When you think of your garden, do you think of rest and relaxation? Or do you think of hot sun, street noise, and prying eyes? If your garden doesn’t provide a relaxing calming setting, why not turn it into the sanctuary you need?
Read on for 5 DIY garden ideas to help you turn your garden into a peaceful sanctuary.
1. Shade Garden
If part of your property is shaded by trees, buildings, or a tall fence, you’re already halfway to creating a shade garden. This kind of garden nook can provide cool breezes and welcome relief in warm weather.
To create your own shade garden, plant a tall or medium tree that branches into a nice canopy, such as a dogwood. Create a forest understory by planting shade-loving shrubs, or look up what grows well in your area for other shade garden design ideas.
If you don’t have space for a tree, consider a structure such as a trellis. You can make it part of your garden by planting wisteria, grapes, or climbing roses for beauty and extra shade.
2. Privacy Screen
Does your garden attract curious views from bystanders or nosy neighbors? If so, you can make your space feel more relaxing by screening it from the outside world.
Give yourself a quieter space by planting a border with evergreens such as Leyland Cypress trees or Arborvitae trees. Planted close together, they’ll eventually create a tall green hedge that will shield you from street views and buffer street noise.
If you need to build a privacy fence, turn it into part of your garden by painting it white or choosing a color that complements your garden colors. You can also train vines such as figs, grapes, kiwis, or ivy to grow up the fence, turning the structure into a garden bed.
3. Fountain
Add a fountain to your garden to create the background noise of trickling, burbling water. A fountain can actually cool down the surrounding area through water evaporation, and provide mist to water nearby plants. Fountains can also attract birds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
4. Dry Stream Bed
If you’re looking for relaxing garden features, you can find inspiration in Japanese zen garden ideas, traditionally associated with monasteries and meditation. One common element, a dry stream bed, can give the illusion of calming water even if no water is present.
A dry stream bed also helps you control drainage. After you observe how water flows across your garden, angle the stream bed to let water drain downhill and soak into the ground. It’s an environmentally friendly way to reduce water runoff.
5. Seating
Finally, create a seating area as a way to enjoy your new garden space. You can place a table and chairs in a shady corner or under a trellis, or install a new structure such as a gazebo to give you a sheltered resting place.
Make Your DIY Garden Ideas Come Alive
Whether you grab a pencil to map out your garden, visit a nursery to find the perfect plants, or shop for supplies at the hardware store, you can start bringing your DIY garden ideas to life. Soon your garden will be an oasis of peaceful serenity.
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