Small Space, Budget Balinese Garden Made Possible


Bali Island is a favourite holiday destination for many people from around the world. It is a wonderful place popular for its arts, beaches, cultures, nature and nightlife. Bali has its own arts and practices one could never find elsewhere in the world. The Balinese are Hindus. They hold very strongly to their beliefs. They practise them in their everyday life. If you ever visited Bali, you will be impressed by these influences in their dances and handicrafts. You will also notice that they love and respect nature so much so that it is reflected in their gardens.  


Let's take a look at these essentials that make a typical Balinese Garden :-

1) Tropical plants such as fern trees, frangipanis, palm trees, pandanus, hibiscus, peacock plants, petunias, cordylines, bamboos, cycads, money plants and many more are usually used to give the garden a natural and tropical feel. 
2) Structures such as timber gazebos and furnishings such as cushions and curtains, rattan or timber furniture, hammocks and garden umbrellas are used to add functionality to the garden. 
3) Water features and sometimes, wind chimes are added to achieve the feeling of calm and peace. 
4) Carved statues and lanterns are used as focal points in the garden. 
5) Spotlights are used to highlight certain elements to enhance the overall landscape at night. 
6) Stone pathways are installed to connect places.

It is not difficult to create a full function Balinese feel garden if you have enough space and budget. However, even if you lack them both, or whether you want it indoor or outdoor, you can still create one that is much simpler ( omitting the bigger items ) that gives you similar feel. You do not need an expert to do it for you. Nowadays, creating a small Balinese garden on a budget is made possible by the availability of the materials at many garden nurseries or on the internet.


Here are some sample pictures of small, budget, 'simplified' and possible ' Do It Yourself ' Balinese gardens for your reference:









Before you decide what to buy, you may want to draft out a plan on a piece of paper to see how you would want to position your water feature, plants and other elements on the intended space. You may also generate an outcome view of it if you want to.


Here are the examples :


Layout Plan


Perspective View


After that you can list out and calculate the materials you need to buy. 


Here is a sample Checklist of the materials needed :

A. Water Feature:
1) Water tank ( eg.: Fiberglass Tank )
2) Water spouting urn or carved statues
3) Underwater spotlight.
4) Water pump
5) Water filter
6) Potted Water plants
7) Granite or Lava Stone to surround the water tank

B. Balinese Lantern


Important Element : Balinese Lantern


C. Tropical Plants or Potted plants ( Different heights and colours ) to suit your outdoor or indoor garden. 

D. Pebbles

E. Stepping Stones 

F. Carved Statues


Carved Statue

Carved Statue

Carved Statue

Carved Statue

Carved Statue


G. Matching Chairs and Table ( optional )


When you are done, you can start sourcing, buying and finally, installing them according to the plan. Note : You may still need to do some adjustments here and there to achieve your desired Balinese garden. 

After that you can sit back and relax!


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