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Warm weather makes everyone want to spend more time outdoors — especially gardeners. If you’re thinking of raising outdoor plants this year, cultivate a space that provides peace to your daily routine.
These are a few zen additions to your spring garden that will improve your mental health any time you go outdoors to take care of your plants.


1. A Wooden Bridge
Bridges connect places and people. They’re symbols of prosperity and adventure, but they’re also unconventional for backyards. That’s what makes them a perfect zen addition to your spring garden.
There are seven principles of zen design that will guide your aesthetic choices:
- Simplicity
- Austerity
- Naturalness
- Asymmetry
- Subtlety
- Stillness
- Unconventionality
Bridges merge a break from standard outdoor designs with simplicity. Don’t have much room in your backyard? Make a fairy bridge to turn your garden into an enchanted, happier space.
2. Miniature Rock Displays
When you imagine a zen garden, you likely think of miniature rock displays with raked gravel. It’s a visually pleasing addition that’s great for your yard. Create a small gravelled space and place rocks within it. The stones should have complementary tones that match your backyard’s environment. Enjoy the stillness and order your display brings whenever you go outside.
3. A Fish Pond
There’s nothing more natural than fish swimming in a pond. Utilize that aspect of zen design by installing a fish pond in your garden. Whether you stock it with koi or goldfish, the repetitive motion of the fish swimming in circles will bring a calming vibe to your yard.
If you decide a fish pond is the best addition to your spring garden, don’t forget to add a water pump. It will keep your pond oxygenated so your fish live long, happy lives.
4. Mosquito Repellant Lawn Incense Sticks
Mosquito repellent incense sticks repel bugs within 200 feet, so they’ll keep bugs away from your lawn chairs, picnic tables and fish pond simultaneously. Nothing destroys a person’s peaceful environment more quickly than buzzing mosquitoes and itchy bites. Incense sticks are also often all-natural, which may fit your lifestyle if you prioritize chemical-free or organic purchases.
5. A Stone Path
Stone paths create opportunities for the asymmetrical aspect of zen designs. The large, flat stones will have slightly different shapes, but they’ll all lead to the same place in your garden. Use them to navigate between seasonal plants or walk to a shaded bench next to your blooming flowers.
Your stone path could also lead from your house to your garden. As long as the stepping stones direct you to your place of zen, they’ll provide more peace of mind to your outdoor oasis.

6. Elegant Wind Chimes
Soft chimes create a relaxing environment that soothes any frayed nerves or anxious minds. Hang a set of wind chimes by your garden to emulate the same effect around your plants. You’ll love spending time outdoors even more. The occasional breeze will produce your favourite sounds that ultimately provide a stronger sense of zen.
7. A Geometric Archway
There’s a subtle elegance about geometric shapes, making them one of the ultimate zen additions to your spring garden. Add an archway over the entrance to your garden that welcomes anyone who wants to spend time outdoors. You could also build an arch over your flowerbed or behind a seating arrangement next to your fish pond.
8. A Bird Bath
Stillness is an essential factor in zen environments. You could engage with that aspect by lounging on a shaded bench, listening to your wind chimes or sitting among your flowers. Gardners can also meditate on stillness by installing a garden bird bath.
Consider what you’d want your bird bath to look like and design one for at-home construction that takes less than an afternoon to complete. The birds will remind you to sit somewhere relaxing, while the water represents reflection and cleansing. These are all important to include in your daily life because they’ll soothe your mind when you need a moment of zen.
About The Author:
Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded, where he writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Check out @TModded for regular updates!
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