Transport the Land of Smiles into your backyard with a few natural elements, decorative features, and key motifs.

In recent years, we have witnessed exotic and contemporary garden designs gaining increasing popularity, with influences from across the world. Thai landscaping has been particularly popular, for private and public gardens alike. In fact, it has proven to be such a success that there is widespread availability of everything, from tropical flowers and plants to Thai-inspired garden accessories and statues. So if you want to create a peaceful Thai retreat of your own, read on. Below we have offered some easy steps to a Thai-inspired garden that you’ll be able to enjoy all year round.

Sala

A Sala is an open-air pavilion, usually constructed from wood, and open on all four sides. Sala is traditionally a meeting place but in the garden. It offers both shade and shelter from the elements. You can pop a patio suite in there, or some comfy cushions and chairs, and decorate with LED string lights for use at night. To keep in line with authentic Thai traditions, you might even consider adding ornamental flowers in pots and serpentine statues to your garden.

Stone

Thai gardens are incomplete without a rough-hewn stone to reflect a more natural aesthetic. Place round stones over the grass to pave a stunning garden path; use stacked brick-style tiles to create a feature wall - especially effective as a backdrop to a water feature; decorate with stone Buddhas and elephants to set within flowerbeds or paths; bring pebbles inside, too, for an indoor-outdoor touch.

Tropical plants

Plants, both visually appealing and pleasantly fragrant, play a crucial role in Thai garden design. You can opt for tropical and Thai-appropriate plants like palms, jasmine, orchids, hibiscus, Wrightia Religiosa, and gardenia. Any and all of these, as well as any combination, will look and smell superb in your newly landscaped Thai-styled garden.

Lucky charms

Bamboo is a customary material used for structuring steps and walls, and for making garden furniture, light shades, water features, and decorations. When planted it grows quickly, creating high walls that provide privacy - be careful to keep it at bay otherwise it can take over. In Asian culture, Bamboo is also considered a symbol of good fortune; keep a potted Lucky Bamboo plant indoors to link the spaces and to aid Feng Shui.

Watered down

Ancient Thai gardens were home to water features, of varying styles, sizes, and shapes. As well as being a strong link to nature and the elements (an important principle), having water in your Thai garden will prove aesthetically pleasing and relaxing. Opt for a water feature in an earthen pot or baked clay jar to create a soothing ambiance.

Cultural focus

When designing or buying a fountain feature, a lotus-shaped bowl is an appropriate motif as it is a sacred flower in Thai culture. Elephants, serpent heads, and Buddha statues are also intrinsically linked to Thai culture and are used architecturally to decorate temples and public buildings. Use such features as a water spout, or simply as an ornamental flourish.

Remember to keep these design elements in mind while curating your Thai-inspired backyard garden.