If you’re anything like me you definitely struggle at one certain aspect of build mode in pretty much every Sims game, the garden! I’m not sure why but I’ve always lacked a landscaping skill until recently when I started to experiment more as my houses just didn’t look alive enough.
I’ve picked a few ideas that you can do that will spruce up your virtual gardens and make your sims a lot more happy, below are just some of them ways.
Green house
With the Seasons patch we gained the ability to create glass roofs, as I’m sure most people are aware. These aren’t just pretty but they are functional, they can be used to create a realistic looking greenhouse for your sims plants. Even with a foundation you can create. Realistic looking greenhouse, delete the flooring and use a brick foundation for a more realistic effect.
Tree clusters
This is something I started doing a while ago but gives big empty plots of land a bit of life, it’s rare to see just a single tree growing in an area so plant a few, even use different types. Bring these areas to life by sizing down some long grass and planting it around the trees, throw in some flowers to add a bit of colour and don’t forget about the terrain paints, use a mud and grass textures to add a bit of realism.
Natural ponds
Obviously the game doesn’t have the ability to create actual ponds but there are ways around this, of course you can use the debug section to get one of the ponds located in parks around the game or you can make your own using the pool/fountain tool and get creative with rocks and plants. There are some truly fantastic examples of these in the community.
Flower beds
There are quite a few ways to accomplish flower beds, you can use foundations or raised platforms for a more luxurious feel or you can go the simple route and use rocks or wood planks to section your garden and fill them with beautiful flowers and bushes. They really add that realistic feeling to homes and make them way more inviting and interesting. Remember that you can never use too much foliage. A good tip is that if you size down the rocks it creates a much better aesthetic.
Romantic area
Let’s face it there’s nothing more romantic than a garden with a nice pond and a snug seating area surrounded by flowers, and thankfully we’ve got the Romantic Garden pack to help create a great atmosphere. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook this pack as it’s drowned out by more popular packs but some of the items are absolutely stunning and offer some great opportunities for a beautiful garden.
