Whether you have been struggling with your health, the loss of a loved one, stress from work, or you simply feel worn out, creating a sanctuary in your landscape to relax in is a good way to find relief.
A contemplation garden draws you away from the hectic pace and fears you face in your day-to-day life. It can help center you so that you come back refreshed. But where do you start?
These suggestions will help you start planning your garden and give you the tools need. If you find that there is more work than you can handle, it’ll help you understand the right questions to ask the professionals, so you can create a natural sanctuary that fits your needs.
These are general recommendations, but each point may not be for everyone. Creating a garden is a very personal process. Some people prefer a small space that looks out into a wider area.
However, this space could be on a balcony, if your house has one, looking down onto your garden, or it could be a little nook in the corner of your garden. If you have a large backyard, it could be as simple as a bench far removed from the hustle of your household and the rest of the world.
The first step is to think about the space that you have, what you want and what will work practically for you.
Whether you have been struggling with your health, the loss of a loved one, stress from work, or you simply feel worn out, creating a sanctuary in your landscape to relax in is a good way to find relief.
A contemplation garden draws you away from the hectic pace and fears you face in your day-to-day life. It can help center you so that you come back refreshed.
Sun and nature help people relax and calm down. The vitamin D that the sun produces has even been shown to help people avoid depression, so exposure to sunlight alone can boost your mood.
As you read on, there will be some more specific recommendations about plants and hardscapes that people enjoy in their contemplation gardens.
At this point, think about features like water, wind chimes, plants, boulders, and other hardscapes that you find pleasing and would encourage you to use your space.
You need to be practical about what your landscape can handle, but you also want to use the natural features that are already there. Just because you have a small backyard doesn’t mean you have to create a little area for contemplation.
Likewise, if you have a larger space you have a little more latitude as to what you can do. Depending on what you want to do with your space, you can even make your whole yard contemplative.
You also want to think about what landscaping you have already done. Do you have a place for your children to play or a gate for people to enter?
You will want your contemplation garden to be away from areas with lots of distractions, as they could prevent you from relaxing and centering yourself.
If your yard has natural features like boulder outcroppings, a shady tree you like, or a stream, these can be incorporated into your contemplation garden. They will enhance the natural feel and give you a sense of being grounded.
As you create your contemplation garden, you will want to find a space in your yard that is secluded. Whether you chose to use this space for yoga, prayer, or quiet contemplation, constant interruptions from neighbors, children, family pets, or the road outside might hinder your attempts to relax and find some quiet in a busy world.
Most people will opt to create a border around their whole yard first. This article talks about various ways you can create an edge. Inside, you can create a secondary area for your contemplation. Similar rules apply, but it is particularly useful to incorporate natural elements like plants, rocks, and shrubs to create privacy for your place of reflection.
Many people find watching insects and birds to be very relaxing. You can use different kinds of plants to attract desirable animals to your contemplation garden. Not only can insects and animals help you relax, their interactions with your garden are good for the environment.
Providing plants for honey bees is particularly useful, as they are an important part of the ecology but are currently a threatened species. Don’t worry — honey bees don’t usually sting humans unless bothered, especially if you have plants they like.
However, if you have allergies or just don’t like insects, then you don’t need to have plants that attract them.
This is a short list of perennials and shrubs with cool toned blooms that are beneficial for wildlife:
You can also use bird feeders to attract birds, but keep in mind they may draw creatures you don’t want. Seed feeders will bring squirrels, and if you don’t keep hummingbird feeders clean, they may invite ants.
While hummingbirds aren’t as common in Massachusetts as they are in other parts of the country, a feeder will often bring them around, and they are beautiful to watch.
There are many uses for a contemplation garden, and how you want to use it will dictate how you design it. If you want to use it for yoga, consider installing a simple but hardy turf. The grass will give you some cushioning while keeping the space’s natural feeling.
You could create a sitting wall out of stone, have a bench nestled in between two shrubs, or even 1-2 large slabs of Goshen stone as a mini-patio.
There’s no hard and fast rule for this, but some hardscapes will help you avoid mud and will give you a place to sit and relax. You could even have a hammock if you’d like to lay out, soak in the sun, and read or contemplate.
The sound of water can create a very calming atmosphere. A water feature doesn’t need to be elaborate, and there are several ways that you can add one to your contemplation garden.
Some people will dig a small hole in the ground, and then line it with a plastic and stones. To prevent stagnation, they add a bubbler creating a fountain. You can also use pre-made fountains like one of these.
The one key to remember when creating a water element for your yard is to make sure the water is always moving. Water that becomes stagnant gives mosquitos a place to breed, and that is the last thing you want in your contemplation garden.
Not everyone likes wind chimes, but they can be pleasant, especially if you have a road nearby. Unless you really like the sound of chimes, pick a small one that will add a subtle texture of sound to your space to complement the rustling of leaves, your water feature, and the chirping of birds.
Other elements that create relaxing noises are tall grasses and bamboo. These plants are low maintenance and the sound of wind moving through them can be very calming.
Colors are known to influence emotions. Warm colors such as orange, red, and yellow will often excite people. People find cool colors such as purple, blue, and green relaxing.
With that in mind, pick plants with colors that will soothe you. The plants listed earlier all have cool colored blooms.
Some people prefer soft edges for their sanctuary. If you want gentle edges, avoid placing your garden in the corner of your yard. Instead, find a place where you can have sweeping corners.
If you enjoy creating shapes, you could even put a small Japanese Zen Garden inside of your contemplation garden. These sandy spaces allow you to draw circles, spirals, and other shapes with a rake. These little sand gardens give you a relaxing feel.
Like the other elements of your contemplation garden, this is a matter of personal preference, but you may want to add a piece of outdoor art.
Some people like a Buddha statue or another spiritual piece. A kinetic sculpture that moves gently in the wind, a sundial, or even a mirror might fit you better.
If this is something that interests you, the key to picking one out is to ensure it doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the area.
Avoid plastic benches, faux stones, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides. Instead, use wooden or stone benches for a place to sit. Use natural fertilizers to keep your plants healthy and organic pest control products to control unwanted bugs.
By keeping the area completely natural, you will be able to enjoy the fresh air and natural ambiance, which helps to relieve stress and allows you to enjoy some quiet, introspective moments.
Whether you have been struggling with your health, the loss of a loved one, stress from work, or you simply feel worn out, creating a sanctuary in your landscape to relax in is a good way to find relief.
A contemplation garden draws you away from the hectic pace and fears you face in your day-to-day life. It can help center you so that you come back refreshed.
Everyone has a different opinion of what would help them commune with nature and relax in it. Whatever you do, remember that you are creating this space for yourself so you want it to help to allow you to take time to breath and be in the moment.
If you want an area that is suitable for yoga, make sure you have a flat and relatively soft area; if you want a place to sit and pray or contemplate, a wooden or rock bench would be perfect. You can have a small fire pit or a stable place to set candles.
Some people have even created an inner sanctuary within a larger contemplation area to feel settled and alone. You may even want a sensory area where you can let the soil run through your fingers or touch and tend to the bushes.
The end goal is to have a quiet place where you can slow down and be in nature, so figure out what will help you do this.
As you design and think about your contemplation garden, remember it is an intensely personal thing. If you are feeling overwhelmed, the compassionate team at Moodscapes, LLC has helped many others create areas that are designed to be relaxing and peaceful.
Their expertise can direct you and help you create the perfect space to escape to during a difficult time in your life or simply relax after a hectic day.
Want to learn more about how we can help you create the perfect contemplation garden? Schedule a free, 15-minute consultation call with us today.