What style of garden do you find most relaxing and why?
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Exotic / tropical feel, lush and somewhat jungle-like and water is a must. This can be achieved in northern gardens, with good planning, use of micro-climates and possibly winter protection. There are some hardy bananas: Musa Basjoo being one of the best.
I love a tropical feel to a garden, better than uniform rows of plants that some gardeners do, and the mood lets you drift off to tropical climes. Some friends have got part of a boat, some sand and stones in theirs, edged by water - this looks great.
I think most of us find water soothing, you can grow beautiful water lilies, for summer color, etc. You can have containerized water 'ponds' or submerged into the garden.
Also, entice wildlife such as birds into the garden, as these are wonderful when they're singing - almost like being out in nature and very therapeutic.
Hope these thoughts help.
I love a cottage style garden because I like the informal, crowded look and if I went with a formal look, I would have to limit what I could put where. As many of us do, I find playing in my garden therapeutic and so an informal look does well for me. My gardens became much more 'cottage garden' like last year while my Soldier Son was in Iraq, but my goodness, how beautiful they are now!!
Water gardens are not only soothing with the sounds of running water they also attract wildlife (birds, toads etc.) which can be relaxing to watch.
Actually any will do for me.
though I think a Japanese garden complete with goldfish pond would be wonderful!
I have eight distinct gardens at home, and two more I created for our local museum and the area arts center. My styles or lack of style is dictated by the space. I try to use plants that fit comfortably into each micro-climate; sun, shade,wet, dry, sand clay and every possible combination. I don't pamper all of my gardens, only a few plants receive special attention, benign neglect is the general rule. This leaves more time to enjoy and more time to build more gardens. Trying to pound half hardy plants into submission is a waste of my time. RScott
Japanese water gardens I find to be very relaxing. The sound of the water, the koi, the various water plants, the design, all of it, comes together to make a very relaxing and peaceful environment.
Good luck.
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