Meditation Garden - The Ultimate Guide with Ideas + Inspiration

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Looking to create your very own meditation garden? This step-by-step guide will teach you how to create the perfect zen space you’ve been dreaming of! Whether you’re looking to create an outdoor meditation garden in your backyard or a small indoor meditation garden, this guide has you covered with all the best ideas, design, and decor.

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A meditation garden is an awesome place to get your zen on! So many people dream of having one of their own, but very few people actually create one.

This is because they don’t know how or think it will be too much work. Nothing could be further from the truth!

With this easy step-by-step guide, you can create your perfect meditation garden quickly and with zero drama.

So do want to be a dreamer or a doer? You know the answer to this one!

So let’s get started.

P.S. Want to make creating your meditation garden even easier? Download my free Meditation Garden Checklists! They have everything you need to make your dream meditation garden a reality.

Fill out the form below and we’ll deliver your free checklists straight to your inbox!

Looking for more? Join the free 7 Day Meditation Challenge to unlock the powerful benefits of meditation in just one week!

Step 1: Choose Your Space

When creating a meditation garden, the first thing you need to do is choose a space for it!

Here are some questions to consider:

Do I want it to be outdoors or indoors?
How big do I want it to be?
What do I want it to include?

The above questions will help you narrow down which spaces would work best for you! The space you choose will determine how large your garden will be and what elements you can include.

For example, if you want a fountain, you should probably consider an outdoor space.

The space could be as small as your desk or as large as your backyard. It’s entirely up to you and which spaces are available.

Here are some outdoor spaces that work well:

Backyard
Patio
Deck
Balcony

Here are some indoor spaces that work well:

Spare bedroom
Office
Corner in bedroom
Sunroom
Desk (yes– you can make a mini meditation garden on your desk!)

The free Meditation Garden Checklists will give you some additional tips for choosing the right space for your meditation garden. You can download them for free here.

Once you’ve chosen your space, you’re ready to start designing your meditation garden!

Step 2: Choose Your Design

Ready to design your meditation garden? This is where you get to visualize what it will look like within the space you chose.

The best way to do this is to grab a pen and paper, so you can sketch how you want your meditation garden to look. Don’t worry about making it pretty or artistic! It can be as simple as drawing a circle and labeling it “rock” or drawing a curved line and labeling it “path”.

This is simply a visual aid to help you design your garden. I’ve included two examples for you, so you can see the process.

Here’s a design sketch for an outdoor garden in a 5,000 square foot backyard:

Here’s a design sketch for an indoor garden in a 200 square foot corner of a bedroom:

As you can see they’re not very pretty (I’m no artist!) but they get the job done.

For more tips on choosing your design, download the free Meditation Garden Checklists here!

Step 3: Choose Your Elements

This is the fun part where you get to create a meditation garden that’s uniquely yours! There are tons of different elements that can be added.

Here are the most common ones:

Plants

If you’re creating a garden, you’ll probably want plants right? This can be trees, flowers, grass, shrubs, or anything else! If you’re using an outdoor space, like your backyard, you can make use of plants that are already there and/or plant new ones! If you’re using an indoor space, like your office, you can use potted plants, hanging basket flowers, or planters.

Water

Another common feature of meditation gardens is water. This can be a fountain, bird bath, or even a small garden waterfall (like this one here). If your garden is indoors, you can use a desk fountain or even a small bowl filled with water. Aquariums (indoors) or small fish ponds (outdoors) can also be a nice touch!

Statues

Statues are an awesome way to add a personal touch! Some popular choices are a Buddha statue, small pagoda, or stone pile.

Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand

Rocks are a common element of Japanese zen gardens. They’re a great way to add texture and color to your garden.

If you’re looking to create a mini meditation garden on your desk, a small zen garden (like this one) with sand, rocks, and pebbles is a great choice!

Seating

Most meditation gardens have areas where you can sit and meditate. This could be just a small spot on the grass or on the floor of your room. You can also add a nice garden bench if it’s outside or a meditation cushion if it’s inside.

Once you’ve chosen your elements, you can add them to your design sketch from Step 2. Now your vision is all planned out and ready to create!

Step 4: Take Action!

Now that you’ve designed your meditation garden and chosen the elements, it’s time to take action!

Until you actually take the time to create it, it’s just an idea right?

Here are some easy ways to turn your meditation garden from dream to reality:

Decide who will create it.

Is your meditation garden something you can create by yourself or do you need some help?

If you’re looking to create a large scale outdoor meditation garden, you may want to consider consulting with a landscaper or contractor to help you out! If you’re creating a small or indoor garden, you may be able to do it yourself or ask friends/family to help you out!

Purchase your elements and gather your supplies.

In order to create your meditation garden, you’ll need to gather all the elements and supplies! Make sure you have all the plants, seeds, statues, seating, gardening tools, etc. ready to go before you get started.

Create a schedule or timeline for the project.

How long will it take to create your meditation garden? Set a schedule and stick to it!

If you’re simply creating a small one in your bedroom, it might take you just a few hours to complete.

If you’re creating a more elaborate one in your backyard, it might take you a month or two.

Either way, you should create a realistic schedule that you can stick with to make sure it gets done.

Grab the free Meditation Garden Checklists for a fill-in-the-blank timeline you can use to turn your dream meditation garden into a reality! It will show you the six steps you must take to create your perfect meditation garden.

Just fill out the form below and we’ll send your free checklists straight to your inbox!

Meditation Garden Ideas

At this point, you might already know exactly what your meditation garden will look like or you could still be figuring it out!

Here are some creative ideas for various spaces, in case you’re in need of a little inspiration!

Meditation Garden Backyard Ideas

Garden path made with pebbles
Two small pagoda statues
One large Buddha statue
Two large oak trees (already there)
Two garden benches
Colorful flowers planted all around

Indoor Meditation Garden in Bedroom Ideas

Meditation cushion
Potted plants (both flowers and greenery)
Small Buddha statue
Candles
Tibetan Singing Bowl

Mini Meditation Garden on Desk Ideas

Small zen garden
Small desk fountain
Rocks or stones
1-2 small potted plants

Oftentimes, images are the best way to find inspiration. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. 😉

Here are some of the best meditation garden images to get your creative juices flowing!

Meditation Garden FAQs

You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers!

Here are answers to common questions readers ask about meditation gardens. If you have a question that’s not listed here, feel free to ask in my free meditation community group. I read every post and always respond to questions!

How do I make my meditation garden unique?

Your meditation garden should be a creative expression of YOU. Do you love Buddha statues? Great! Add one (or three) to your design sketch! Not a fan of Buddha statues? In that case, you shouldn’t have them in your garden.

Just because a certain element is common, doesn’t mean you need to have it. That’s the best part of creating your own meditation garden, as opposed to visiting someone else’s. You can make it entirely unique to you! Just be true to yourself and prioritize your personal preferences. I promise that if you do this, you will create the garden that’s right for you!

What are the benefits of a meditation garden?

A meditation garden allows you to unwind in a tranquil environment that’s all your own!

Here are some of the benefits:

Provides a relaxing environment for your meditation practice
Encourages you to meditate and be mindful more often
Reduces stress and anxiety
Promotes a deep sense of calm
Creates beauty in your backyard or home

What is the easiest way to create a meditation garden?

The easiest way to make your dream meditation garden a reality is to design it first and then create it!

My free Meditation Garden Checklists provide you with all the tools you need to take your garden from the planning stages to reality!

Bonus: Meditation Garden Checklist

Now that you’ve read through this step-by-step guide, it’s time to take action!

My free Meditation Garden Checklists are designed to help you get from idea to reality as quickly as possible.

You’ll receive four worksheets total — one for each of the steps listed in this post!

Here’s what you’ll get:

Choose Your Space Checklist
Choose Your Design Worksheet
Choose Your Elements Checklist
Take Action Timeline

Just fill out the form below and we’ll deliver all four Meditation Garden Checklists straight to your inbox!

I hope you found this ultimate guide to creating a meditation garden helpful! Be sure to take pictures of your new garden and share it with us in my free meditation community group.

Want more meditation tips? Come hang out with me in the Ladies Who Meditate Facebook group! Every day I’m posting fun new ways to reduce stress and promote well-being!