Owners country houses They are faced not only with the need to arrange it in accordance with their individual needs and the needs of the family. It is also necessary to pay attention to creating a unique environment in the courtyard of the house and in the garden.
The implementation of a successful idea in landscape design makes a country house original and unique, but each person has his own vision of how to achieve this.
This article presents several approaches to arranging space near your home that will help you create a small, unique world in its own way.
Planning the space of the local area
Many people believe that landscape design requires special knowledge and skills that they do not possess.
This is partly true, but such difficulties are often exaggerated. Every person with imagination and a little free time is able to show creativity and transform their local area.
It is necessary to understand that upon entering the territory of the site, you should feel comfort and safety. And it is important for guests and visitors to feel the originality of the new environment.
To implement design solutions, when planning the local area, you should pay attention to a number of features.
The center of home ownership is always the structure of a private house, so any design change on the site must correspond to the general concept of arrangement.
Necessity preparatory work determined by your plans to transform the territory. In particular, it is advisable to carry out drainage or strengthening, which in the future will significantly facilitate all other work.
Each family member may have their own wishes, their own vision of arranging the territory of the house. Therefore, you must first plan what exactly you would like to see on your site. Take a plan of the house and garden area, add new objects and decorative elements, and evaluate how they fit together.
If area country house not too large, it is often difficult to realize all wishes and plans. In such circumstances, you should consider the possibility of combining different zones, which can be quickly transformed.
How to effectively arrange recreation areas?
By combining several architectural elements similar in functional purpose, you can effectively manage the space of a country house. Combined elements provide the ability to transform into a zone that is relevant at the current moment in time. The following combination options are often used:
- terrace with gazebo;
- dining room with kitchen;
- bathhouse with gazebo, etc.
When arranging recreation areas, it is advisable to use light garden or country furniture. It is quite compact and lightweight and does not take up too much space. If necessary, you can move it to another part of the house or complement it with other interior items.
For example, light rattan armchairs and chairs will look good in a gazebo, and installing sun loungers in the garden allows you to create a cozy area for afternoon relaxation.
- Children's and playgrounds should be located within good visibility;
- the backyard is ideal for arranging a parking lot or recreation area;
- Not only the thematic zones themselves on the site should be comfortable, but also the paths for moving between them.
- If you like to garden, then it is better to remove the beds from open visibility and place them inside the yard.
Dividing the site into zones
After you depict the placement of the planned decorative elements on the site, you need to clearly visualize your idea of the new architectural ensemble. In this case, you need to plan how the individual zones will be demarcated from each other.
- demarcation by arches;
- use of fencing;
- installation of screens;
- natural delimitation by green spaces.
The choice of method depends on the decorative elements being installed. Zone garden relaxation may be limited by an arch intertwined with plants. But it is advisable to separate the sports ground decorative fence, screen or low picket fence.
Recreation areas can be separated by trellises, complemented by garden trellises. And so that these elements do not stand out too much, it is advisable to decorate them under a green wall. Rattan screens will help not only create a cozy, secluded corner in the yard, but also protect vacationers from the sun or cool wind.
Garden paths help separate thematic areas from each other. For their arrangement, a variety of materials can be used - special slabs, stones, bricks, gravel, cobblestones or pebbles.
For decorative purposes, areas between slabs or stones can be left untreated or covered with sand. Planted low-growing plants will also look good.
It is advisable to give individual areas of the house maximum naturalness, leaving wild plants. Such an area can be paved with tree cuts, the joints of which can be covered with fine gravel or pebbles can be laid.
If your site is characterized by multi-level terrain, then these disadvantages can be turned into advantages. To do this, it is enough to build original steps and transitions.
Arrangement of the yard
Small pools and ponds add originality to a country house. For pools that serve not only a decorative role, it is advisable to use composite materials, hard PVC materials or build a concrete pit.
A pond in the yard can be built by digging a pit and covering it with PVC film. Along the banks of the pond you can lay out pebbles and plant moisture-loving plants. You can also create waterfalls or fountains.
An original seating area could be around a barbecue, a massive stove or a stone fireplace. Here you can receive guests. But at the same time, the hearth itself will become a reference point for the further arrangement of the yard space.
The backyard is often used as a recreation area. For this, a comfortable wooden platform is built, surrounded by flower beds. The use of light garden furniture will allow you to use this area as a dining room. You should choose the right furniture from suitable material– plastic, light metal, rattan or bamboo.
A decorated fence will help to separate the recreation area, and the area can be paved with stone or laid out with pebbles. If you want to set up a barbecue area, then you can consider installing a stationary fireplace with a smoke collector.
When landscaping a site, you need to remember that:
- to avoid problems with fallen needles, you should not plant coniferous plants near terraces and platforms;
- It is not advisable to place ponds near deciduous trees with abundant shedding of foliage;
- tall bushes should be placed at the borders of the site, which will create a hedge.
Country house lighting
The area of a country house should be illuminated so as not to lose the feeling of coziness and comfort in the evening and at night. The most popular solution is to use architectural lighting using energy-saving lighting fixtures.
Spot LED lights can be placed along the paths. It is also advisable to highlight individual decorative elements - sculptures or fountains, or place lamps floating on the pond.
If the central path leading to the house should be illuminated with bright lamps on lighting poles, then the secondary paths should be illuminated with flashlights with a soft, dim light.
Arranging a country house requires imagination and creativity in implementation design solutions. It is important not only to properly plan the space of the house, but also to place unobtrusive decorative elements on its territory and create an original lighting system.
Photos of ideas for arranging the yard of a private house
A private house is good because it has its own yard. It's a good place to relax, you can decorate it the way you want. But everything should be done according to certain rules - landscape design of the yard, that's what it's called. The task is not as simple as it seems.
General principles
To make your yard beautiful, harmonious and comfortable, it is advisable to create a plan before starting work, and then implement this plan into reality. And, by the way, in most cases, when independently developing landscape design, the result is very different from the project. Either we saw a new plant that was not on the plan, or we didn’t like in reality what looked “super” in the picture. However, the landscaping of your home’s yard should be done according to the rules, otherwise you may end up with an uncomfortable yard and an unpresentable appearance.
Preparing a site plan
The first thing you will need is a site plan to scale. You can draw it on a checkered sheet or on graph paper. Accept a certain scale, for example, one meter is one or two cells. In the second option it will be possible to draw in more detail small parts, but the plan will be big. The plan should indicate:
With this initial plan, you can begin planning your yard. On this plan, it is immediately necessary to highlight shaded areas (the sun appears only for a few hours), partial shade (half of the day is illuminated by the sun) and sunny areas (there is almost no shadow at all) zones. To do this, it is best to take colored pencils and shade the areas with different colors.
A large area for parking cars, a little smaller for barbecue, swimming pool and summer holiday Large or small area - it doesn’t matter. Anyone can be cozy Plantings are only around the perimeter of the site, the main area is free - for lawns and flower beds
If there are lower and higher zones on the site, they should also be highlighted. It is also necessary to identify sources, springs, retaining walls or the intended location of their installation, all other landscape features. All this information should be taken into account when developing the landscape design of the yard.
Deciding on the central object
Before you begin landscaping your yard, you need to decide what you would like to focus on. This refers to a large object: a pond, a fountain, a gazebo with or without a barbecue, a pergola. This object is placed in the central place, and all the other, smaller ones are placed around it. Moreover, if you have chosen a pond, it does not mean that there will be no gazebo or fountain on the site, just that the main object will be the pond. It is the main “feature”, and all other structures will only play on it and complement it.
IN in this case central zone - recreation area and lawn
The same rule applies if you want to make the main “theme of the yard” a recreation area - a gazebo or pergola, just a platform with sofas, benches, a hammock, etc. A pond, a fountain, and small architectural objects may well be located next to them. The idea is that this zone is the highlight of your yard, and all other objects will play off it. Because, in a usually small space, two or three competing ideas mean chaos and lack of harmony.
We find a place for everything
Having decided on the set of desired objects, take a sheet of cardboard and cut out all the objects from it. We cut it out to the scale in which the map was drawn, of the shape in which the construction is planned. You can color it, you can sign it.
We take the images and lay them out on the plan. Place the selected “main object” in the center of the composition. This does not mean that its place is strictly in the center - it can also be on the side of the site. This corner just needs to be visible from the windows and/or from the entrance. After all, you should receive aesthetic pleasure from your yard.
When we have found a place for the central zone, we begin to figure out where to put all the other larger objects. Some may be located close to each other, others at a certain distance. If everything you want doesn’t fit in your space, you’ll have to sacrifice something or downsize. Here everyone decides what is more important to him.
We lay paths and develop a lighting system
When everything you want to see on the site is placed on the plan, it’s time to lay paths and think through the lighting system. Why these two different systems do you need to plan at the same time? Because the paths are usually illuminated, otherwise walking along them at night is not very convenient. So they pull the cables along them, supplying voltage to the lamps, and also extending the lighting to all key points of the yard - to the gazebo, fountain, stream, etc.
When planning paths, there are two basic rules. First, if you need to visually bring an object closer, we lay a straight path. This rule applies if the site is large in area or long and narrow. Another possible area of application is a courtyard decorated in a minimalist style. Here, other forms are simply unacceptable - only strict geometric shapes. Although, broken lines are also welcome.
In all other cases, they try to avoid straight paths. There is no need to “loop” too much, but winding, smoothly turning paths fit harmoniously into any other yard design style.
When you have outlined it on the plan, draw the lamps to illuminate the yard. Along the paths - every one and a half to two meters, for lighting gazebos and platforms - more often. Illumination of water also looks beautiful if there are “water” objects.
Site layout from improvised means
How else, besides a site plan on graph paper and cardboard analogues of various landscape objects, can you visualize your design project? There is a simple way - using ordinary plasticine or other improvised means. It is better to make a house and other buildings from foam plastic and cardboard, and a gazebo from sticks. Lay out the paths from a material similar to the planned “original”. This will help evaluate the invented texture and color scheme. Everything else - benches, a pond, fountains, trees, bushes, flowers - we sculpt all this from plasticine. To make it look more realistic, trees and shrubs can be made from twigs by attaching “foliage” of approximately the same shade. And yes, we do everything to scale (for example, 1 meter is equal to 1 cm or 2 cm). This is definitely a three-dimensional 3D image that will accurately convey to you the proportions, convenience and all other nuances of the yard landscape design you created.
Plasticized new project yard design - excellent 3D visualization
Landscape design software
If you are a confident PC user, landscape design programs will help simplify the task of developing a design. The bad news is that they are paid, but creating a landscape design for the yard of a private house will be easy and interesting. There are about a dozen programs, but here are the most popular:
- Our garden. There is a large built-in library of plants, a planner for paving, fences, gates, etc. It is possible to load missing materials or textures, plants.
- Google ScatchUp. This is not a specialized program, but it has a landscape planning section, which is very good - it’s full of lessons on working specifically with creating a landscape.
- Punch. The disadvantage of the program is that it is not possible to add your own objects. You can only use those that are in the software library. Another disadvantage is that there is no way to export the results, that is, you will not be able to use the created project in other programs. But it is simple and requires almost no time to learn.
- Sierra LandDesigner 3D. Large database of plants and other objects. It is possible to enter your own data and use it in your work. Each possible action has a hint, so it's easy to figure it out as you go. The program specifies the soil type and style you want to decorate your yard. The program will automatically select suitable objects. Once the work is completed, you can print the project and receive an estimate.
Examples of local area planning
Independent landscape design of the courtyard of a private house - not an easy task. The difficulty is that often what looks good in a picture or “in your head” turns out “not so good” in reality. Therefore, it is easier to rely on photos of real objects. At least you can see what happened there. The idea can be taken “entirely”, or it can be partially adapted to suit own desires or conditions.
Example one - with water bodies
For example, center - . Do you also want to have a gazebo, a fountain and a stream, flower beds, benches? In this case, this option would look good:
The option with a “real” stream is easily implemented if there is at least a slight difference in height on the site. The fountain is then placed in highest point, the pond is at the lowest. With this arrangement, water flows by gravity; you just need to organize its supply from the pond to the fountain (using a pump of a certain power and a pipe system).
Landscape design of the courtyard of a private house with a swimming pool opposite the doors
If there is no difference in elevation, there are two options - to make it artificially (a very large amount of work and significant material costs) or to make two autonomous water bodies - a fountain and a pond, and make a “fake” stream out of stones. Another option is not to make a stream at all. The unconnected pond and fountain are also very viable and nice option design of the local area.
Example two - in the center there is a recreation area
If the pond is usually located at some distance from the entrance to the house, then a recreation area is often made nearby. But the “recreation area” can be perceived in different ways. For some, these are comfortable sofas and benches on which it is convenient to read; for others, it is a platform with a gazebo and a table, with a barbecue located nearby.
Recreation area - everyone understands it differently
Depending on your wishes, a recreation area of any type can be close to the entrance, or maybe at the opposite end of the site. And near the same gazebo there may be a pond or fountain. But not a gazebo near a pond, but a pond near a gazebo. This is the difference. The path from the entrance leads to the gazebo, and from it you can get to the pond.
Near the gazebo, indoor or outdoor area for recreation, flower beds, rock gardens, and rock gardens can be located. Along the path there are flower beds, taller plants - bushes and trees, in the shade of which it is reasonable to place benches. But no matter what you plant along the path, the main object should be visible in perspective - a gazebo or area with sofas.
Photo ideas of beautiful corners of private courtyards
Landscaping a yard is not an easy task even for professionals, and even more so for amateurs. There are too many nuances to know. It’s much easier to find a design you like and then reproduce the photo on your site.
Front garden
A front garden is a small part of the area between the facade of the house and the fence. Not everyone wants to place a house close to the sidewalk, just as not everyone wants to move it far into the interior of the site. So you end up with a narrow (a meter or two) strip of land in front of the house, which cannot be improved in any way except with flowers and shrubs.
No matter how narrow the strip between the fence and the house is, it is advisable to divide it into two zones - a flower garden and a path. A path is not necessarily a continuous tile or other covering. This can be lawn grass with tiles laid in random order (with gaps).
A path is desirable - you will need to take care of the plants once again without worrying about the cleanliness of your shoes
If the climate is hot, the area is dry, or there is no desire/opportunity to tinker with the grass, you can replace the grass with mulch or fine gravel. An excellent composition is obtained from painted colored gravel and several beautiful plants.
Pay attention to the location of the plants - it depends on the type of fence. If the fence is solid, you need to develop a planting plan so that they look good from the windows. In this case, the tallest plants are located closer to the fence, the shortest - closer to the house. If the fence is sparse, more decorative, and you want it beautiful view opened from the street, we change the planting plan exactly the opposite: the tallest plants are along the house, the shortest ones are closer to the street.
If the “face” of the front garden is facing the street Flowers or plants of approximately the same height - if you need everything to look decent from all sides An interesting option - convenient, beautiful and unusual Traditional design area in front of the fence
If you want a beautiful view from both sides, there are two options. First, we plant small and medium-sized varieties of flowers and greenery in the flower garden. Secondly, we divide the front garden into several zones, make separate flower beds or alpine slides/rock gardens that look good from any point.
Entrance/entrance group
The entrance group is the area near the porch, the entrance group is near the gate. As you understand, the design is different, although there are common features: all “decorations” should not block the view. You should be able to clearly see who is entering or entering your territory. Therefore, mainly medium-sized and low-growing plants are used.
The traditional way to design an area near a porch or gate is flower beds or flower beds. They can be standard view- only plants different types, which create a constantly blooming or greening carpet.
Dwarf trees - unusual and beautiful
You can also follow the latest trends in landscape design - occupy most of the area with decorative crushed stone or mulch, and plant plants at a distance from each other. Except modern look This option is good because fewer plants require less care, and it will also cost you more to purchase less funds. This will really help you get by with “little blood” if you have just started to implement the landscape design you created for the courtyard of a private house into reality. Buying and planting too many plants at one time requires a lot of money and time. And so, you can add plants step by step, at the same time adjusting the plan along the way.
Path design
Having planned the paths, you still need to choose the material from which they will be made. Standard approach - paving slabs, but it requires a lot of money, although the coating is reliable and convenient. If finances are tight, you can temporarily. Some of them require little money, but they look great and are good to use.
You can plant low-growing shrubs along the edge of the paths - make it low-growing. If you have no time to wait until the shrub grows, plant low-growing varieties colors. They come in different heights, colors and flowering times.
The second often built-in design option for places along paths is flower beds. And, again, they can be made “in a modern way” - against the background of backfilling with crushed stone or mulch. This cannot be called a rockery, although the idea was taken from there.
Backyard
All theoretical calculations about landscape design of the yard were, in fact, about how to arrange the backyard. It is this part of the courtyard that is closed from prying eyes and it is here that you want it to be beautiful, cozy and comfortable. We won’t talk about planning again, but we’ll talk about how and what is the best way to pave this area.
If you are planning a piece of paradise in your backyard, you have no problems. Plants, lawns, paths, everything will be described, how and what to do is clear. But if you want to make a recreation area here so that you can put a table for the summer, lounge chairs to lie in the sun, maybe install a pool? What should the backyard cover be like then? There are options:
- Lawn. This is a great option if the level groundwater low, the soil drains water well or the site is well-drained. If not, there will be puddles, mud, problems with the grass.
For some, comfort is tall grass. A barbecue area at the far end of the yard is reasonable. In the backyard of a private house, you can arrange a waterfall, and also a brick barbecue. The most natural landscape is possible.
- Lay paving slabs or pave everything with flagstone - a good option even for clay soils with high level groundwater, easy to maintain. But he is too “urban”, tough and unforgiving.
- Combine lawn with tiles. A very correct approach. It’s comfortable, and beautiful, and there’s not much dirt, and there’s room to walk around barefoot.
As you can see, there are three options, but there are thousands, or even more ways to implement them. Different design styles, different plants, material combinations, furniture, decorations, ponds/fountains/benches/swings. It’s impossible to count everything. All this allows you to create your own yard. Individual and different from others.
Just a photo
Fence off the rest area - perfect solution for many
Rules for selecting plants: the highest ones are near a wall or fence, further away - lower
The courtyard of a private house with a fountain and a stream - stylish and beautiful
Beautiful paths are not always difficult and expensive
Recreational flooring can be made of planks or planken, a polymer similar to wood.
Retaining walls - difficult and expensive, but unusual and beautiful
Vegetable gardens and flower beds have long disappeared from home gardens and dachas. People want to live beautifully, so the question of how to improve a summer cottage with your own hands continues to be relevant. Realizing your most cherished desires for landscaping is not so difficult if you get acquainted with the recommendations professional designers, execute preliminary design and study the improvement of the territory by viewing completed works.
Many experienced landscape designers, when taking on a new dacha landscaping project, carefully question the owners and write down all their wishes. Those who want to improve their plot with their own hands need to start with this. Some will prefer to leave the main area of land for a vegetable garden, while others will part with the beds without regret in favor of a play area for children.
Determining the starting point can become the basis for a future dacha improvement project. And then the main recommendations from professionals come into force. Let us outline the most basic of them.
- When landscaping a summer cottage, it is useful to first think through and correctly connect the existing communications, think through the lighting and draw up a plan for the location of large objects (gazebos, playgrounds, beds, barbecue areas).
- The next stage is to connect the objects on the site together with a network of paths. It is best to outline their route on paper, having previously schematically marked the location of large objects on it.
- When choosing plants for landscaping, it is necessary to take into account the features of the topography of the summer cottage, take into account the compatibility of new plants and those already growing on the garden land.
- It is better to use individual decorative elements made from the same material laconically, all in one place. For example, stones can become the basis for the construction of an alpine slide, or a wooden cut for assembling a light gazebo.
Stage of designing landscaping of summer cottages
In order for the summer cottage to look holistic and concise, it is important to draw up a landscaping plan before landscaping and translate it on paper, as shown in the photo, for example.
Such a plan helps to visually see how they will be divided and decorated. different zones dacha area: entrance area, front platform, utility corner, space for gardening, area for recreation and sports. For greater clarity, it is better to draw each dacha landscaping object in detail using pencils of different colors. This will allow you to immediately see where the accumulation of parts has formed and how best to distribute functional areas and improve them with landscaping.
Note! Even at the design stage, you need to take into account the interests of all family members, look at how the wind rose is distributed, how the site is oriented relative to the cardinal directions.
At this stage you need to decide what you want to do artificial pond at your own dacha, build a waterfall or break Japanese garden. When all the desires acquire clear contours, you can start laying paths.
Drawing up a plan for landscaping and arranging a dacha yourself is not as difficult as it seems at first. The following instructions help to simplify the task as much as possible:
- We take a blank sheet of paper and mentally imagine where everything is.
- We designate the cardinal directions and use an arc to determine how the sun moves across the area during the day.
- We schematically put on the drawing not only the buildings, but also tall trees, fence, anything that provides shade. Don't forget to indicate the height of each object.
- Indicating the movement of the sun and the height of objects will help to indicate shadows in open areas of the dacha (the width of the shadow is half the height of the object casting it).
- In areas of complete shade, you can safely plan the installation of gazebos, benches for relaxation, and garden sculptures.
Note! Where the shadow lasts for more than half a day, productive plants cannot be planted.
In the toga you should get a plan for landscaping the dacha, on which it will be clearly visible what will be located, where what plant will need to be planted. It is important to plan the arrangement of a site in the same way as planning the renovation of a city apartment. If you select a wall on which the TV is to be mounted, there must be an outlet there to turn it on.
The process of implementing the plan begins with preparing the dacha area: it is necessary to get rid of any debris, dead wood and diseased trees. Then you need to level the area, if planned, create artificial relief.
The next stage is creating the frame of the dacha site: installing paths, platforms, ponds, installing an irrigation system and lighting. Only after this can you begin landscaping your summer cottage.
Examples of landscaping a summer cottage
You can decorate and landscape your summer cottage in different ways. In hand experienced designers There are a lot of tools that need to be taken into account by all those who are trying to solve the indicated problem with their own hands.
So, to fence your own territory it is best to use concrete structures or permanent brick buildings. Since deaf people almost always look rather dull, they can be decorated vertical gardening. Then any ordinary fence of the site, as the following photo shows, can easily turn into a green art object.
The most popular technique for decorating a summer cottage is its landscaping. Having arranged it, you can turn around and try to implement non-standard solutions. All kinds of flower beds, edgings, mixborders always become a real decoration of the homestead.
To organize original flower beds, designers often use antique objects and worn-out furniture. In some cases, it is enough to put in a little effort to breathe a second life into an armchair, cabinet or chairs. As practice shows, they make excellent flower pots for the garden.
The area allocated for a vegetable garden at the dacha is also easy to decorate. You can improve your garden beds in different ways. Someone will prefer to take note of miniature decorative weaving and wooden fences, others will like the idea of planting plants on the roof of a bulk cellar.
It itself can become a decoration for any summer cottage. It will be easy to store crops grown right there on the roof. Living gazebos always look beautiful, the walls of which are tall bushes or tree trunks, the so-called dry streams, lined with pebbles, river sand, covered with low-growing bushes.
Organization of lighting for a summer cottage
Organization of lighting for a summer cottage - complex issue. And all because it is not always possible to connect to central power lines. A diesel power plant operating in autonomous mode helps solve the problem. After its installation, the distribution of lighting fixtures throughout the entire territory of the summer cottage is thought out.
It should take place in such a way that homestead owners can move around the entire territory of the garden or vegetable garden at night. Usually lighting installed along pedestrian paths, around the house, and other large objects. It is best to invite specialists to install the wiring. He will be able to lay communications along the ground, which can then be safely operated.
If it is not possible to dig trenches and lay cables on a plot of already green land, you can choose alternative lighting options - lamps equipped with solar panels.
As you can see, it is not so difficult to arrange a summer cottage plot of land with your own hands; it is important to take into account the proposed recommendations and try to apply them when landscaping your own household plot.
Many people think that creating an exclusive design garden plot with your own hands, like in a photo gallery, this is something unreal. But that's not true. Design ideas can easily be transferred to the local area of your own dacha or country house, creating a unique landscape with an atmosphere of harmony and comfort. A small cozy garden or a luxurious park requires the same approach, both in terms of architecture and design, and when choosing plants and space planning. Landscape design of a garden plot is a whole philosophy that unites nature and everyday life. There are many options for arranging a garden with a local area, among them you can always choose one that will fully meet your individual needs. Style, harmony, convenience and simplicity are the basis for creating a unique atmosphere necessary for a relaxed holiday and comfortable country life.
Design project
Creating a landscape design on a garden plot with your own hands is not so much realistic as it is necessary, because today a dacha has ceased to be exclusively a place for growing vegetables. Vacation home- this is, first of all, a place where city dwellers come to relax from the hustle and bustle, admire nature, in a word - relax.
There is absolutely no difference: 4, 6 or 10 acres are available. With careful planning, if you manage space rationally and think through the design, even on a modest-sized plot you can create a landscape of stunning beauty.
Advice! When independently developing a design project for a garden plot, numerous photos with ready-made solutions will help. Even if such a project cannot be fully implemented, you can always apply particularly attractive ideas for arrangement or decoration to your site.
The outlines of the site should be transferred to paper, drawing up a detailed plan. After this, you can begin to allocate functional zones - economic, recreation, decorative.
Advice! You should take into account in advance the purpose of the future site: only decorative, combined with economic or exclusively for recreation.
All zones need to be filled based on their purpose, your own needs, and the desired style. This stage includes the selection of vegetation, architectural details, arrangement of reservoirs, lighting, laying paths and other communications.
Separately, it is worth considering the boundaries of each site, which will be helped by hedges or lattice partitions covered with ivy. A good border could be paths, an artificial pond, or garden sculptures. The main thing is that the division of zones looks as natural as possible, without sudden changes or breaks.
Advice! The sloping terrain of the site often causes many problems. But if you properly organize the drainage system in the lower part, and divide the slope into several terraces, you can achieve amazing decorative effect, simultaneously dividing the entire area into functional zones by height.
Garden plot style
The success of landscape design of a garden plot largely depends on a well-chosen stylistic solution. The style should not only take into account the size, topography and location of the personal territory, but also emphasize the character of the owner. The differences in styles and their features are clearly demonstrated in the photo gallery, but before you try on one or another design for your site, it is better to study the features of each.
English style
This design is characterized by maximum naturalness, lack of symmetry, and an abundance of greenery. The appearance of the site seems to have come out of an idyllic landscape painting.
Vegetation is selected of all types. A well-groomed lawn must be present, deciduous trees, trimmed shrubs, lush multi-tiered flower beds. The latter are mainly composed of flowering plants and shrubs (roses, irises, cyclamens, oleanders, etc.). Trees should provide a lot of shade, so it is worth planting willows along with fruit trees.
Such a solution will look best on a spacious area with noticeable uneven terrain, where a smooth lawn abruptly turns into hilly terrain. The space should be divided into a garden and a park area, connecting them with winding paths with benches in the shade of trees, ponds framed with stone.
Mediterranean style
Mediterranean design is simple, with all the key elements centered around the patio. Such patio usually paved with stone, covered with wooden decking, partially surrounded brick wall, painted white or terracotta.
The vegetation is represented by a smooth green lawn, bright areas formed with the help of flower beds. There must be a carved pergola (wooden or forged), partially entwined with ivy, and protection from the sun is provided by thick curtains made of light textiles. A relaxation area with this design must be complemented with wicker furniture, a sun canopy, and decorated with massive vases with bright flowers, elegant sculptures, and fountains.
French style
The French style is suitable for owners of spacious garden areas located next to a large stone house. This style is distinguished by luxury and plenty of free space. The central element of the site will be a wide alley, along which neatly trimmed bushes and trees are planted, antique statues and elaborate flowerpots are placed.
The main features of French design are symmetry, adherence to proportions, clarity of lines, which can be seen in everything. It is definitely worth adding fountains to the area classic style, artificial porticoes, grottoes or labyrinths, columns, stone bridges. The garden should be located at a level below the main building so that it has a full view.
East style
The Japanese style is suitable for both tiny plots of 4 acres and a large garden area. Minimalism and laconicism can be seen in everything: the absence of lush decor, flowering plants, complex shapes. There must be a pond built around which large stones can be placed. An island will look good in its center, which can be accessed through a wooden bridge without railings.
Vegetation should be given preference evergreen trees and shrubs, including dwarf ones. In spring and autumn, maples and fruit trees will add color to the garden. The paths should be strewn with gravel; in some areas large stones can be laid out to set the pace of movement.
Advice! Instead of a flower garden, it is appropriate to set up a rock garden. In the evening, the area will be effectively complemented by built-in lighting.
The Chinese style is suitable for fans of the philosophy of Feng Shui, which implies the harmony of all elements and the arrangement of decorative elements ensuring freedom of energy flows. There should be a pond in the garden area, around which compositions of greenery and stones should be placed.
Gazebo-pagoda, bright wooden bridges, paths in the form of stairs, artificial waterfall, Buddha statue will emphasize harmony with nature. Must be planted bright flowers red, yellow, purple shades, and also take care of a smooth lawn of dense grass or moss of a rich emerald shade. Bright orange lanterns hung along the paths and next to the gazebo will add color.
Garden plot design: objects
The landscape design of a garden plot is always based on some main object, which can be a residential building, unusual terrain, trees, a neat lawn, etc. Taking into account their style and location, the plot is supplemented with secondary objects, these include:
- Green spaces.
- Gazebos and architectural elements.
- Artificial reservoirs.
- Garden sculptures.
- Lighting.
- Paths.
The final design should combine beauty and convenience, style and comfort. You shouldn’t try to place everything in your garden at once. It is enough to limit yourself to what is necessary and maintain the chosen style.
Green spaces
Landscaping is the most important element of garden design. Plants create a background for all other objects, fill the space with a special charm, uniting it with the surrounding nature.
Landscaping of the site includes phased planting of the following plants:
- Trees and shrubs of varying heights create shade, delimit the area, and highlight separate zones. In the walking area, it is best to plant low-growing shrubs or fruit trees that allow sunlight and form a comfortable environment, serving as an excellent frame for paths. It is recommended to plant coniferous vegetation in recreation areas, and willows or tall shrubs will look good next to ponds.
- Flower beds should be laid out when the main landscape has already been formed. Plants for them are selected taking into account the size of the site and the flowering period of each species. It will look impressive along fences or walls. vertical landing when plant height gradually decreases. The shade of the colors in the background should be darker and more saturated than those located in front, which gives visual volume and depth. Alpine slides allow you to beat the existing terrain of the site or create a new one.
- Decorating buildings and garden objects with the help of vegetation helps to achieve unity of architecture with nature. These can be all kinds of climbing plants that decorate the walls of gazebos, steps and garden sculptures, as well as flowers or shrubs planted along ponds.
- The lawn will serve as an element that will connect all the zones on the site into a single whole. He must be neat and well-groomed. Any type of lawn can be considered herbaceous plants, including flowering ones.
Advice! Beds, if necessary, should be located in the economic zone. If the plot is small, then it is best to design them not in a standard way, but in the form of a semicircle, which will help make more efficient use of the available area and visually expand the space.
The design of a small garden plot should be moderate; an abundance of flowers and plants can look heavy and “eat up” the usable area.
Gazebos and architectural elements
The main building on the garden plot is a residential building, but it does not have to be central element design and even more so the only place for leisure and recreation. In the design of the local area, much attention is paid to the use of various architectural elements that help to properly manage the space, make it more practical and comfortable. The buildings also serve as spectacular decor, giving the site an aesthetic and lived-in look. Among them are:
- Gazebos and pergolas should be placed near bodies of water, in park areas. On a plot of 4 acres, it is appropriate to install a small open gazebo with lattice walls, placing it away from the house. Such a building is best designed using climbing plants or groups of trees. A spacious area can be decorated with a large pergola with textile curtains or a gazebo with columns, located on the shore of a pond or among a cluster of trees.
- A patio or summer kitchen simultaneously serves as an outbuilding and a place to relax. Such a building is most often located in close proximity to the house or adjacent to one of its walls. In this case, the style and material of the building must match the design of the main building.
- Bridges over ponds or ravines, as well as arches, help to effectively delimit the space on the site, while at the same time ensuring a smooth transition from one zone to another. It is recommended to plant tall plants next to the bridges, and the arch will be complemented climbing vines or lush flower beds. The elements themselves can be either wooden or stone, depending on the style of the site.
- A recreation area must be present in the garden plot, regardless of its size. It is best to highlight such a place using wooden flooring, stone slabs or a neat lawn. The resting place should be equipped with benches and barbecues, swings, a swimming pool, etc.
Advice! Don't forget about outbuildings when registering the site. They should be organically integrated into the overall style; if necessary, they should be covered with vegetation or a decorative hedge.
Artificial reservoirs
The presence of a pond in a garden plot can completely transform it appearance. Water makes the landscape dynamic, alive, refreshes in the heat, and fills the garden with a serene atmosphere.
When thinking about the design of garden plots of 6 acres or more, you should pay attention to the construction of an artificial reservoir, the size and purpose of which depend on individual needs:
- The fountain is an ideal solution for small areas. A reservoir of this type serves as a source of constantly moving water and can have any frame that fits into the most different styles. With the help of a fountain you can mark the center of the site or emphasize any part of it.
- A waterfall will be an excellent solution for a garden plot with uneven terrain. Streams of water can flow over the stones of a rock garden or alpine slide, forming a small pond below, framed by plants. A water mill or decorative fountain can be installed at the top of the waterfall.
- Ponds and circulating channels are ideal for decorating large areas. Such ponds will add naturalness to the landscape, in addition, they can be used as a source of water for watering the garden. You can add fish and ducks to the finished pond, plant plants around it and install a gazebo. A pond of complex or elongated shape can be supplemented with a bridge that will connect different banks, continuing the paths.
Advice! The framing of the reservoir can be natural, in the form of a sand embankment or vegetation. Ponds and canals with a stone frame look impressive, which can be complemented by flowerpots with flowers or antique statues that become covered with moss over time.
Garden sculptures
Spectacular accessories add zest to any area. The use of garden sculptures allows you to create an individual style, highlight the character and features of the landscape.
Garden sculptures can be anything from antique statues to modern ceramic animal figurines. Greek or Gothic statues made of stone or metal will look good both in the midst of plants and on the shore of a pond. And bright ceramic figurines will complement flower beds or enliven a recreation area and make a walk more interesting.
Another spectacular accessory is stone flowerpots, inside of which you can plant flowers. Such decor can be made in any style from antique to modern, abstract. Sizes and shapes also vary, which allows you to choose a product for almost any area.
Paths
Arrangement garden paths will help make the garden plot as functional and convenient as possible. These elements set the pace for the landscape, serve as its decoration, delimit the area and help freely move around it.
The material for the paths should be selected that is resistant to atmospheric influences, temperature, strong and durable. Gravel, paving slabs, and wooden flooring are best suited.
Advice! The smaller the area, the more winding the paths should be - this technique visually expands the space.
An obligatory element of garden paths is a frame, which can be curb stones, large cobblestones, tall vegetation, trimmed bushes, etc.
Advice! Paths should be provided slight slope from the center to the edge so that water does not accumulate on them.
Benches should be placed along the paths in the garden area, which will make any walk comfortable. They should emphasize the unity of style and complement it. Benches can be stone, forged, wooden, with or without a back.
Lighting
When creating a garden plot design with your own hands, be sure to take care of the lighting. With the help of lighting, you can not only secure movement around the local area at night, but also highlight the features of its design. The following can serve as functional and decorative light sources in the garden:
- Lanterns- they can be placed next to benches or along paths.
- Wall lights - most often installed on verandas summer kitchens, in the gazebos.
- Built-in lamps and lighting - can be located next to any decorative element in the garden (under statues, along the fence, around the pond, under bridges and arches). The illumination of the lawn, which is provided by special lamps installed in the soil, will look impressive.
- Hanging balls and garlands - this type of decorative lighting gives the garden festive look. With its help, you can create a comfortable atmosphere both in a small gazebo and in the open space of a recreation area. Garlands can wrap around the trunks or branches of trees and buildings, creating a soft shimmer.
Designing a garden plot with your own hands will not cause problems if you take into account all the recommendations and also correlate them with the existing conditions. A competent choice of style and content guarantees stunning results even in a small area.
