Design Your Landscape for Peace and Quiet

Busy boulevard at the curb or screaming kids next door — noisy environments make relaxing in your yard hard. Noise pollution is a stressful irritant nearly impossible to eradicate, but design strategies can quiet things down.

Key noise control concepts:
• Sound waves rise from ground level; tall barriers moderate noise.
• Plants absorb, deflect, refract, reflect noise.
• Desirable white noise masks undesirable noise.

Ideas for easing residential landscape noise:

Pedersen Associates

Suppress Noises with a Tall Barrier

Goal: tall, wedge-shaped barrier directing sound waves upward. Solid wall goes far. Hard surfaces (masonry, stucco, stone) reflect sound up and back toward source.

Fifth Season Landscape Design & Construction — Flexible surfaces vibrate and absorb more sound. Plants absorb/diffuse via leaves, branches, twigs, bark.

Design Focus International — Combining wall/fence and plant material is ideal.

Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design — Planting in raised beds creates height quickly. Helpful when budget/codes limit built structure height.

Carve Out a Quiet Space

If tall barrier impractical, build a sunken space for gatherings. Creating height inversely, sunken areas have sound-deadening soil surround.

Island Gardens Company — Berms/retaining walls with lush plantings create peaceful, intimate hideaway.

Scott Brinitzer Design Associates

Select Plants for Sound Suppression

Wide, dense plantings with deciduous and evergreen plants = most effective year-round noise abatement.

Wind-moved plants create appealing sounds (celebrated in music/literature) masking offensive noises.

AMS Landscape Design Studios, Inc.

Create Additional Layers of White Noise

Multiple desirable sound layers mute or distract from undesirable noises.

Simple water feature may provide enough soothing sound.

California Waterscapes — Flowing stream with mini waterfalls creates melody improving environmental sound quality.

Aquascape — Large falling water volume creates roar blocking all but loudest noises.

Gilson Group Landscape Design — Wind chimes, bells, flags, bunting activated by breeze add background sounds muffling unwanted noise.

Michael Kelley Photography — Combined sound moderation techniques create beautiful outdoor space you'll love. Being a good neighbor helps too — if you have a noisy clan, implement strategies as courtesy.