Lego Tranquil Garden review: an ideal zen build

The Lego Tranquil Garden set was released in August 2023, and it follows the best Lego flowers by creating a calm display that emits a peaceful atmosphere. With a pavilion, arched bridge, babbling stream, colorful koi carp, blooming lotus flowers, serene trees, scattered rocks, and lanterns, it’s a zen paradise. After all, tranquil gardens are designed to generate a sense of well-being. 

Picture strolling over the bridge towards the pavilion. You slip off your shoes, settle down, and pour a cup of steaming green tea. The warmth fogs up your glasses, and the aroma of grassy umami fills the air. After your tea, you amble around the garden before sitting beneath a cherry blossom, leaves gently fall in the breeze, while you observe the koi gracefully navigating their world. This set encapsulates all these tranquil moments. Aimed at builders aged 18+, this is certainly another of the best Lego sets for adults. But is it worth buying?

Specs

Lego Tranquil Garden specs:

Design

Every facet of this set has been meticulously curated to fashion this visually stunning display piece. It radiates tranquillity. The color palette is pleasing— the vibrant green juxtaposes the striking red of the bridge, while the gentle pink and white contribute pastel hues. The blue of the stream contrasts with the purple and orange of the lotus flowers. The foundation is robust, employing the flowerpot base frame design seen in the Bonsai Tree set. Supported by sturdy rubber feet, the set stands off the ground, and the rubber provides excellent grip, ensuring stability. 

The pavilion’s design is especially noteworthy, featuring elegant black fencing and a golden rim around the roof. This structure is assembled separately and later added to the base. Near the doorway, a pair of slippers adds a charming touch. Inside, a tea area is adorned with a teapot, bowls, and a whisk. However, a drawback is the somewhat precarious nature of this area. The green tiles within the bowls and teapot aren’t secured, making them prone to displacement. The overall stability of the structure is also questionable as the top part clicks in place with just two tiles. This fell off a lot while constructing. 

I find the printed koi tiles particularly delightful. There are two variants. The koi and the lotus flowers contribute exquisite detail. One can almost imagine the sound of trickling water when looking at the pond. You can even rearrange the flora. This is a unique feature, but it does make these components a little wobbly. That being said, this bespoke attribute outweighs this minor downside.

The instructions booklet drips information about tranquil gardens and the set throughout. For instance, did you know that “pond shapes represent kanji (a system of Japanese writing) that carry significant meanings, such as Kokoro, or heart?”

Ease of Assembly 

Overall this set offers a mindful building experience. Putting down the water was particularly therapeutic. The clicking down of the blue tiles was both immersive and satisfying. Likewise, clicking the pink blossoms onto the tree branches was gratifying. Otherwise, the build is simple, after all this set promises a relaxing immersive build. The instructions are clear and precise.

That being said trying to remove wrongly placed pieces from the base was, at times challenging. I managed to misplace a few pieces on account of paying little to no attention. Remember, it may be mindful, but some mental energy is still needed. At one point I accidentally placed a tile down wrong and accidentally broke the set in a few places. This was easily fixable though. I must admit that if I had not grown my nails long for the holidays then removing the tile would have been a lot easier.

Price & availability

The Lego Icons Tranquil Garden was released in August 2023. Unlike discontinued or rare Lego sets, it’s easy to find at major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, as well as directly from the Lego store.

At around $109.99/£94.99 (but much less when on offer) the set is reasonably priced for its size and complexity. With a handsome 1,363 pieces count, this set took me 3 hours and 36 minutes and provided ample building time and entertainment. Of course, you also then get the beautiful finished product to display. It’s a thumbs up on price.

Source: Wargamer