Abstract: The perception of green space environment of urban residential areas is closely related to the stress relief. It is of great research value, as it can affect the mental health of residents. This paper analyzes the relationship between green space perception and the residents’ stress level from the perspectives of time and quality. It selected 12 typical communities in downtown Harbin. Conducting a questionnaire survey with 731 residents, it gained data on the average daily perception time, perceptual preference evaluation and pressure level of residential green space environment of the residents. The analysis shows that the residents exposed to green space for more than 50 minutes a day have significantly lower pressure. Residents can sense nine categories of characteristics in urban residential green space, including order, nature, tranquility, scale, shelter, fun, rich in species, social and culture. Among them, order and tranquility are most closely related to the stress levels. They can be integrated with scale and nature to constitute the best perceptual quality combination, to a great degree, alleviating the stress of high pressure population. From the perspective of planning and design, the study provides a theoretical basis for the identification of important environmental factors beneficial to mental health.