Water Features

If a river or stream or pond or lake or ocean borders your property, great.  Make sure people in your yard or garden have an unobstructed view of it.  Most of us do not live beside a body of water.  We can add one to an outdoor area and by doing so can create a space that’s as mentally refreshing to view as a meadow and that’ll boost moods; neuroscience studies make this clear.

The sort of water you want to add to your space should move very gently, in a way that brings to mind a burbling brook—avoid jets that throw water into the air, etc., no matter how impressive they might be.

Why Water?

A benefit of a water feature is that it makes a gentle sound that we find tremendously refreshing.  The same is true for other nature sounds such as the sounds of wind rustling leaves or grass or birds gently calling out to each other.

Hopefully, these nature sounds are present in your yard and you can hear them, they’re not overpowered by nearby road noise, for example.  If they are not, don’t passively accept the traffic sounds, etc., in your garden or yard.

Install outdoor speakers and quietly broadcast the sounds of burbling brooks and breezes and relaxed birds into your yard.