Our life is very multifaceted. Even supporters of comfortable apartments are changing their views and acquiring a summer cottage. The decision is made for various reasons, but no one can refuse fresh air, the colors of lush grass and flowers, the murmur of water and the singing of birds.
After the first hassle, the time comes to think about landscaping your summer cottage. The most important condition that every summer resident should know is not to have complexes! If you have never planted flowers, built a pond or bench, then this is not a reason to stop. Landscaping a summer cottage is a creative task, not that difficult (though a little troublesome), but rewarding.
To make it professional landscape design of the site, you may have to contact specialists. And if you are familiar with design, then your own knowledge for landscaping will be quite enough. Let's consider two options for landscaping the site, which are most often encountered.
Let's start from scratch
This option is suitable for those who are purchasing a new plot on which there are no buildings yet. Before decorating and landscaping, you will have to carry out construction work. During this period, it is necessary to follow some recommendations:
- Be sure to take a plan of the wind rose (cardinal directions) and natural relief.This will be useful when planning planting and marking out landscaping elements.
- Document any construction work. This includes the installation of water supply, sewerage and electricity.
- It is necessary to clearly limit the layout of your site to create a harmonious landscaping plan and its relationship with the surrounding landscape.
Why do you need to pay attention to such nuances? Landscaping a summer cottage with your own hands will require this knowledge in order to plan everything correctly - the width of paths and paths, a pond, a bathhouse, a gazebo.
You must be sure that during construction you will not touch the life support channels. After all, there should be enough space for a car and then watering will not have to be pulled from one end of the site to the other. Some plants do not tolerate proximity to power lines or groundwater. In any case, this knowledge will be useful when landscaping the site.
Try to place your plan on paper, taking into account all the nuances. All objects must be approached, so paths, in addition to being decorative, must have a functional purpose. Each zone is created taking into account lighting, materials and existing natural elements.
Be sure to make a list of the plants you want to plant.
They also need to be placed taking into account lighting and water needs. Read the characteristics of each plant. You may want to change something. Use all the ideas for landscaping the site. Even in swampy and waterlogged areas, “their own” plants grow.
Divide the area into zones. You can make a project for landscaping a summer cottage in different styles. It’s good to decorate a Japanese garden in one place, and a modern one in another.It is best to tie landscaping styles to a residential building. Then the entire area will take on a finished look.
We remake it in our own way
This information will be useful to those owners who are purchasing a residential plot or have inherited it.
- Pay attention to the trees growing in the country, especially the very old and large ones. Choose those that can be treated or trimmed. If it doesn’t work out at all, then leave one for a wide, large stump. First, it will take some time for the trees you plant to grow. And old-timers will be able to provide shade and serve as decoration for the area. And in a large stump, flower or juniper beds look great. The main thing is not to leave sick and rotten plants.
- Try to adapt to the topography of the site when planning landscaping. You don't have to rake and level everything. Often in secluded corners a natural landscape has already been created in which plants feel comfortable, grow and bloom well. Stones grown into the ground will serve to design a slide, waterfall, or original border for flower bed.
Don't rush to change everything right away. It is better to tie your ideas for landscaping your dacha to existing objects.
Before the start of a grand update, arrange a family council. Write down the wishes of adults and children in order to compare them with financial capabilities, the structure of the site and the purposes for which it was purchased.
Where to begin:
We begin to implement ideas
Professionals advise starting with designing paths. This element is very important for any site. Paths help to reach any object or deliver building material.
For children, this is an opportunity to run, roller skate or bike.The mystery of garden paths leading to a gazebo or pond adds romance to walks. It is not necessary to invite a construction team to do the work. It is important to consider that:
- the soil needs to be leveled and compacted;
- choose the material depending on the purpose and degree of load on the track;
- you need to carefully adhere to the markings.
Paths on the site can be made of any material. For areas with heavy loads, stone, brick, and concrete are suitable.
In other cases, wood and ceramics are used. When landscaping your site, you can make garden tiles with your own hands. Glass or mosaic shards are placed in a suitable container and filled with concrete. After hardening, remove the workpiece and lay it on the ground (you can dig it up a little for stability). “Tiles” are made of different or the same size. The same “tile” can be made from wooden blocks.
This element of landscaping is suitable for any summer resident. The path can be completed with a beautifully braided arch.
Creepers, climbing roses, clematis, and other climbing plants are suitable.
Landscaping is no less important. This is one of the most popular methods of landscaping with plants. If not everyone can make a path, then everyone can plant a plant. This includes various flower beds, discounts, mixborders. Here’s another idea that combines utility and decorativeness – a hedge.
The advantages of such a landscaping element when landscaping a site can hardly be overestimated:
- A fence made of plants will reliably enclose the area and hide unnecessary elements beyond the border of the area. It looks much more natural than any fence.
- Green plants are a good source of oxygen.
- The hedge will play another important role.Protection from dirt and dust in residential areas has always been carried out with the help of green spaces. Implement this idea when landscaping your site.
- The choice of plants for hedges is quite large. Conifers, flowering shrubs, and climbing plants are suitable.
The next option for landscaping the site will be the gardeners. Practical and harmonious vegetable beds will help decorate your garden as well as a recreation area. Are used:
- brick;
- slate;
- tree;
- living plants.
A wonderful trick is to grow a flower bed from ornamental cabbage.
It can claim a place of honor in landscape design when landscaping a plot in the vegetable garden area.
There are a lot of ideas that summer residents share. Do not neglect the experience of experienced designers and recommendations of professionals. But implement your ideas without any doubt. If you don’t like it, do it differently. There are rules for arranging each element. Therefore, before starting construction of a parking lot, pond, bathhouse, garden gazebo, read the recommendations of specialists. Add your ideas and get started.
Examples of ideas:
