Garden Bathrooms – You Can Bring the Outdoors Inside

Increasing in popularity is the bathroom with a view of a garden setting. In some instances the garden is located outside the bathroom and viewed through a large window, and in other cases the garden area is actually a part of the bathroom. Ordinarily such bathrooms are located at ground level in the home, but this need not always be so.

The moisture and humidity present in bathrooms makes them an ideal location for growing many types of plants. One approach is to have the plants growing in containers and arranged to present a gardenlike setting. Another approach is to have a permanent planter area where the plants are planted directly in the ground or in pots sunk in the ground. 

With this approach, it is necessary to contain the soil so that a continual cleaning problem is not presented. A glass divider, similar in construction to one wall of a shower enclosure, can be used to separate the garden area from the bathing area; it need not reach to the ceiling, as the plants benefit from the moisture which comes from the bathing area.

Fences for Privacy

If the bathroom has a large window for viewing an outside garden, it usually is necessary to have fencing just beyond the garden to assure privacy. Some homes have a bath looking out onto an atrium. A small amount of fencing will enclose a garden area of sufficient size to offer an interesting view from the bathroom, and the fence can serve as a decorative background for such plantings as ivies.

In some bathrooms the plumbing is arranged so that it is convenient to place a shower in the outside garden area. Such a shower is particularly useful near a swimming pool so that swimmers do not have to shower in the bathroom itself.

Whatever garden approach is used in conjunction with a bathroom, make certain that the plants selected will thrive with a minimum of care in the environment provided for them. The climate will dictate plant choices for outside gardens. Consider how the garden will look during each season; some gardens that look interesting in spring and summer look bleak in fall and winter.

Indoor Plant Choices

Plantings that might be considered for the bathroom patio or garden indoors include philodendron, orchids, grape ivy, Chinese evergreen, and fittonia. If container plantings are used inside, provide a tray or other arrangement to avoid unsightly water drainage on the floor. Additional help can be obtained from Sunset's How to Grow House Plants.

A garden bath can be an attractive feature in any home and, properly done, can enhance the resale value of the house. It is one way to make a relaxing retreat out of a room that often is thought of in functional terms only.