Content
Garden bridges serve as a charming addition to the design of the site. Especially if you are the happy owner of a stream, pond or small river.
This element of landscape design will help:
- connect two banks that are separate from each other;
- easy to cross a body of water;
- give the design of the site originality, comfort and completeness.
Of course, the main purpose of a garden bridge is usually considered to be the creation of a passage across a body of water or a natural ravine. But in modern landscape projects they are used in other roles. Some designers use them to emphasize the dividing line of bodies of water, zones or objects. The bridge can act in the project as a natural continuation of the garden path.
This option will add novelty, fabulousness and impressions to the journey around the site. Often, for better functionality of a garden bridge, a “dry” stream or pond is built.
And to increase creativity, some designers simply install it on the lawn, among shrubs and even conifers, and use it to attach original lamps and flower containers. In this case, it will add not only beauty, originality, but also completeness to a certain landscape design object.Photos of bridges in landscape design are striking in their diversity.
Types of designs
The materials for making decorative garden bridges can be wood, stone, bamboo, metal, concrete. The main criteria that help make a choice are:
Safety. The design of the garden bridge must provide ideal conditions for the people on it. There are certain rules that must be followed:
- the frame of the garden bridge must support at least 4 people;
- the base must be mounted on a rigid base (soil, foundation);
- the stability of handrails and railings must be reliable;
- lighting is installed very high quality;
- Be sure to choose a non-slip flooring material.
Reliability. This characteristic is ensured by the selection of materials and devices, high-quality and regular maintenance, and the treatment of parts of the garden bridge with protective compounds.
Attractiveness. The design should not be cumbersome or stand out from the overall picture of the site. On the contrary, carefully selected shape, material, color should harmonize other objects with each other.
Originality. The design can be made from one or more materials. The combination of textures, shades, shapes is sometimes very extraordinary. But, this only adds zest to your building.
The shapes of the structures can be so unusual that some doubt their ability to make such a structure with their own hands. But even the most exquisite garden bridge is made from ordinary materials familiar to everyone.
Wooden bridges
The most popular type. The reason is quite understandable. Natural wood fits so harmoniously into any natural landscape that it seems impossible to come up with a better combination. Wooden garden bridges can be very simple, cheap, and small in size.
Or, on the contrary, they may be expensive, bulky and intricate in appearance. The great popularity of wooden bridges is ensured by such qualities as:
- environmental friendliness;
- ease of installation and disassembly;
- light weight;
- durability (subject to high-quality treatment with antiseptics, impregnations, varnishes).
Most often, wooden garden bridges are chosen for areas where there are already buildings - gazebos, bathhouses, benches, a well. This is a very noble and practical material. Fits perfectly into any project, organically combined with buildings made of stone, metal, plastic. The most popular species for the construction of garden bridges are pine, oak, and cedar.
Bamboo
Looks great in a garden decorated in Japanese style. You can simply select one eastern zone in the project and place a bamboo bridge in it. It’s good if the site already has a gazebo or bench using bamboo. This material will be more expensive, so it is often used only as a finish. But he succeeds in emphasizing the oriental flavor, giving lightness and airiness to the structures, as well as possible. Especially when your hanging garden viaduct is decorated with Chinese or Japanese lanterns.
Stone
The most majestic, noble, very long-serving garden bridges. Of course, the choice of stone type plays an important role. Marble and granite look good near a large body of water. A small or “dry” stream can be decorated with artificial stone.Creating a stone garden bridge will require costs. If a stone structure is assembled from large boulders, then the use of construction equipment will be required. But such garden bridges look very symbolic. Especially on a site made in a medieval or antique style. There are a huge number of options for stone structures, but you can build a garden bridge according to your own design.
Your project will be unique.
Metal
Such designs, like wooden ones, are very diverse. But their service life is much longer. You can make a garden bridge out of metal at your dacha with your own hands, or you can buy a ready-made one. Typically, it consists of bent beams and a metal track. Metal garden bridges are perfect for areas designed in Art Nouveau and Gothic styles. If you are an adherent of the romantic style, then the dacha will be decorated with forged, carved, and ornamented structures. You can vary the degree of curvature of the railings, the presence of patterns, and the height. Combination with wooden parts will create a unique and unique garden bridge.
You can place it near an elegant flower bed, a luxurious decorative bush, or strict junipers. In any combination, the metal version will look organic. The advantage of such designs is durability, practicality, and low maintenance requirements. The main thing is not to forget that metal is susceptible to corrosion and rust. By taking appropriate preventive measures, you will protect your garden bridge from destruction.
We build it ourselves
It is easier to build garden bridges from metal.You need to choose the design you like, assemble it correctly and secure it. A more common option that summer residents make themselves is a garden bridge made of wood. Before you begin, try to plan your garden bridge carefully. You need to determine:
- what it will look like;
- in what place is it better to mount it;
- what material to take.
The most basic elements are supports, span, fencing and decking. You can use logs for supports. They will serve perfectly if the length of the bridge is no more than 2.5 m. For a longer length, you will have to use intermediate supports.
The span is located between the supports. It can be convex or flat. The arc depends on the purpose of the garden bridge. If people walk along it, a span that is too convex will create unnecessary inconvenience. But you shouldn’t plant tall plants next to a curved garden bridge.
Fences are made one-sided or two-sided. In addition to the safety function, they serve as the main decoration.
The flooring is placed in a transverse position to the supports. The main requirement for the flooring is that it should not sag or slide.
If the garden bridge is intended only for practical purposes, then it is located in the right place. When it is still intended to serve as a decorative element, it can be placed in any area of the garden or cottage. It is very convenient to place it in a recreation area.
Let's get creative
Most often, a decorative garden bridge is installed near a pond. Let's look at how to make a bridge on a pond with your own hands without a lot of time and materials. An important preparatory stage that should not be neglected is site preparation. This includes strengthening the banks of the reservoir.To do this, make a mound of crushed stone (or similar material), which is compacted tightly.
Some craftsmen are inclined to believe that it is better to make a foundation. So, you can reliably protect your family. For the foundation, ordinary concrete or a durable metal (wood) frame is suitable.
Then they begin laying the beams - the basis of the garden bridge. Where the bars adhere to the ground, a waterproofing material must be laid, and the wood is treated with an antiseptic, then coated with bitumen (can be replaced with roofing felt).
Proceed to fixing the bars. For a simple garden bridge, it is enough to lay two beams in parallel so that the base is ready. They must be securely fixed with metal pegs and connected with span bars. The span bars are secured with metal brackets.
The flooring is made of boards at least 3 cm thick. They are attached to the longitudinal bars, but across. Pressing bars are placed on top and secured. At this stage, you already need to determine the method by which you will reduce the slipping of the flooring.
Once the flooring is ready, the railings are attached and lighting is installed. For railings, vertical wooden blocks are most often used. They are fixed along the longest sides of the bridge. Railings are already attached to the top of the vertical bars. This stage of building a garden bridge is also very important. To ensure that the railings are stable, you should not skimp on screws or fasteners. The railings are thoroughly sanded so that they are smooth.
At the final stage, the creativity of the design begins.The garden bridge can be decorated with various stylish elements and painted in an extraordinary shade.
Or you can beautifully process the wood, leaving its natural color. Either way, your bridge will be amazing!
Video: building in one day:
