What I wouldn't give to be like Gisele Bündchen, meditating in a tropical garden full of climbing bougainvillea, towering palms, and lush greenery. Her expression was so peaceful that I went out to my patio and felt (gently) judged for my single pot of basil.

The supermodel has created a space where you can actually slow down, breathe, and hopefully take in the sweet fragrance of your flowers. Fortunately for me, and you readers, these meditation garden ideas are entirely replicable, and I talked to some experts who gave me some tips. Now I'm sharing that information with you, like I’m Yoda to your Luke Skywalker.

Start With Feeling, Not Aesthetics

The first mistake most people make when creating a "relaxing" garden is designing for the photograph rather than the experience. Dhriti, founder of mindful décor brand Root & Still, puts it well: "A mindful garden is one you feel before you analyze it. It isn't so much a style as an intention. A wellness-focused garden is designed around how you want to feel in it – calmer, slower, a little more present – rather than how it might look in a photograph."

That reframe of going from “How can I make this look nice on Instagram?” thinking to, "What do I actually want to feel out here?" is key.

Edit Before You Add

The path to a more restful garden usually involves taking things away, not adding them. Dhriti tells me, "A space full of competing features rarely feels restful, however lovely each element is on its own. I always encourage people to give the eye somewhere to rest: a single quiet focal point, softer planting, a sense of enclosure."

At nearly two feet tall, the Kante slender weathered concrete planter, available on Amazon, has the kind of quiet presence Dhriti describes. Plant lavender or rosemary in it beside a doorway or seating area, and it will look like it's always been there.

Thery Jean Christophe, founder of Musa Art Gallery, agrees: "One common mistake is designing a 'relaxing' garden that becomes too difficult to maintain. If the space creates constant work, it stops feeling peaceful. Low-maintenance planting, comfortable seating, shade, and a few repeated materials usually matter more than having a perfect layout." In other words, resist the urge to fill every corner because the space between things is actually doing a lot of the work.

Choose Plants That Earn Their Place All Year

The plants recommended by all three experts have one thing in common: they look considered even when left somewhat untended. Lavender, rosemary, jasmine, ornamental grasses, and ferns are the names that come up consistently.

Cameron Figgins, owner and president of Absolute Maintenance & Consulting, notes, "Plants with slow, consistent movements and low amounts of debris tend to promote a greater sense of calm. The right variety of plant should require little to no correction and remain healthy during its life cycle."

Structural, forgiving planting is important. Evergreens, grasses that catch the breeze, and fragrant herbs along a path are the backbone of Gisele's garden aesthetic. These are the kind of plants that do their job year-round but never expect much in return.

Plant Hidcote lavender (available from Plant Addicts) along a path or around seating, and you'll have the fragrant, low-maintenance anchor plant all three experts recommend. It smells incredible and gently tells your nervous system to take a breath.

Mindful Garden Essentials

Engage the Senses You Often Forget

In a garden, the visual element is obvious, but people often miss everything else our senses can offer. Dhriti points out that "...sound and movement matter too. The gentle trickle of a tabletop water feature, leaves shifting in the breeze, the scent of herbs – these are the things that quietly tell your nervous system it's safe to slow down. A mindful garden engages all the senses gently, never all at once."

A small water feature is probably the single highest-impact addition you can make to a garden that currently has none. The sound of moving water masks city noise, anchors the space, and does more for the atmosphere than many planting decisions. Pure Garden Store's weatherproof four-tier fountain delivers that gentle trickle Dhriti describes, and it works just as well on a balcony as it does in a full garden.

Small Spaces Count Too

If a Mediterranean garden with climbing bougainvillea feels like a stretch (and it really can for many people), Dhriti wants you to know that a balcony or courtyard is actually easier to work with: "A compact space already has a natural sense of enclosure, which is exactly what we try to create in larger gardens. You don't need more; you need the right one or two things, given room to breathe."

Jean Christophe echoes this: "Even a balcony can support this idea with planters, herbs, warm lighting, and one quiet corner to sit. Mindful design is less about size and more about atmosphere."