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Garden design for wellbeing: how to create an outdoor spa retreat

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In a world that often feels rushed, your garden can offer something rare: stillness, calm, and space to simply breathe. At Gardens by Keltie & Clark, we believe garden design for wellbeing is about so much more than creating a beautiful space – it’s about designing a sanctuary that supports both mind and body.  Whether you dream of a tranquil meditation garden, a secluded spot for yoga, or a luxury garden wellness retreat, we help you create an outdoor space that enhances your everyday life.

From our garden design base in the Cotswolds, we work with clients who want more from their garden. They want a personal sanctuary. Somewhere private, restorative, and completely tailored to how they want to live.

 

Why Wellness Matters in Garden Design

A garden for wellbeing isn’t a single style or layout – it’s a way of thinking about how a space makes you feel. That might mean an outdoor bath tucked away under the trees, a quiet corner for meditation, or a sauna that blends into the natural planting.

These spaces aren’t just about relaxation. They’re about creating a deeper connection to nature, and carving out moments of stillness in daily life.

We design with these ideas in mind from the very beginning, so wellness isn’t an afterthought, but built into the way the garden flows and functions.

 

Creating a Garden Spa Experience

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When it comes to garden spa features, luxury and wellness go hand-in-hand. But they should always feel like a natural extension of your outdoor space. Here are some of the ways we incorporate wellbeing into our garden spa designs:

Outdoor Baths

There’s something deeply magical about a hot soak in the open air. We design outdoor bath areas that feel private and peaceful, whether nestled under mature trees or surrounded by soft planting. Materials like copper or cast iron not only look timeless but hold heat well, while clever plumbing and discreet heaters mean the experience is as practical as it is indulgent.

Hot Tubs and Ice Baths

Following the current trend for cold water therapy, we often combine hot tubs and cold plunge baths as part of a complete wellness experience. Whether you prefer a Scandinavian wood-fired tub or a sleek built-in spa with custom jets, we make sure each feature sits comfortably within the space. Ice baths are becoming a popular request for clients, as are cold water showers plumbed in striking copper, to add invigoration to the experience.

Garden Saunas

A sauna can be a beautiful addition to your garden, but it needs careful planning. We consider everything from views and sunlight to access and shelter, so your sauna doesn’t feel bolted on, but part of the garden’s natural rhythm. We’ll design and install a bespoke sauna that fits perfectly your outdoor space, even in the smallest of gardens. We also explore sustainable options, like solar power, to reduce long-term running costs.

 

Spaces for Calm and Mindfulness

Not every wellness feature needs plumbing or power. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can add to a garden is quiet…

Meditation Gardens 

A meditation garden can be as simple as a quiet corner with timber seating, gravel paths, and gentle water sounds. Drawing on Zen garden design principles, we use natural materials and textures to create spaces that encourage mindfulness and calm. 

Yoga Gardens

For clients who practise yoga or Pilates, we design outdoor platforms that are both practical and peaceful. Flat, stable surfaces sit within planting schemes that soften the view, provide privacy, and offer gentle movement in the breeze. It’s a space designed to bring body and mind into balance.

 

Wellness Woven Into the Whole Garden

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We believe garden design for wellbeing works best when it’s part of the entire space, not confined to one area.We think about how the whole garden can support your wellbeing, from the journey through the space to the views from your windows.

Planting plays a big part in this. Soft, layered textures, year-round structure, and planting palettes that feel soothing rather than overwhelming all help create a feeling of calm. So do sounds, whether it’s water, grasses moving in the wind, or birdsong encouraged by wildlife-friendly planting.

Paths and sightlines are important too. We think about how you move through the garden – what you see, where you pause, and how different spaces connect. Everything is considered, from lighting to materials, so it all works together as one seamless, coherent whole. For more inspiration see our blog on Finding peace with our hidden sanctuary garden design.

 

Designed Around You

As with every project we take on, our wellness gardens are fully bespoke. That means we start by understanding how you want to use your space – what makes you feel relaxed, what you need from the space emotionally as well as practically.

For some clients, that’s a full garden spa retreat. For others, it’s a woodland walk or a sunny spot to sit with a morning coffee. We’ll help you explore the possibilities and design a space that fits your life, your home, and your landscape.

 

Your Garden, Your Sanctuary

At Gardens by Keltie & Clark, we create timeless gardens for beautiful homes, but more than that, we design places that feel good to be in. Calm, balanced, and deeply personal.

If you’re thinking about a garden that supports your wellbeing, we’d love to help you bring it to life. Contact us to start your journey towards a garden that gives back.

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