Transform Your Outdoor Space into a Zen Garden: A Guide to Relaxation and Meditation
In today’s noisy world, where everyone demands something from us, having a quiet place for ourselves is one of the best ways to ensure some peace and quiet. If you’re lucky enough to have a garden or a backyard, then you can transform it into your own Zen garden. This is a great opportunity to step away from your daily routine and spend time centering and grounding yourself in a space you created.
The beautiful thing about Zen gardens is that they can be as small or spacious as you want them to be – it all depends on the size of your outdoor space. Maybe you’ve always wanted a Zen haven but aren’t sure where to begin, and if that’s the case, keep reading. These are a few tips and tricks on building your Zen garden and having a nook in your yard dedicated to relaxation and meditation.
It’s All About Location
One of the first decisions you’ll need to make before building your Zen garden is location, location, location. Since this is to be your tranquil sanctuary, find the spot in your outdoor space that offers some privacy and quiet. If you’re living in a busy area, it may not be possible to find a perfectly quiet place but do your best.
The ideal position for your Zen garden would be somewhere with a lot of daylight so that you can bask in the sun while doing your sun salutations in the morning. At the same time, you want to be sheltered from prying eyes, so keep that in mind as well. In case your backyard doesn’t have the conditions you need, you can create a mini Zen garden on your balcony or patio; all it takes is a bit of creativity and intentional design choices.
Sand as a Zen Garden Essential
If there’s a feature that transforms a regular outdoor space into a Zen garden, it must be sand. One of the many ways you can relax in your space is to use specialized rakes and other tools to create intricate patterns in the sand, and that in itself can be therapeutic. Here, it’s important to choose fine-grain sand in neutral colors, usually in shades of gray and beige, so that its feel is pleasant and it can hold raking patterns.
After you’ve chosen the type of sand you’d like to use, spread it evenly around its designated space. You don’t need sand all over your Zen garden (unless you want to); you can have a box for it and use it for relaxation, especially if you build your garden on the porch. For this purpose, you can also opt for fine gravel if you prefer the texture.
Once you’ve set it all up, it’s time to take your rake and start creating patterns. The patterns are meant to promote mindfulness and staying in the present moment, as well as to reflect the ebb and flow of water, bringing a sense of tranquility to the space.
Consider Adding a Basin or a Small Fountain
This is not a must for your Zen garden, but having some kind of water feature is a wonderful add-on. The sound of running water or gazing into a calm reflection pool are great ways to let your troubles fall away. You can go as big or small as you’d like, from stone basins to small trickling fountains, the sky is the limit. If you want to keep up with the Zen premise of minimalism and usefulness, you can even install bamboo water spouts.
The gentle sound of water flowing over stones can also help drown out background noise, adding to the peaceful atmosphere of your space. Bear in mind that it’s vital you properly isolate the space for your water features, using simple quality materials like an OUTERrclè’s swimming pool tile that will keep the water where it needs to be and fit seamlessly into your Zen garden aesthetic.
Add Elements from Nature to Make Your Zen Garden Beautiful
Along with sand and water, you can enrich your Zen garden with other elements like rocks and plants. The key is to do so sparingly and in a way that doesn’t clutter your relaxation space but enhances it.
You can choose larger stones for your garden and have them symbolize mountains, stability, and stillness, encouraging balance without symmetry. These can even be stones you picked up that hold a special significance to you and will make your garden feel authentically yours.
You can’t go wrong with adding plants to your Zen garden, as long as you choose them mindfully to keep the focus on simplicity. Adding some type of moss or evergreens will complement the muted colors of the sand, and you can even put some bamboo plants if you’ve got room.
The greenery you choose should be low maintenance so that you don’t need to fuss about it too much, and it will still look lovely. Another option is having a few potted plants, maybe even bonsai trees, that will go perfectly with the Zen garden atmosphere.
Conclusion
Transforming your outdoor space into a Zen garden can be a gradual process, where you slowly build your sacred relaxation space in time. The truth is that you can’t really go wrong because that space should contain whatever it is that brings you peace of mind and helps you feel calm and present.
Using sand, plants, and water features will ensure that your Zen garden indeed has everything a Zen garden needs, but the point is to make it your own, and as long as you feel empowered and peaceful in it, that’s all that truly matters.
