Tips for Implementing a Zen Garden

Have you ever looked at your garden and thought oh no it’s getting out of hand again!  Gardening can be a pleasure, but it can also be so time-consuming.  But there is one particular style of gardening that looks amazing.  And,  it fairly easy to keep in check.  The solution is a Zen Garden.  A Zen garden is designed to be a calming retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Are you wondering how can you create a Zen garden in your back yard?  Check out our gardening tips  below on how you can create a Backyard Zen Garden.  

Design and Aims

First,  you need to consider the design of your garden before you implement our Zen garden tips.  Ensure that it fits into a Zen theme.  Check out the designs at  architectureartdesigns.com.  Straight lines work well as they are easy to maintain, and they give you the desired calming sensation. That means squares or rectangular beds are they best choice.

It’s also a good idea to ensure that the different sections of the garden are clearly delineated. You might do this by keeping the borders trimmed and clear of overgrown grass. Or you may chose to edge the areas with stones, wooden sleepers or short fencing.

Another aspect that you need to consider about the design, is balance. While it is often easier to go for an overall linear effect in the design you will want to balance these aspects out. To do this use more curvy lines and circular features, which create a sense of flow.

Lastly, you also need to consider space and placement in a garden of this sort. One of the key principles of a Zen-style garden is that you are looking to create a sense of expansion and space. That means it’s vital to not overfill a garden of this type, and only include some choice elements that add particular value to your outside space.

Beds

Beds in a Zen garden are unlike traditional flower beds. This is because it’s not the goal to fill them chock full with riots of color and texture. Instead, the idea is to create order and peace by regularly spacing smaller plants and shrubs out.

That is why succulents, in particular, make an excellent choice for this style of garden. They are usually Alpine plants, so they don’t take a huge amount of looking after to be successful, and can grow pretty much anywhere.

They also grow in pleasingly repetitive and symmetrical shapes. Which helps to create that sense of order that you are looking for. In addition, while there is some variation in colour in succulent breeds, rarely will you find ones in bright or intense colour. So this muted plated suits such a garden very well.

Lawn

Now deciding what to do with your lawn is also essential when creating a Zen-style garden. For some folks, going down the more traditional route, they may chose to remove the law altogether and replace it with a rock and sand garden. The idea of this being that it not only will it look very simple, but you can also rake it into different shapes and flow for that Zen feel.

However if you have a family that still wants to use the garden for BBQs and gatherings, it is possible that this might be a step too far. But don’t stress, because you can still rock a modern Zen type garden with a lawn. Just follow the steps below.

First, it needs to be seriously manicured to work well in this style of garden. That means keeping it mowed and the edges sheared.  Or if you prefer, use a service like the one at collegefundlandscaping.com to help you with maintenance.

It also needs to be in great condition, crabgrass, patches, and weeds are a big no-no for a Zen-style lawn. Which should be green, of an even height and texture.

Lastly, it can also work very will in this setting to divide the lawn up. Either into two halves with a stepping stone path down the middle. Or into four quarters with slate or gravel around the outside.  Which will emphasis the geometric and symmetrical theme.

Zen features

Of course, just because you are aiming for geometric simplicity, doesn’t mean that you can’t include a few garden accessories as well. In particular, mirror balls work well. No, not the one you get at the disco! But stone balls with a mirror finish. Which can be placed carefully at opportune spots in the garden to draw the eye.

Additionally, water features are a very popular and a great Zen addition to this sort of outdoor space.   Just remember that they need to fit in with the style of the garden. That means out with the decorative stonework, and in with raw natural materials instead. For example, a slate piece foundation or monolith would work well in this setting.

We hope that you enjoyed our Zen garden tips, and will implement them into your outdoor space.