life, its fragrance strongest in the afternoon heat. Little bluestem grasses sway while asters offer late season blooms when most flowers are fading. Perovskia, or Russian sage, adds height and a silvery haze that catches the light.

Labyrinths are not mazes. There are no wrong turns. You simply follow the path inward and then back out again, a slow, meditative walk that encourages reflection. The winding route quiets the mind, and the layered plantings create a sense of enclosure and safety without blocking the sky.

Walking the labyrinth with my boys, our feet crunching softly on the path, we saw grasshoppers, butterflies and bees show off for us. Birds called overhead as my sons danced from center – where a large rose quartz rested in the sun – to opening, and back again.

The labyrinth offers a grounded steadiness we could all use from time to time, a closeness to Mother Nature. Whether walking the path, reading a book, or journaling on the bench, you will absorb the peace the garden exudes.

Frosini hosts guided walks throughout the year and welcomes visitors to walk the labyrinth during shop hours, Thursday through Saturday, 11 to 5:30 p.m. If you go, stop inside to say hello first. The magic begins there.