“A Zen garden should bring a sense of harmony and oneness with nature.

Many elements work in a sprawling garden or a small patio.

The inviting Zen garden works well in this front yard.

Zen garden with a circular gate

Grant Sukchindasathien/Sara Bendrick

Design a Labyrinth

Charles Mayer /Hollander Design

Few things are as meditative as walking through a labyrinth.

Garden designerMolly Woodtook the serene palette further by incorporating beige lounge chairs next to the three-tiered water fountain.

Inexpensive pea gravel from a hardware store is a budget-friendly way to begin your Zen garden.

Two teak chairs next to a pond, surrounded by gravel

Jessica Sample/Benner Landscape Design

Build a Floating Deck

Designate space for a Zen garden with a fewfloating decks.

These platforms can be used for anything from meditation to yoga.

Landscape designerSara Bendrickadded tall grasses to soften the look of the planks.

Labyrinth in a zen garden

Charles Mayer /Hollander Design

Accentuate the rest of the space with richly colored amethyst pillows.

Recreate this look in a small space using a restful color palette across every square inch.

Use it as a spot for meditation and reflection, like in this courtyard enclave created by Hollander Design.

Zen garden back yard with fountain

Marie Buck/Molly Wood

Lovely lighting elements can also be incorporated into a front yard for peacefulness and practicality.

Style a Stone Path

Renny Abraham Collection / Getty Images

Combine small stone pavers with gravel.

Try this in a small backyard with limited square footage but where you want to incorporate aspects of Zen.

Corner of a zen garden with deck and little sculpture

Grant Sukchindasathien/Sara Bendrick

Invite these golden swimmers into your Zen garden by creating a pond.

Addlotus flowers, which represent enlightenment in Hinduism.

Or, invest in more permanent outdoor light fixtures.

Lavender in gravel garden with rock seating and purple pillows

Clive Nichols/ Getty Images

Rocks are believed to be the earth’s bones, and arranging them artfully creates a tranquil mood.

They create a peaceful transition between elements in a garden.

Sand in Zen gardens represents the element of water.

Backyard with stone sitting bench in zen garden

Charles Mayer/Hollander Design

Raking the sand creates what looks like “waves” of water.

You’ll rarely find flowering plants.

Bamboo water feature and stone lantern in Japanese garden

LeeYiuTung / Getty Images

Golden Buddha in a zen garden with path

Charles Mayer/Hollander Design

Zen garden at night with lighting

@ladylandscape/ Instagram

Bamboo bench in a bamboo garden

BasieB / Getty Images

Circular gate into a zen garden

Grant Sukchindasathien/Sara Bendrick

Paver path in zen garden

Renny Abraham Collection / Getty Images

Buddha sculpture sitting in gravel next to a paved path

John Keeble/ Getty Images

Pond in a zen garden

Sara Bendrick/ Instagram

Hanging lanterns

Sonja Filitz/Getty Images

Moss in zen garden

rudiuks/Getty Images

Japanese maple tree in a zen garden

Wirestock/Getty Images

Raked sand in zen garden

Photick/ZenShui/Laurence Mouton/Getty Images

Rock garden zen garden

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Garden bridge in zen garden

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