Garden Meditations Deck

52 cards. Gorgeous photographs on one side, gentle reminders or inquiries on the other. Now you can create a tiny, immersive garden experience anywhere.

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These cards are great for:

…setting an intention before visiting the garden or going on a meditative nature walk.

…a journaling prompt.

…a windowsill, desk, or bookshelf decoration (create your own view!)

…an Artist’s Date (great for those who follow Julia’s Cameron’s The Artist’s Way)

…a reflection exercise at a retreat or team meeting.

…a 60-second self-care ritual.

…art or literature class activities.

…starting interesting dinner table conversations with friends and family.

…a simple dose of beauty.

The story.

In 2019, I sat down at the tea garden of Seattle Japanese Garden with two other people—and had one of the most memorable conversations of my life.

The Garden Meditation card deck was born from what transpired on that magical day.

I used to work at Seattle Japanese Garden, and back then, I joked that my job was to do everything but gardening. 

I hosted events. I recruited volunteers. I made posters and signage. And I spent a lot of time getting to know the people and what the garden meant to them. The stories I heard were a mix of loss and love; celebration, heartbreak, and healing.

The original idea.

So the year before its 60th anniversary in 2020, I decided to try writing a commemorative book about this special place. First, I enlisted my partner, who is also the head gardener, to co-write. Then I invited Iain Robertson, a professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Washington, to be our advisor.

When we met that crisp autumn morning, Iain had just returned from a meeting with a publisher in New York City. He was beginning to write a book on creativity. 

We quickly explore how boundless creativity is; the word creativity is just another way of saying “life force.” And how creativity/life force needs boundaries and pathways that allow freedom of movement to realize its potential.

Which is something that gardens do really well, particularly the Seattle Japanese Garden.

We imagined a book that mimics the fluidity of being in the garden, always in motion, never the same. 

Then, heartbreak.

As we were parting ways, Iain quietly mentioned a recent diagnosis. Brain cancer. He was waiting on tests to learn his prognosis.

My last communication with him was over email. He noted that he couldn’t fulfill his role as an advisor, but he hoped I would bring the innovative book idea to fruition. I promised him I’d keep going.

When I heard of Iain’s passing, I remembered my promise. I yearned to make good on it but wasn’t sure how to honor the spirit of our magical conversation. Until an idea struck: unbind the book and birth it as a deck of cards.

It found a new form.

I’ve created the Garden Meditation deck to have the visceral feeling of being inside Seattle Japanese Garden. Some pictures show the garden from a distance; others from inches away. You can experience the garden in all temperatures, the deciduous foliage in all its annual stages, bright light, and partial darkness. 

The prompts act as reminders and conversation starters—with yourself or others.

From the gold-flecked custom drawstring bag to the reclaimed pine card stand and the weight of the card themselves, every detail of the Garden Meditation Deck has been carefully chosen to feel wonderful to the touch. 

I invite you to take one minute to yourself, slow down, and nourish yourself with an immersive experience of the garden wherever you are.

What you get

  • 52 cards, 2.75” squares, double-sided with unique photographs and messages on each side

  • Reclaimed wood card holder

  • Gold-flecked custom drawstring pouch