6. Wind chimes for a calming garden
While not everyone enjoys the sound of wind chimes, many people find them very relaxing. If you are someone who finds the sounds of the fireplace relaxing, try hanging some bells near your seat to replace the unwanted noises.
7. Create a dedicated reserved area
In some cases, it can be difficult to create a garden sanctuary without building a structure. For example, you may not be able to plant trees to enclose your space and / or you may be living in a particularly busy urban area. In these situations, a summer house or cabin may be the ideal solution.
Summer houses can be like open-air rooms with windows, which means that you can enjoy your garden while protecting yourself from the elements (be it wind, rain, or extreme heat) and minimizing the impact of surrounding noise.
Add some soft furniture, and you can create a homey space to relax and / or entertain friends.
8. Choose materials that absorb sound
All surfaces in your garden will amplify or absorb sounds. To prevent the sounds in your garden from being reflected and amplified, you should increase the materials that will absorb the sounds and make your space quieter.
For example, soft surfaces like chair furniture will absorb sound, while metal and stone will amplify it. Soil is likely the biggest culprit for amplification, but you can reduce it by planting lots of plants and flowers with textured surfaces.
9. Bring a water fountain
If you live in a noisy area, or if there is a particular sound you want to drown out, installing a water feature is a great solution. Even a relatively small water feature that produces running, bubbling, splashing, pouring, or spraying sounds can cover unpleasant sounds.
This could be a waterfall in a pond or a small ornament with a water feature included inside.
If for some reason you cannot have a water feature in your garden, technology can be of great help. A speaker in the garden with a sound effects app can reproduce the sound of running water (or whatever other sounds you find relaxing) with the push of a button.
Remember to be considerate of your close neighbors if you plan to play outside sounds through a speaker.
10. Attracting birds makes a garden more relaxing and peaceful
Birdsong is widely regarded as one of the most pleasant sounds in nature, if not the world.
In fact, birdsong has even been found to have practical uses including helping people overcome fears, focus during exams, and increase their productivity.
You can take steps to encourage wild birds to visit your garden and make it magical , such as having birdhouses in the trees, a bird feeder, and / or a birdbath.
11. Choose fragrant plants and flowers
In addition to thinking about the noises you want or don’t want in the garden, you can also consider the fragrances around you. Many plants, herbs, and flowers have been shown to aid relaxation, such as chamomile and lavender.
Find some fragrances that you find appealing and plant in a border around your garden or in the area where you will be spending most of your time.
12. Choose comfortable furniture
Sitting on garden walls, lawns, splintered wooden furniture, or warped plastic chairs will hardly help you settle into a relaxation session that will ease your troubles.
You should invest in comfortable furniture that you want to sit on, that is, chairs that support your body and keep it comfortable for an extended period of time.
For a truly luxurious seating solution, consider a hanging chair or hammock that also gives a gentle rocking motion as you close your eyes and let the sunlight and gentle breeze caress your face. With running water and birdsong as the background track, it really doesn’t get any more peaceful than that.