Relaxing, mindful, and calming, a zen garden’s purpose is to ease your mind by bringing your focus to the present. Creating a mini one for yourself is a great way to improve your focus and boost your wellbeing – and it’s a project that’s much easier than you might think!
WATCH: How to make a mini zen garden
What you’ll need
• Sand – Richgro – 20kg Play Sand
• Stones/rocks: Decorative Pebble Tuscan Path – 5kg 5-8mm Black
• Tuscan Path Pebbles – including; Moroccan White Pebbles; Snow White Quartz; Black Pebbles; Black Moroccan Pebbles; White Aztec
• Bonsai pot – Northcote Pottery – 39 X 19 X 8CM Keidai Terrazzo Bonsai Pot – Black
• Potting mix – Osmocote Professional Potting Mix for Succulents – 10L
• Plants: 50mm Tillandsia Air Plant, 100mm Assorted Succulent, 125mm Echeveria Mix, 100mm Succulent Sedum Mix
Miniature rake
• Dowel – Porta Tasmanian Oak Dowel – 1 x 50mm, 5 x 20mm, 1 x 190mm
• Drill – Ryobi Cordless Driver Drill
• Glue – Craft Accessories Boyle 250ml PVA Glue
• Saw
• Mitre Box
• Hand Trowel
Here’s how
Step 1. Scoop potting mix into the bonsai pot.
Step 2. Plant out succulents and air plants, grouping in two opposite corners. Place larger feature stones.
Step 3. Add a layer of sand over the remaining area. Place smaller stones to border the sand area.
Rake
Step 4. Cut:
- 1 x 50mm length of 9mm x 9mm square Tasmanian oak
- 5 x 20mm lengths of 4mm Tasmanian oak
- 1 x 190mm length of 6mm Tasmanian oak
Step 5. Mark out five crosses on the 50mm piece, 10mm apart and 5mm from the ends.
Step 6. Drill five 4mm holes at each cross, halfway into the timber.
Step 7. Turn over the drilled piece and on the opposite side, mark the centre point. Drill a 6mm hole halfway into the timber.
Step 8. Use craft glue to secure the 5 tynes of the rake into the small holes and the rake handle into the large hole on the other side.
Just want to be zen?
For those who would rather skip the making and get to the relaxation you can buy some fantastic kits online, with price points to suit any budget. Our pick of the best high and low?
Affordable
There’s a lot to love about this basic kit from Catch.com.au which comes with everything you’ll need to be a zen master including a garden tray, mini-rake, sand, pebbles and a 24-page book on the practice and the architecture of zen gardens.
Indulgence
If getting your zen on is set to be a daily routine for you, then go deluxe with a kit from Kogan, which will really set you up for mindfulness success. It includes a 28cm x 18cm wooden base, a fur brush, five little stones, one big stone, one mini pagoda, three rakes, and 200ml of white sand. Can you feel the calm wash over you?
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