Sense of Sound in the Garden

Sound is the sense that is least obviously linked to the garden. Perhaps because it has less of the immediacy of the other senses (smell, sight, taste, touch). Sounds are often noticed when we slow down and pay attention and when there are no other distractions. Our busy lives may mean that we miss the sounds of nature in the garden, which is unfortunate as there is so much to hear. Sounds are a reminder of the larger environment outside of our own gardens; we hear much more than we can see. Scientists increasingly use audio recorders to understand ecosystems by listening to them (a field called bioacoustics). The sound of bird calls in the garden is delightful, as is the effect of the wind blowing through dried leaves or grasses. A water feature or pond with the sound of moving water is very soothing. It is no wonder many audio apps and devices to help with sleep use sounds from nature.

The Sound of Leaves and Grasses

A windy or stormy summer day can create wonderful sounds of leaves moving. During a storm, I like nothing better than sitting on our veranda and listening to the sound of rain, wind, and tree branches moving. Some sounds of leaves blowing in the wind can continue even into winter. From the first fall when I first started gardening, I have a vivid recollection of the sound of dead oak leaves still attached to a tree and the unique rustling sound that the leaves made. At the time, I did not know that most species of Quercus (oak) trees hold on to their leaves all winter (technical term: leaf marcescence), as do several other genera of trees, including Fagus (beech) and Hamamelis (witch hazel). This is an unusual natural phenomenon; almost all other deciduous trees drop their dead leaves in the fall (technical term: leaf abscission).

My neighbour has a species of oak tree that loses most of its leaves in winter (I have not identified which species yet). Whether they remain attached to the tree in winter or not, oak leaves have a crispy, dried texture that also makes them rustle on the ground with a distinctive sound. Another sound associated with my neighbour’s oak tree is that of acorns falling on our deck.

More subtle than the sound of oak leaves, clumps of ornamental grasses such as Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Chasmanthium latifolium (northern sea oats), and Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea ‘Skyracer’, all of which I have in my garden, make soft whispering sounds when the wind blows.

Some taller perennials in my garden with narrow leaves, such as Amsonia hubrichtii (Hubricht’s bluestar) and Sanguisorba officinalis (great burnet), and Sanguisorba canadensis also have a similar sound when blown in the wind, especially late in the season when the foliage is almost dried. An overgrown lawn or grassy area of a park can create the same lovely sound effect, something to consider as the idea of rewilding (returning an ecosystem to its natural state) has captured the interest of those who care about the environment.

Spending quiet time in the garden is also a wonderful way to get to know the sounds made by different resident and visiting birds, small animals, and insects. I especially enjoy early mornings in the garden, as that is when I can be most attentive to sound, sitting still with a cup of coffee in my hand.

Sound vs. Noise

While bells and windchimes are beautiful to listen to for short periods outdoors, especially when there is no competing sound, your neighbours may not always appreciate them as much as you do! I do have both bells and windchimes in my garden, and they were carefully chosen so as not to be loud. On very windy days, I have even taken them down.

The worst garden noises are those of garden equipment such as gas mowers, leaf blowers (the worst), and chainsaws. In my opinion, they are pure noise pollution, even if they are labour-saving. On the other hand, the sound of a push reel lawn mower, a rake pulling up leaves into a pile in the fall, or a handsaw cutting up a branch is pleasant by contrast.

The Garden as a Meditative Space

It is not possible to block out all noise of people, music, traffic, and construction (of which there is a lot in my neighbourhood) from your garden oasis. However, focusing on the gentle sounds of nature in the garden provides a space for reflection and even meditation. Consider spending just a few minutes every day paying attention to the various sounds in the garden. You will be surprised at what you hear.

This article is the last in the series Five Sense Gardening.