When I started designing our new Project Garden template, I didn’t think about features first. I thought about feeling. I wanted users to open Notion and feel calm, not overwhelmed.
I borrowed elements from nature: a soft green palette, rounded shapes, and section names like “Seeds” (ideas) and “Sprouts” (active tasks). Each stage mirrors plant growth — because projects grow, just like gardens.
The hardest part was restraint. I kept cutting features until only the essentials remained. A garden doesn’t need every tool; it needs good soil and water. Same for a workspace.
Early testers said they actually looked forward to opening the template. That’s when I knew the metaphor worked.