Our top tips for a Relaxing Garden Design

Relaxing Garden Design – The garden design industry has seen a sudden increase in the number of people looking to create a contemplative garden space

The theory of ‘less is more’ should be applied to your design and creation of a peaceful and soothing garden

After a prolonged period confined to our homes, it is clear that many people are taking a deeper interest in gardening projects. The garden design industry has seen a sudden increase in the number of people looking to create a contemplative garden space. After working extensively with our garden design clients, we have produced a set of important elements that should always be addressed when creating a relaxing and beautiful garden space. 

Here are our top tips for creating a garden perfect for contemplation and relaxation: 

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1. Find the right area for your peaceful garden space

The first thing to do will be to select the best spot for your quiet and calm space. Take time to consider all the details involved in your plan. Do you want sun or shade? What section of the garden provides this and at what times? This doesn’t have to be sprawling acreage either. A small spot is often the most appropriately calm and relaxing space. But you must choose what will work best for you. 

Choosing a shape is equally important as choosing your relaxation spot. By removing right angles and corners, you might find that circular shapes are even more soothing. If you are planning on creating a path to your relaxation spot, a winding meandering path is more soothing to see and follow than a straight bee line. 

If you plan to spend extended time in your relaxing garden, you will want to choose the outdoor furniture carefully. Choose something comfortable and elegant where you can sit back and take in the beauty around you. Will you only need a single seat? Or, do you plan on inviting others to your hallowed place of quiet contemplation? 

2. Choose relaxing colors for garden planting

The colors that will surround your quiet garden sanctuary are very important for setting a tone of relaxation and calm. Green is a very soothing color — it can reconnect the mind to nature and can even help to lower blood pressure. A variety of green plants in different shapes, forms, sizes, and tones can perfect your secluded garden. 

When considering the colors you would like to apply to your relaxing garden, it is important to consider how these colors will affect the final tone of the garden. For example, paler colors tend to drop back into the surroundings, adding an air of mystery and intrigue. Hot colors, like reds or oranges, tend to pop out from the surroundings adding a spicy and active flavor. It would probably be best to accentuate paler tones and reduce the use of hotter colors if you hope to achieve a truly relaxing garden. 

The paving will form an important foundational element of your garden nook and should be chosen carefully as well. You can choose darker colors for a more contemporary appeal. Or, you can choose a gentle sandstone that creates a rustic look. This is a personal choice and should be made after considering the garden you have and the materials you are working with. 

3. Consider textures with your garden paving

We have spoken about the colors of the paving you can choose from, but it is equally important to consider the textures as well for a Relaxing Garden Design. One interesting idea is a combination of textures with a similar color scheme. Porcelain paving is an especially popular option that provides a modern look. But you will be equally delighted with a rustic stone option like Scoutmoor, an especially popular item no. This is sourced from a quarry in Lancashire and is always unique.

4. Aim for repetition in planting and materials

The theory of ‘less is more’ should be applied to your design and creation of a peaceful and soothing garden. Once you have selected the colors, tones, plants, foliage, and textures you like for your garden, don’t be afraid to repeat them as often as possible. Using the same design elements repeatedly gives your garden a sense of harmony which leads to a sense of greater serenity and help you to unwind. The same is true for the plants you will choose. There is always the tendency to choose one of each plant you find at the nursery, but a simple palette is always a better choice. If you do see a plant you like at your local nursery, go ahead and buy 6 or 7 — or as many as you need to use repeatedly in your garden. 

5. Create privacy to help you relax in your garden

Privacy is synonymous with solitude and creating a place that is hidden from the prying eyes of neighbors and family members is just what you need to escape the world for a while and for the perfect Relaxing Garden Design.  Privacy can be achieved by including a garden structure or even a shady plant— or both. A trellis, garden wall, or pergola are all perfect options for setting divisions and breaking the line of sight from your main building or the neighbor’s windows. 

6. Attract nature to create a relaxing soundtrack  

The sounds of nature are as important as the sites. You can include the relaxing sound of bird songs, and the soothing babble of a fountain to enhance the serenity and calm in your garden escape. If you build a small pond, you will be delighted with the sounds of frogs and crickets burping and chirping in the spring and summer. Ponds, fountains, and bird baths also attract a variety of birds which make the loveliest addition to your garden. 

7. Keep your garden simple 

It can be a trick to stay calm and relaxed when you’re stepping over children’s toys, potted plants, and carefully set rows of begonias. For best results, keep your garden as simple as you can. Consider adding a focal point around which the rest of the garden can be planned. This could be a fountain, a special plant, a statue, or even a simple rock or pile of stones.

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