# Sand Garden

> Virtual Zen garden creation and sculpting app with realistic sand simulation. (iPhone/iPad app by PDJ Apps.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-garden/id343283376 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [PDJ Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/290231771)
- Category: Entertainment, Lifestyle
- Price: $2.99
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 54 App Store ratings · 108 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 21 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2009-12-09
- Data updated: 2026-09-14
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-garden/id343283376/reviews.md

## What is Sand Garden?

Create your own Zen gardens with Sand Garden. The unique design of the app creates a realistic feel when shaping the sand!

Features:
  • 3D sand simulation
  • 6 sand colors
  • 4 light choices
  • 6 tools (1 of which smooths the sand)
  • Customizable rocks (size / rotation / type / shape / polish)
  • Savable gardens
  • Sharing options

Tips:
  • Long press a rock to go directly into rock customization
  • Tap a rock for rock options
  • To delete a garden long press the image
  • There is a tool for smoothing out the sand along with your rake and finger tools

## Key features

- 3D sand simulation
- Multiple sand colors
- Customizable rocks
- Variety of sculpting tools
- Savable garden designs
- Sharing options

## Recent user reviews (10 of 108)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-garden/id343283376/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Best zen type experience garden out there-can’t beat the realistic sand

*2026-03-15*

Very relaxing to choose rocks and ‘rake’ sand with your fingers. Different lighting and sand colors. You can position the different rocks in the sand to create different shapes from the same rock-all except the sphere of course. You can even choose the amount of polish on the rocks. Overlapping rocks doesn’t create shadow on the lower rock. Otherwise a very calming, realistic experience.

### 3/5 — If Only…

*2023-12-09*

Dear Developer,

I paid $2.99 for this app, and am thankful that I did. 

However, if you (the developer) simply added the realistic sound of sand raking that corresponded with user’s actions, I would gladly pay $2.99 a month. Heck, maybe even $2.99 a week.

It’s very puzzling to me why you wouldn’t don’t have audio as part of the experience. Does Apple charge extra for audio?  I’m not some kind of ASMR freak, either. I’m just a person who wants as soothing and realistic of an experience as a smartphone app can deliver.

And you have fallen one significant step short of that.

### 5/5 — Sand Garden is the purest one!

*2023-06-04, version 2.2*

This is the “Sand Garden” of pure meditation discoveries via your finger tips!

👁🔛📓

### 4/5 — Love it

*2023-03-27*

This releases my stress when I feel like to rake sand. Maybe add more time , rake, and grain levels if you can? Thank you. 🙂

### 1/5 — Boring….

*2022-09-05, version 2.2*

No sound. No greenery. Rocks and sand.  That’s it.  Where do we get a refund.   Boring doesn’t begin to cover it

### 1/5 — Want my money back

*2022-06-11*

Big waste of money. Should be free. Not many choices. Sucks. Deleting.

### 5/5 — Zen

*2021-12-28*

Very relaxing!

### 3/5 — Needs Greenery and Other Objects

*2021-10-05*

The app feels very basic in terms of what you can do, but it’s easy to see it’s potential. If they would add in plants and other objects, that would do the trick. I also wish they would add in more tools. Without these updates, the app is incredibly basic unfortunately.

### 4/5 — Bien

*2020-12-29, version 2.2*

Creo que es una buena aplicación y podría mejorar si le ponen más elementos para el jardín. Y música para meditación.

### 5/5 — Calming

*2020-07-30*

Love this app, calming, beautiful. I could think of some upgrades, like the sound of the sand moving and a few less gaudy colours but love it as it is.

## Frequently asked questions about Sand Garden

### What can I do with Sand Garden?

Sand Garden allows you to create and sculpt your own virtual Zen gardens. You can shape the sand using various tools, customize rocks, and choose from different sand colors and lighting options to design unique and tranquil environments.

### What are the key features of Sand Garden?

Key features include a realistic 3D sand simulation, six sand colors, four light choices, six tools including a smoother, customizable rocks with options for size, rotation, type, shape, and polish, and the ability to save and share your gardens.

### Is Sand Garden free to use?

Yes, Sand Garden is a free application. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned, indicating a completely free experience for users.

### How do I customize rocks in Sand Garden?

You can customize rocks by long-pressing on a rock to access its customization menu directly. This allows you to adjust the size, rotation, type, shape, and polish of the rocks within your Zen garden.

### Can I save and share my Zen gardens?

Yes, the app allows you to save your created Zen gardens. You also have sharing options, enabling you to share your tranquil designs with others.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.2 — 2018-02-21

This update from Apple will improve the functionality of this app. No new features are included.

Added:
  - Undo
  - Quick reset
  - Prompt to save garden

### 2.1 — 2015-12-16

Thanks for all the feedback! 

Updates:
- Added the ability to customize your rocks (rotation, size, polish, shape, type)
- Bug fixes
- Improved sand textures and resolution
- Improved rock textures and resolution
- The smoothing brush now completely smooths the sand instead of leaving little ripples
- Cleaned up the obtrusive buttons
- Reordered the menu buttons
- Changed app icon

### 2.0 — 2015-10-01

Big update! Modernized Sand Garden.

- UI is now standard iOS
- Garden resolution is greatly increased
- Added the ability to save your gardens
- Fixed some bugs that would cause a crash
- Created a better app icon

### 1.1 — 2010-01-12

Added:
- save to photos button
- reset garden button
- new lighting option (day to night)
- new rake
- new rock shape
- 3 new rock kinds

Updated:
- rock size selection issue
- menu buttons tweaked a bit

Please take a moment to write a comment about Sand Garden with any suggestions and recommendations! They might make it in the next update.

### 1.0 — 2009-12-09

No release notes.

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## More apps by PDJ Apps

- [Trippin](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trippin/id297287188)
- [Art in Motion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-in-motion/id385456596)
- [Line Art](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/line-art/id389294575)
- [Tesla Toy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tesla-toy/id395767185)
- [Atomic Toy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atomic-toy/id403391202)

All apps by PDJ Apps: https://appshunter.io/developer/290231771

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-14.*