Create a Pocket of Peace in Your Urban Garden
Keep your garden serene with these 7 simple ideas for noise-reducing planting and material choices
A garden that is a dedicated quiet space can be a private retreat from the hustle and bustle of city living. Noise contributes to how peaceful a garden feels, and unwelcome noise from highway traffic, busy streets or mechanical systems can put a damper on your outdoor enjoyment, especially in urban settings.
You can change the noise level in your garden with a few simple design tweaks, and as we move into summer, now is the perfect time to start planning and implementing these ideas for better enjoyment of your garden in the warmer months.
You can change the noise level in your garden with a few simple design tweaks, and as we move into summer, now is the perfect time to start planning and implementing these ideas for better enjoyment of your garden in the warmer months.
1. Plant in vertical layers
Think about the entire vertical space and perimeter to block noise from disturbing you in your garden. Plant different woody and evergreen species in vertical layers: upright trees and grasses as the tallest layer, shrubs and sprawling plants as the middle layer, and shorter perennials and ground covers as the bottom layer. Living walls and hanging gardens can help you achieve vertical layering with limited space.
This courtyard features vertical planting and layered plants, with green walls and a variety of plants at different heights.
Think about the entire vertical space and perimeter to block noise from disturbing you in your garden. Plant different woody and evergreen species in vertical layers: upright trees and grasses as the tallest layer, shrubs and sprawling plants as the middle layer, and shorter perennials and ground covers as the bottom layer. Living walls and hanging gardens can help you achieve vertical layering with limited space.
This courtyard features vertical planting and layered plants, with green walls and a variety of plants at different heights.
2. Fill containers with many types of plants
If you are limited to planting only in containers, use all of the available real estate in your pots, planting each one fully.
A large container, like the one shown just beyond the door in the photo here, can have a small tree, low grasses and trailing vines all planted in it. Combine plants to achieve as much vertical layering as you can to reduce noise.
8 ways to use pot plants to your advantage
If you are limited to planting only in containers, use all of the available real estate in your pots, planting each one fully.
A large container, like the one shown just beyond the door in the photo here, can have a small tree, low grasses and trailing vines all planted in it. Combine plants to achieve as much vertical layering as you can to reduce noise.
8 ways to use pot plants to your advantage
3. Plant columnar plants
You can plant a living hedge in narrow garden spaces using upright, columnar trees. Columnar plants, such as grass-leaf hakea (Hakea multilineata) and pencil pines (Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’) are bred to grow upright, and they can be maintained as skinny hedges with regular pruning.
Here, columnar hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) is planted in a container garden on a Chicago rooftop. Columnar hornbeam can spread wide if left unpruned, but it responds well to harsh pruning to keep it shaped as a hedge.
You can plant a living hedge in narrow garden spaces using upright, columnar trees. Columnar plants, such as grass-leaf hakea (Hakea multilineata) and pencil pines (Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’) are bred to grow upright, and they can be maintained as skinny hedges with regular pruning.
Here, columnar hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) is planted in a container garden on a Chicago rooftop. Columnar hornbeam can spread wide if left unpruned, but it responds well to harsh pruning to keep it shaped as a hedge.
4. Plant densely
Think about how you can create a bubble of vegetation that surrounds your space to block out sound. Dense vegetation, planted as a sound barrier around your garden, will filter some of the noise.
Trees can be planted close enough together to dampen sound and mimic a woodland setting. They will grow more upright, instead of branching out wide, as they compete for light. Plant the perimeter of your property thickly with trees, but leave open space in the middle to allow sunlight in. Small multi-stem trees are good candidates for this type of planting in small spaces, such as birch trees (Betula spp.).
Shown here is a woodland of paper birch (Betula papyrifera) planted densely with other layers of vegetation
Think about how you can create a bubble of vegetation that surrounds your space to block out sound. Dense vegetation, planted as a sound barrier around your garden, will filter some of the noise.
Trees can be planted close enough together to dampen sound and mimic a woodland setting. They will grow more upright, instead of branching out wide, as they compete for light. Plant the perimeter of your property thickly with trees, but leave open space in the middle to allow sunlight in. Small multi-stem trees are good candidates for this type of planting in small spaces, such as birch trees (Betula spp.).
Shown here is a woodland of paper birch (Betula papyrifera) planted densely with other layers of vegetation
5. Bring new, pleasant sounds to your garden
Another way to drown out unpleasant noise is to actively create pleasing sounds. Water is a simple way to do that. You don’t have to use a lot of water to create sound, and there are many products that are suitable for small spaces. Water can create many different sound effects, including bubbling, fizzing, pouring, flowing, dunking and spraying.
Music works, too. Sometimes just having a radio outside, turned low so that you are being a good neighbour, can help drown out the noise.
Another way to drown out unpleasant noise is to actively create pleasing sounds. Water is a simple way to do that. You don’t have to use a lot of water to create sound, and there are many products that are suitable for small spaces. Water can create many different sound effects, including bubbling, fizzing, pouring, flowing, dunking and spraying.
Music works, too. Sometimes just having a radio outside, turned low so that you are being a good neighbour, can help drown out the noise.
6. Create one dedicated quiet space
If surrounding your entire courtyard or urban garden with dense plants is not feasible, make one quite spot in your landscape by surrounding and enclosing just that one area.
The pergola-covered seating area in this Dutch urban garden creates a quiet section in one corner of the outdoor space.
If surrounding your entire courtyard or urban garden with dense plants is not feasible, make one quite spot in your landscape by surrounding and enclosing just that one area.
The pergola-covered seating area in this Dutch urban garden creates a quiet section in one corner of the outdoor space.
7. Use sound-absorbing materials
Every surface in your outdoor space, especially if it’s a small space, is going to either amplify or absorb sound. Consider each surface and how the material can be changed to absorb sound instead of reflect it. For example, your outdoor furniture should have soft elements, like outdoor-rated, weather-resistant cushions and textiles.
The ground is also a big amplifier of sound in small urban outdoor areas – especially when it’s made of concrete, metal or stone paving. Integrate as many areas for ground cover plants as possible, either planted in the ground or in wide containers, to create a textured surface that absorbs sound.
This Sydney garden features a mix of decking and ground cover plants that breaks up the ground plane with sound-absorbing textures.
TELL US
How have you blocked out the sounds of noisy neighbours and highway havoc? Share your tips and ideas in the Comments section.
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Every surface in your outdoor space, especially if it’s a small space, is going to either amplify or absorb sound. Consider each surface and how the material can be changed to absorb sound instead of reflect it. For example, your outdoor furniture should have soft elements, like outdoor-rated, weather-resistant cushions and textiles.
The ground is also a big amplifier of sound in small urban outdoor areas – especially when it’s made of concrete, metal or stone paving. Integrate as many areas for ground cover plants as possible, either planted in the ground or in wide containers, to create a textured surface that absorbs sound.
This Sydney garden features a mix of decking and ground cover plants that breaks up the ground plane with sound-absorbing textures.
TELL US
How have you blocked out the sounds of noisy neighbours and highway havoc? Share your tips and ideas in the Comments section.
MORE
The Beauty of Thermal Mass, Temperature Control Without the Dial
Get More Out of Your Small Courtyard With Smart Planning
Top 10 Things to Do in the Garden During November
The designer of this tiny urban garden used many sound-reducing ideas to create a private oasis. The dense vertical planting, location of the sitting area and sound-absorbing ground materials all help to block noise.