Not all gardens are created equal.
The best gardens are carefully crafted — with their owner’s wellbeing at the forefront of the design process. Science agrees. A 2024 systematic review published in Systematic Reviews analyzed results from dozens of gardening studies and found gardeners experienced a 55% increase in wellbeing scores on average.
That’s huge.
Yet in spite of all the evidence, many garden owners only see gardens as aesthetic spaces. Something to prove how green-fingered they are or keep up with the trends on Pinterest. They overlook what a garden could truly be.
Here’s the thing…
You don’t need to spend thousands of pounds consulting with landscape designers to create a garden that feeds your mind, body and soul. What you need is intention and the right infrastructure in place from day one.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Why Garden Design is More Important Than Most People Realise
- Build a Brick Garden Wall
- Create Zones for the Mind, Body and Soul
- Pick Plants That Work Hard
- Use Light & Water to Enhance the Space
Build a Garden Design You’ll Love Spending Time In
Did you know most people massively undervalue the importance of garden design?
Sure, almost 90% say nature helps their mental wellbeing, according to Natural England’s annual survey. But how many garden owners build gardens that actually feel like that? It’s a common sight — gardens with no real plan. Areas crammed with plants willy-nilly that look nice on Instagram but don’t do much for the people using them.
A garden that feeds your mind, body and soul should have a reason behind every element. It all starts with creating the structure of the space you have.
Build A Brick Garden Wall
Chances are before you start detailing anything else about your garden, you’ll need a garden wall.
Good news, it’s one of the best things you can do for your outdoor space. Proper fencing is great too if privacy isn’t a concern, but even something as simple as a DIY brick garden wall can transform your backyard. It creates instant privacy from prying eyes and street noise. Separates different areas into zones. And most importantly makes your entire garden feel more inviting.
When building a garden wall, there are a few extra details that take a DIY project from Fine to Professional Standard.
- Height: An ideal privacy brick wall is between 1.2m – 1.8m high. Tall enough to keep prying eyes out, but not so tall that it blocks all sunlight.
- Foundation: Dig a concrete footing that’s twice the width of the brick. This is absolutely vital for any wall over 4 ft high.
- Weep Holes: Every 4 courses or so, lay a row of hole bricks. These prevent water building up behind the wall.
- Pointing: Use recessed mortar joints to guide water running down the wall away from bricks.
This is the framework your garden flows around. Get it right, and you’ve got a permanent feature that’ll improve your garden for decades to come.
Create Zones That Serve A Purpose
You know how you open a menu and half the stuff immediately feels like it’s not for you? Zones in a garden work the same way.
Divide your backyard into sections, each with a specific purpose. Believe it or not, there are three fundamental zones that the most restorative gardens utilise:
- The Mind Zone. A quiet place for relaxing, reading or napping. Ideally somewhere sheltered from distractions and noise. Bonus points for dappled shade. Something as simple as a bench underneath your DIY brick garden wall will work here.
- The Body Zone. Garden spaces that encourage movement. Think veggie patches, lawns to run around on or paths to walk barefoot along. Researchers at CU Boulder found when volunteers interacted with plants by digging, weeding or watering, their bodies produced less stress hormones AND anxiety hormones.
- The Soul Zone. A fire pit, water feature or secluded patch of wildflowers can fill this role. Spaces in the garden that bring joy beyond how they look.
Here’s the truth — most gardens don’t have the space for three fully separate zones. Adding definition between these spaces is what takes your garden from nice to truly refreshing.
Pick Plants That Do The Heavy Lifting
Hold up. Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. Plants are fun and all, but let’s make sure the right walls are up first.
Okay. Now.
Planting isn’t as simple as popping a few flowers in a pot. Restorative gardens use plants to engage as many senses as possible. What you can smell. Hear rustling in the breeze. Feel under your fingertips. Seeking out variety that covers all the senses is the easiest way to encourage more time spent outside.
Here are a few great options:
- Lavender. Calming fragrance, attracts bees and looks great planted against a DIY brick garden wall.
- Ornamental Grasses. Beauty and brains. They add movement, soothing sound and zero maintenance.
- Rosemary. Double up your planting with something deliciously scented that can also be used in the kitchen.
- Echinacea. Bright bold colours and wonderful wildlife flowers.
- Climbing Roses/Jasmine. Both look incredible scrambling up a brick garden wall and soften the hardest material wonderfully.
Pick plants you know you’ll love, take care of them and they’ll take care of you right back.
Use Light and Water Features To Enhance The Space
Brightness. Quiet sounds of trickling water.
You know how your mum always used to say you didn’t appreciate things until they were gone? Turns out she’s right.
Two of the most impactful additions to any garden that most people completely forget to consider are sunlight and water features.
Sunlight and the way it’s used can have a serious impact on a person’s mood. Purposefully positioning seating (mind zone) to catch the morning rays. Leaving the veggie and exercise space (body zone) in full sun until evening works with the circadian rhythm instead of against it. Don’t have evening sun? Solar powered pathway lights are excellent for extending how long the garden can actually be used.
Water features don’t have to be big. Or expensive. But adding even just a small fountain near a seating area gives the brain something else to focus on. Water makes that calm, satisfied sound that signals to the nervous system it’s okay to relax. Not convinced? Give it a try. The difference is noticeable.
Final Thoughts on Building A Garden that Feeds You Back
The garden doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t even have to cost much. But it does need a plan if it’s going to give anything back.
- Invest time building a DIY brick garden wall first. Increase privacy and zone your garden.
- Consider how each area serves the mind, body and soul. Each zone should earn its place.
- Choose plants that reward care. Pick sensory plants that have something to offer year-round.
- Use light and water features to draw you outdoors for longer.
Build it right and your garden will reward you every time you step outside.
Let’s recap:
- Build a DIY brick garden wall to increase privacy and zone your outdoor space.
- Create dedicated areas for the mind, body and soul to unwind.
- Invest time in picking sensory plants that will give back just as much as you care for them.
- Light and water features can help take the space to the next level.
- Garden design doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does take intention.
Written by Laura