The garden is your own private place for solitude. This is where you should relax, listen to the birds chirping and the leaves rustling and just enjoy some peace and quiet after a long work week. Noise contributes to how peaceful a garden feels. Unwanted noise from highway traffic, busy streets or mechanical systems can disrupt outdoor peace and quiet, especially in urban environments. Despite the hustle and bustle of city life, you can also...Garden in the citybecome a private retreat. The noise level can be changed with a few simple design optimizations. In this article we have put together some tips for planting and materials that ensure good noise protection in the garden. This way, the outdoor area can be transformed into a real oasis of peace!
If you want to effectively protect your garden from noise, you should first determine where the noise you want to block is actually coming from. So is it environmental noise, such as highway traffic, or is the noise coming from a single source, such as the neighbors' air conditioning? If the source of the noise is identified, appropriate measures can be taken.
In fact, there are many ways to keep noise out of your outdoor space. The designer of this small urban garden in New York City, for example, combined several sound-reducing devices to create a private oasis. The densityvertical planting, the seating and sound-absorbing floor materials help block the noise.
We have summarized the different options for noise protection in the garden in the following sections.
Vertical planting for sound absorption
To keep the annoying noises out of your own garden, you can put a partition between you and the noise. An important aspect when erecting the noise barrier is its height. The higher the wall, the more effectively the sound waves can be deflected.
However, a noise barrier does not always mean a new structural design. Even the outside walls of the house and the wall can block out the sources of noise. Appropriate planting contributes to this. If the plants are planted vertically, the noise protection is optimal. We recommend vertical planting in three layers: upright trees and grasses as the top layer, shrubs as the middle layer, and low perennials and ground covers as the bottom layer. Green walls and hanging gardens are the best choice when available space is limited.
In this courtyard in San Francisco, for example, the landscape architects used vertical gardens, green walls, and plants and trees of varying heights. These absorb sound and offer good noise protection in the garden.
Large plant pots as an alternative for small gardens
Planting is not always possible in a small garden or yard. If this is also the case for you, then you can simply plant larger plants and trees in pots and tubs. In large planters you can plant several plants at the same time and thus achieve successful vertical planting. A small tree, low grasses and perennials, and some climbing plants work well together in a large container. The more layers this creates, the better the outside area is protected from noise.
Noise protection in the garden with columnar plants
Hedges not only offer good privacy, they are also perfect for noise protection in the garden. A green hedge can be planted from upright, columnar plants and trees that block out noise well.
Some popular tall and thin trees that provide effective protection from noise and prying eyes are the columnar varieties of American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). These trees grow upright and can form thin hedges with regular pruning.
Pyramid hornbeam (Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata') is planted in a large container to provide noise protection in this cozy roof garden in Chicago. The so-called columnar hornbeam is fast-growing and columnar, but can spread quickly if not cut. If cut regularly, the tree is perfect as a thin hedge to protect the garden from noise and visibility.
Plant the garden densely
Think about how you can create dense planting that surrounds the entire outdoor space and blocks out the noise. Dense vegetation, which is calledNoise barrier around your gardenis planted, filters the noise well.
Plant tall trees about 10 feet apart to muffle noise and mimic a forest landscape. When planted densely, the trees grow more upright rather than spreading because they compete for light. Plant along the boundaries of your property, but don't forget to leave an open space in the middle to enjoy the sun's rays. A suitable tree for this type of planting is, for example, the birch.
Distract source of noise
If even a noise barrier doesn't help with street noise, you can try a different approach: distracting from the source of the noise. Wind and water games provide indirect noise protection in the garden because they do not block out the noise, but cover it with soothing sounds. ADIY Gartenbrunnenfor example, it's not that complicated to make yourself and creates wonderful sound effects. You feel as if the garden by the stream is in the middle of the forest.
Tip: Music works too. A small radio outside can make the atmosphere more pleasant and at the same time distract from the unpleasant noises.
Create a quiet place to sit
Sometimes it is not possible or even necessary to surround the entire garden with dense plants and trees. You spend most of your time sitting at your seat anyway, especially if you want to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. That's why it may be worth choosing a nice spot in the garden and just enclosing it. This option is not only simpler, but also significantly cheaper.
You can see an example in this urban garden in the Netherlands. The seating area has aPergola coveredand thus creates a cozy and peaceful corner in the outdoor area.
Sound-absorbing materials for noise protection in the garden
Sound absorption plays a major role in the garden. Basically, any outdoor surface will either absorb noise or amplify it. It is therefore important to use materials that have good sound-absorbing properties. Smooth surfaces such as walls made of concrete, glass or masonry reflect the noise, whereas porous or rough materials absorb the sound. In principle, almost any material is suitable for a noise barrier. A very effective variant is gabion walls, which are filled with earth, sand or other insulating material.
For even better noise protection in the garden, the garden furniture should have soft elements, such as weatherproof seat cushions and textiles. The floor covering can also have a sound-amplifying effect if it is laid with concrete or stone paving. Lawns, ground cover and several beds in the home garden can neutralize this effect.
Bring peace into the garden!
