WHISPERING GRASSES, the plashing of a fountain, the hypnotizing crunch of gravel underfoot—Japanese priests have nurtured contemplative plots for centuries. Now housebound Americans seeking distraction and escape are establishing home gardens that evoke some of that Eastern horticulture wisdom.
At Soothing Company, a St. George, Utah, retailer that specializes in outdoor décor, year-over-year sales in home fountains burbled up 35% in 2020. And when Burpee, a plant and seed purveyor in Warminster, Penn., drilled down into the 30% growth in sales it experienced from 2019 to 2020, a pattern emerged: Buyers sought plants that exude calm. Sales spiked for ornamental grasses and for flowers in historically less-popular colors like white and pale blue. Burpee declared “quiet gardens” a trend for 2021.
What differentiates an oasis of calm from a typical backyard? A more immersive experience. “Your attention is occupied by sights, sounds, smells, textures—and the more multisensory you make something, the less likely you are to think about work,” said Giulia Poerio, Ph.D., a psychology researcher who focuses on emotion and well-being at England’s University of Essex. Here’s how to build your botanical chill pill.
Turn Down the Colors
Loud hues don’t cultivate serenity. “Reds, oranges and yellow are hot colors that stir passion,” said New York landscape architect Edmund Hollander, who recommends mining the other end of the spectrum for tranquility. “The gradation of blues into greens is almost the colors of a stream, with whites and creams representing movement, if you will.”
Avoid Wide Open Space
“When a view is partially screened, you establish a sense of perspective and discovery,” said Los Angeles landscape architect Patricia Benner. Designer John Sharp, a fellow Angeleno, favors trails that wind through the landscape. He introduces structure with plants like spiring Italian cypress trees or voluminous Mexican bush sage, and he softens hard edges—fencing, walls, sheds, staircases—with greenery. Mr. Hollander stresses the concept of journey. “You can’t come out of the house and be in that space. You have to go somewhere, even if it’s only three steps.”
