Garden beds are gradually being replaced from dachas and garden plots. If they exist, they are in small quantities and somewhere in the depths. The main place is occupied by flower beds, recreation areas and other beautiful corners. All this together is called landscape design and is taught at the institute. But if you don’t intend to make money by arranging, landscaping and decorating courtyards and dachas, you can try to plan everything yourself. Landscape design with your own hands is a long and difficult task, but extremely exciting: it is very pleasant to look at the beauty created with your own hands.
Where to begin
As always, you need to start with a plan. You can draw it on graph paper to scale, or you can use design programs. The most convenient are Realtime Landscaping Architect and Sierra Land Designer 3D 7.0. In them, all the images will be three-dimensional and you will really be able to evaluate how your site will look. And let few people strictly adhere to the plan. But while you are drawing, you will develop certain skills in landscape design that will help you in bringing your plans to life.
Rectangular plot: landscape design plan
If the site is still empty, you think through all the little things: where the entrance will be, how the house and other buildings will be located on the site. After drawing all the buildings, draw the paths. Direct ones are rarely done - they are harder to beat in the landscape. Curved, with smooth lines will help organize interesting places and plantings. On the plan, do not forget about communications - sewerage, irrigation system, etc. Then gradually add landscape design elements, drawing out their details.
If you are equipping an already inhabited dacha or yard, apply everything that already exists as accurately as possible. To do this, you will have to crawl around the site with a tape measure: first sketch out a plan of the site and write down the measured distances on it. Then the plan will have to be adjusted based on the measurement results. You got the plan that you have. It will have to be worked on.
Try to immediately draw the changes you have planned, because you have something in mind. If you like the result, you can implement it. If not, first change the shape, or figure out where you can move it to make it look better. That’s why it’s more convenient to work with programs: you see what needs to be changed and how these changes affect the design of the site.
Just one moment. Not everything that looks good on screen also looks good in real life. And it happens the other way around - not in plan it looks “not very good”, but what is brought to life is simply mesmerizing. In any case, you will have to make adjustments more than once...
Landscape Design Rules
The main task of site design is to create a harmonious landscape. If so, then we have to take into account the basic laws and observe proportions. One of the main laws that is used when developing any design, including landscape design, is the law of the triangle or the golden ratio.
When applied to our case, it can be interpreted as follows: in order for the plantings to look beautiful, they cannot contain the same elements. For example, division into zones. Three are often identified different areas, but you shouldn’t make them the same size: one is the largest and two are smaller, but also of different sizes. Also, one color should be the main color, the other two should be additional. Moreover, one of the additional ones is generally in small quantities. This also applies to the choice of plants, both their color and shape and size.
This rule is true not only for flower beds and flower beds, but also for design in general: the number and size of zones on the site, etc.
When creating landscape design with your own hands, you must adhere to the law of the circle. It determines harmonious color combinations (see photo). If you divide it in half with a vertical line, warm shades will be on the right, cool shades on the left. The main compositions are composed of one group of colors - cold or warm.
This does not mean that the colors are from different parts cannot be mixed. It is possible, but a color from the opposite group should be present as an accent that attracts attention. Such contrasting compositions are made if it is necessary to divert attention from something (toilet, etc.).
There is also the law of the square. On small dacha or in a courtyard it is difficult to adhere to, but it influences the rules for the location of buildings and the planting of plants. Its essence is in orientation to the cardinal direction. For example, when choosing a place for a house, remember that if you place it on the south side, almost the entire area will be in the shade. In some regions this is good, in others it is bad. You decide for yourself.
The position in relation to parts of the world is also taken into account when planning recreation areas. For example, it is better to do it on the south side: the water should warm up. But nearby there should be a shaded area, a canopy, in which you can rest from the hot sun.
In relation to planting plants and determining a place for a garden, it can be interpreted as follows: the most tall plants should be located in the north (unless you live in the south and you don’t need shade). Then the rest of the space will be well lit.
Landscaping a dacha or the yard of a private house requires knowledge of what degree of illumination a particular type of plant prefers. There are always more and less shaded places. There is always more shade from buildings on the north side. Here you need to plant shade-tolerant trees, shrubs, and flowers. Already at a distance of two to three meters, the area may have good illumination, since the shadow from the house may no longer reach there. Here you will need plants that love an abundance of light.
Create a plan for the location of zones and buildings taking into account these rules. There are many more, but even if you take these three into account, your design will be competent, and, what is important, beautiful and harmonious.
Landscape design elements
Briefly about how you can decorate your dacha, yard, or garden plot. There are many elements, and even more varieties. One of the favorite types of recreation is barbecue or barbecue. And a place must be allocated for this zone. Immediately after determining the location for the house, they often decide where to put a terrace or pergola.
By the way, you don’t have to hide it at all. True, they still won’t decorate the site, but they can be placed behind the trees.
A stream - natural or artificial - looks very beautiful
Between these and other buildings and areas, places for, etc. are planned. Their shape, size, type of fencing, species composition of plants and their planting scheme are determined. It is clear that without experience it is not easy to do this and there will be a lot of rework, but it is important to start somewhere. Changes to plantings are made almost constantly, so you will be creating landscape design with your own hands for more than one year, or even three: after all, you will also use perennials, and they grow slowly.
Flower beds, flower beds, borders, rockeries, slides and garden paths - that's what else can be used for decoration
Between all zones and buildings there should be Their design, not least of all, shapes the appearance of the garden or dacha. And in general, landscape design is created largely from little things. Somewhere there is a small one somewhere garden sculpture, rocking chair, flowerpot, rock garden, pond, hanging hammock, beautiful lighting, area lighting, etc. And all this in general is design design.
Plot with a slope
On the one hand, the landscape design of a site with complex terrain is technically more complex: there are more engineering structures, and the terrain needs to be taken into account. But on the other hand, it will definitely look non-standard, since all solutions are individual.
With a fairly large slope, the principle of terrace design is used. The slope is divided into zones, on the low side of which retaining walls are installed. Thanks to them, the surface in a certain area - up to the next wall - is leveled. This occurs due to the fact that part of the soil is transferred.
The terraces themselves are unusual, but they can also be decorated beautifully. For example, make the masonry from rubble stone, and plant creeping and low-growing plants in the gaps. They will decorate the wall and also hold the soil together with roots.
Technical points
The height of retaining walls is usually no more than a meter, maximum 1.2 m. They are erected from monolithic reinforced concrete, topped with stone, and embankments are made. A foundation is required for each such wall. Usually - With a wall height of up to 60 cm, a compacted crushed stone cushion with a depth of 20 cm is sufficient as a support; with a wall height of 70 cm, the foundation must have a depth of at least 60 cm; with a height of 1 to 1.2 meters, the foundation depth should be at least 70 cm.
Based on the requirements for foundations, the lowest cost for installing retaining walls is with a height of up to 60 cm. If the slope is not very steep, try to divide the slope into sections with such a height difference. And keep in mind that rectangular terraces, although easier to make, from a design point of view, are the worst option, which is almost impossible to make harmonious. See the photo gallery for examples of terracing and decoration.
Steep site - short terraces Using a slope to create a stream and waterfalls is a classic technique that does not lose its relevance Explicit division into two levels is technically difficult, but aesthetically interesting
Garden design for a small plot
If the yard near the house or dacha is small, and even correct form- square or rectangular - most likely visible from any point. It feels like being in a box. You can eliminate it by covering the fence with plantings. But they should not grow in a line that follows the shape of the fence, but in smooth, curved curves or groups that extend onto the lawn. Plants can be interspersed with shrubs, rose gardens, you can put a corner gazebo or highlight some area that violates the correctness of the lines.
Covering the fence with tall trees is a good idea, but planting them better in groups and different types
The trees will grow a little and the area will seem wider
Another option to turn the fence into a decorative element: allow climbing plants turned him into green wall, and plant it next to low plants with rounded crowns. If the plants will climb along supporting structures, it is better to make their tops non-linear. This way everything will look even better.
Another option is to grow it, of course, for a long time, although fast-growing plants can be used, in particular for quick effect for several years - use willow. You can weave a fence from its young branches, but it almost always takes root, sprouts roots and turns green in just a few days.
When decorating a small space, straight paths are strictly prohibited. They make objects optically closer, which is of no use to us at all.
Multi-level planning greatly expands the boundaries. This is the case when a slope is preferable: 6 acres look like a larger plot if there is a difference in elevation. If the dacha or yard is small and flat, you will have to do zoning artificially. Alpine slides and raised flower beds and flower beds will help with this.
There are some restrictions when landscaping. Do not plant trees with large crowns. Not only will they shade almost your entire area over time, but it will also appear even smaller. Small trees, shrubs and flowers are what you need to choose from. If you need several tall plantings, choose one with a pyramidal crown or in the form of a candle. They are unusual for us, and look very good.
DIY landscape design: photo and video ideas
Theoretical knowledge is great, but if you lack experience, you need to rely on something. Sometimes the impetus for decorating a wonderful corner in the yard in front of the house can be the shape of a bench you like, and plants are already “attached” to it. Some interesting details that may inspire you are collected in photo galleries.
Flowers in decoration
Always interesting to watch beautiful dachas in the process of their arrangement. The main dream of the owners of this dacha is to create a rose garden with beautiful views With different points garden, and also provide a small vegetable garden. Let's see how to make a design yourself summer cottage taking into account these wishes.
Design of a summer cottage. Layout
The history of the arrangement at this dacha began with the purchase of a neighboring empty plot, the selection of photos nice solution for landscape design, elegant curved contours which it was decided to implement at the dacha.
The future layout of the site was thought out: next to the house, going around its corner, a patio with a grill will be built, the rest of the site is divided in a ratio of 2 to 1 - most of it will be occupied by a garden with trellises with a gazebo and decorative fountain in the far corner of the garden; a smaller part will be occupied by a vegetable garden, which will be separated from the garden by a wooden decorative picket fence.
Curvilinear contours were marked using a rope.
Then the central front path was laid, trellises for roses were installed and decorative fence, separating the vegetable garden.
After the plants were planted in the flower beds and the lawn was raised, the design of the summer cottage became more attractive. 
To protect the flower beds from the grass of the lawn, flower bed fences were installed around the perimeter. 
Made on the side of the garden. Moreover, in the first year, due to lack of funds, the path was made of wooden planks, but it lasted less than 2 years and was later replaced by a track made from paving slabs.
Recreation area in the design of a summer cottage.
The bottom photo shows the view of the garden from the entrance to the house. The design of the dacha plot is planned in such a way that the most spectacular view of the garden opens from this point. This will be the main recreation area and is planned to be developed here. 
A combination was chosen for paving the patio and path near the house natural stone(for the center of the patio) and regular paving slabs (for the path and decoration of the edges of the patio). 
The combination of light and dark tiles gives a special freshness to this not-so-sunny corner of the summer cottage. 
To enjoy grilled food forged table mobile patio has been added wooden table with the little one. 
If you are thinking about how to design a summer cottage yourself, take note of installing additional lamps near tree posts near your recreation area. This lighting gives a special intriguing atmosphere to your entire garden. 
Garden lamps with economical LED bulbs were placed along garden paths. 
Country design. Garden gazebo.
In the far part of the garden according to the design project garden plot was planned. 
The small size of the gazebo allows you to place garden bench to enjoy relaxing in the gazebo in privacy. 
For the same purpose, the gazebo is placed half-turn to the central garden path and is thus hidden from direct view by the flower beds.
The stages of constructing a gazebo include drawing up a drawing with the main dimensions, concreting the pillars, installing the frame of the gazebo, concreting the area inside the gazebo and laying paving slabs on it.
How to make a fountain at the dacha.
If the gazebo tries to hide from view, then this decorative one is located on the main center line of the landscape design of the site - at the end of the front garden path and a tunnel of arches of garden roses. 
A wall was built from concrete blocks to house a decorative waterfall, where water from a pipe at the top of the wall gradually falls down into a bowl. Behind the waterfall wall there is a removable tank with a pump, which is removed for the winter. Decorative waterfall in the landscape design of a garden plot, it is not only a visually beautiful accent, but also protection from extraneous noise, and a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere on a hot day. The bright lighting of the fountain makes it the central element of the garden in the evening. 
Vegetable garden in the landscape design of the site.
On a summer cottage it is located behind a decorative picket fence so as not to disturb the overall aesthetic harmony of the garden. 
Both conventional and raised beds, for example, for early varieties strawberries 
On the back side of the house, near the garden, a cluttered corner with flower pots and other garden trifles spontaneously formed.
This one was built in its place decorative wall, on the back side of which - garden table with gardening tools, and the front side is a kitchen garden with herbs. This is an example of how, in the design of a site with your own hands, a “decorative” element has a clear functionality.
Country cottage area. Outbuildings.
Also, small outbuildings were built near the outlet of the water tap to the street: it is convenient to store a watering hose, buckets, and watering cans here.
How to design a summer cottage yourself. Results.
The outer fencing of this garden area is mostly a chain link fence.
However, the private recreation area near the house is closed from the street side by a blank fence, which, in combination with five tall thujas, completely closes off prying eyes this part of the house and plot. This elegantly and gently solved the problem of privacy without the need to build a blind high fence.
We hope that the story of this garden design I liked it and showed you how to design a summer cottage yourself. That this is an interesting and slow business, if over time some ideas have shown their ineffectiveness, you always have the opportunity to replace them with others.
Man and nature are an eternal theme of any type of art. Landscape design is not only a way of self-expression, but also part of direct communication with pristine nature. The area adjacent to a private home provides ample scope for imagination, opening up endless possibilities for designers around the world.
Regardless of the size of the dacha plot, you need to strive to create a unique atmosphere for privacy and contemplation of nature, for family holidays with children and friends, for romantic dinners with the rustling of leaves and for quiet dinners while reading books by a small home pond. Nature provides all the tools to create the necessary mood. You just need to know how to use them.
Basics of modern landscape design
Landscape design of a summer cottage is an integrated approach to landscaping personal plot. This space is designed to harmonize with inner world owner, be a reflection of his tastes and interests.
In landscape design, as in any other type of space improvement, there are modern tendencies which most professionals follow.
The origins of the aesthetic design of the site go far back into time. Over numerous centuries, styles and trends in landscape design have undergone many qualitative changes. At the moment, among site improvement specialists there is a desire for naturalness and pristineness. Very fashionable is the alpine hill, a Russian folk garden mixed with notes of technological progress: the use of glass, metal, clear geometric shapes, straight lines.
Eclecticism prevails in modern landscape design. You need to have real talent to harmoniously combine such two incompatible directions. But the result can exceed all expectations.
Modern landscape design styles
Over the long history of the existence of the art of decorating a personal plot, many of its directions have emerged.
The main ones are:
- Classic or regular style. Famous French parks are typical representatives of this trend. The idea of such design is the idea of the elevation of the human mind above nature, its subordination to the laws of geometry familiar to us.
- Landscape style. Historically formed as the opposite of the regular direction. It is a “free”, most pristine landscape. Landscape style is designed to surprise people with the beauty of natural nature, skillfully thought out and created by designers.
- Rural style (country). “Home” trend of landscape style, representatives of which are ordinary village gardens in different corners planets. Any direction that does not require large investments and careful care of the site. The placement of decorations is arbitrary and depends on the historical folklore of the area.
- Architectural style. Relegating natural beauty to the background, it focuses attention on the decorative buildings of the territory: terraces, arches, paved areas, architectural reliefs, steps, etc.
- Japanese style. Design suburban area in oriental style is art. It is filled with symbolism. The landscape design of the site is ideal for creating a classic oriental atmosphere. The main components will be stones, boulders, a small pond, a place to contemplate the beauty of nature.
Layout of the area around the house
After choosing the appropriate style, you should plan the design of the area near the house and determine the component elements. Without the planning stage, it is impossible to competently build a site.
There are several standard layout types applicable to most spaces:
- Rectangular layout. The most popular win-win option. The layout of a rectangular plot is easy to zone, conveniently divided into separate sections and is well suited for creating a successful geometric composition.
- Round layout. This layout is artificially created from a rectangular version with the help of auxiliary elements: flower beds, lawns, green spaces, etc. Straight geometric shapes are masked by decor. Designing a landscape around the house in round motifs can be a non-trivial solution.
- Diagonal layout. Based on the creation of diagonal parallels. Landscape design small plot with your own hands in a diagonal layout will help to visually expand the space and push its boundaries.
- Free layout. The technique of free placement of design elements using the natural topography of the territory. It is important to correctly place accents in such a garden. Otherwise, the effect of neglect may appear and the area will lose its landscape attractiveness.
Zoning of the site
Dividing it into several functional zones will help make a spacious area more comfortable and visually enlarge a small garden space. Their number and size completely depend on the original area of the area and its intended purpose.
The territory can be divided into:
- Garden area;
- Recreation area;
- Economic zone;
- Dining area;
- Children's area;
- Sports area.
All zones of the territory should form a single picture, without looking like separate islands on a personal plot. Zones should be united by a single idea and style.
One logical zone should smoothly transition into another. For this, it is best to use green spaces, arches and decor.
Whatever type of layout is used, it is better to place the largest zones along the edge of the area, while focusing small ones in the center.
Landscape design composition
Landscape design of a site is a combination of many functional and decorative elements. Below we will take a closer look at the main ones.
Lawn
How a skilled builder lays on the floor of a house flooring This is how a skilled gardener covers his plot with lawn. If previously the lawn was the luxury of emperors, now modern world everyone can afford to decorate the area with a soft grass carpet.
The process of establishing a lawn is labor-intensive and requires full dedication, but upon completion it will bring the owners a well-deserved result in the form of an ideal foundation for the rest of the landscape. In addition to the decorative function, grass lawn has a positive effect on soil structure and air purity, muffles excess noise.
The choice of lawn must be approached with the utmost seriousness: it will last for more than one season. Exist:
- Regular lawn. Is a coating solid color medium density.
- Sports turf. It is a denser type of lawn that is not afraid of loads.
- Decorative lawn. A beautiful, perfect lawn, not meant for walking on.
garden path
A garden path is a functional element of landscape design. It plays the role of connecting special zones of the territory, they are the “skeleton” of the entire layout of the area. Depending on the chosen stylist, the tracks can be different forms, sizes, made of different materials.
Although classical direction The design of the site is geometric and straight lines; winding paths look more natural in landscape design. Attracting with their ease, they lead the guest through the garden, turn by turn.
The most important issue in garden paths is the choice of suitable material. In landscape design, a variety of finishes is not welcome, but the use of only one material is not necessary. The main thing in this matter is harmony and uniformity.
The central paths should be larger and more solid. Decorating with mosaics of different colors will look good. The simultaneous combination of different figures and flower arrangements. Modern manufacturers offer services for individual production of paths. You can emphasize the central avenue with the help of built-in spotlights.
Dirt paths, decoratively sprinkled with sand or crumbs, will add special charm to the nooks and crannies of the garden.
Standard materials for garden paths are:
- paving stones;
- gravel;
- concrete tiles;
- a natural stone;
- brick covering;
- decorative tiles;
- natural pebbles.
When choosing a material, its compatibility with specific soil and climatic conditions, in addition to standard operating conditions, must be taken into account.
Flower garden and planting
It is difficult to imagine the landscape design of a summer cottage without plants. The composition of flower beds can become a real art and the main accent of the entire site. It is important to select plants wisely. The main selection criteria will be not only their appearance, but also compatibility with each other, the necessary climatic conditions, survivability, etc.
There are the following methods for placing plantings on a site:
- . The most popular flower garden, which is a planting of a certain geometric shape decorative foliage plants.
- Group planting. Dense planting of plants in separate groups of several species.
- Discounts. A type of planting of decorative deciduous plants in rectangular strips to frame the borders of lawns, paths or other elements of landscape design.
- Border. A type of flower garden in which plants are planted in layers.
- Tapeworm. Single planting method.
- Parterre flower garden. A geometrically correct complex flower garden located in front of the entrance to the personal plot. Usually consists of a combination of several plant species with architectural elements.
- Mobile flower beds. Plants or flowers that are not adapted to certain features of the area (soil, certain weather conditions, a certain season) are exhibited in the landscape of the site in decorative pots or vases, without transplanting into the ground.
- Arenarius. An exotic solution would be a corner of the desert in the garden. They are planted in an arena artificially covered with sand. different kinds succulents and the like.
Reservoirs
A pond can become the highlight of any landscape. But before you start creating it as quickly as possible, you should think about its purpose. In areas of different sizes, different types of reservoirs will be appropriate.
Holders large plot, of course, can afford absolutely any size, shape and depth of a water body.
Reservoirs are very labor-intensive to maintain, so you should foresee in advance whether its maintenance will be feasible.
The pond must be in direct harmony with the overall style of the landscape project. With a regular style, the pool should have straight shapes, but for a landscape pool, asymmetrical streams made of natural materials are more suitable.
The landscape design of a summer cottage qualitatively transforms the creation of the now fashionable alpine hill.
The Alpine slide is an imitation of a wild mountain landscape with characteristic plant species. Despite the labor-intensive process of creation, such decoration can become the pride of any garden plot. country house.
Typically, an alpine hill is a unique type of rock garden: a composition of ornamental plants with stone. To create a rock garden, materials available in our area are used: limestone, granite, gerbils. Live composition combined from rock plants.
The main emphasis of the rock garden is given through the play of chiaroscuro. The corresponding effect can be achieved both by the initial selection of a place with beautifully falling rays of the sun, and by the creation of artificial lighting.
Relaxation area with barbecue or fireplace
Owning country house, you can not only usefully spend your time gardening work, but also to successfully relax in the company of friends by equipping your relaxation area with a barbecue or fireplace.
The corresponding area can be either open or closed. Although the first option is less labor-intensive, the design of a small canopy will not only make the place more comfortable, but also protect it from direct sunlight or rain. Suitable place to accommodate a recreation area it will become spacious and hidden from prying eyes. It would be good if there was an area for children next to this place, and a picturesque landscape to admire nearby. Proximity to a body of water will give additional freshness on hot summer days.
Location in the recreation area of the barbecue, hearth or outdoor fireplace- this is not only part of its interior, but also an important functional element. In addition to its main purpose, it can be used for heating and creating an atmosphere of comfort on autumn evenings.
Setting up an outdoor dining room
Landscape design of a summer cottage with an open dining room is a luxury accessible to everyone. Eating outdoors is not just a trend modern fashion, but also an extremely useful practice that improves metabolism and overall well-being.
To create a summer dining room, first of all, you need suitable free space. An excellent solution would be a site of about 10 square meters. For convenience, it is worth leading a stone path from the house to the location of the open table.
The outdoor dining room should not be too far from the main house, otherwise the process of carrying dishes and prepared food can become a rather long and labor-intensive process.
It is important to remember about possible weather surprises and climate changes: it is necessary to select furniture that is resistant to humidity and equip the dining room with a stationary or mobile canopy. As protection from the sun's rays, you can use the branches of a large tree, if there is one on the site.
The dining room can be decorated in quality, surrounded by hedges or left in the free space of the lawn - it all depends solely on the wishes of the owners.
Site lighting
The lighting system of any cottage or plot has two functions: practical and aesthetic.
The first involves lighting areas for free movement in dark time day, and the second is designed to create a special atmosphere and place accents of landscape design.
With the help of a skillfully designed lighting system, you can achieve a radical transformation of the garden at night.
Landscape design lighting for a summer cottage can be:
- Flooding. This is carried out through the use of floodlights on auxiliary parts of the perimeter.
- General. The main part of lighting, consisting of installation classic lamps along the main objects of the site.
- Marking. Used to create visual effects for highlighting (marking) functional parts.
- Decorative lighting of plants, ponds, architectural structures.
A landscaped summer cottage is a quiet refuge from the bustle of the city and everyday worries. Fragrant flower beds and a well-kept garden, alpine slides and paved paths, a homemade pond and fountain, benches and gazebos in the middle of lawns and lawns - everything is designed to please their owners.
There are many ways to organize a small area even without inviting specialists. Doing the landscape design of a site according to the rules with your own hands is an opportunity to show your creative inclinations.
How to organize the arrangement of a summer cottage
Each example of landscape design for a summer cottage is unique, although it is carried out according to the same principles. Therefore, it is worth assessing all the strengths and weak sides private territory to reveal all the best in a favorable light, leveling out the shortcomings.
An important role is given to functional items, so what is already there is taken into account with adjustments and the addition of what is desired.
When planning, not only the aesthetic aspect is more important, but also the practical one:
- water supply and irrigation organization;
- lighting;
- terrain slope;
- auxiliary buildings.
- the presence of fences, partitions and hedges.
This is primary; all other elements are added to the existing ones, based on the plan for the upcoming improvement. It is important to conduct an audit with someone from the outside (friends, relatives, neighbors with similar wholesale) in order to evaluate everything objectively.
Most likely, along the way you will have to:
- extend the irrigation system;
- thin out or replant berry bushes;
- uproot old and non-fruit-bearing trees shading flower beds;
- strengthen sloping areas(due to terraces) and improve drainage;
- prepare areas for a gazebo and a swimming pool, grill or barbecue;
- mark the configuration of paths and alleys connecting garden objects together.
Advice: Don't worry about upcoming costs. Many of the list of ideas for arranging landscape design can be implemented with your own hands.
Landscaping a summer cottage is a long-term, permanent process that takes several years. But the fundamental reconstruction should be carried out in one summer, which includes drawing up a project or sketch of the site.
Although flowers and greenery are the main decoration of garden design, they are easy to vary annually.
Distribution of functional zones of the site
The total area of the plot, the wealth and lifestyle of its owners determine preferences for the improvement of modern landscape design.
If the family uses their own transport, parking is allocated for it. This could be a car entrance under the gallery grapevines or climbing flowers. A motorcycle or bicycles can stand under a canopy made of polycarbonate or slate, decorated with forging.
Today, many summer residents are abandoning traditional garden beds in favor of decorative design plot. But there are many examples when a trellis with climbing cucumbers and tomatoes zones the garden advantageously.
Curly parsley, colored lettuce, ornamental onions and bushy forms of vegetables can be interspersed with rows of marigolds or garden violets. Beds with paths and an original bench can form a kind of flower bed, as in the photo of landscape design.
It is better to organize a relaxation area in the garden in the shade of trees or on a special area under an awning or a shaded gallery.
Appropriate here:
- stationary barbecue or portable grill;
- white garden furniture with stackable stools;
- washbasin or sink;
- niches for dishes and spices;
- benches and swings.
In such a place, lighting and water supply should be organized so that the family can comfortably cook and communicate over a joint dinner or lunch.
Note!
Summer is unthinkable without water procedures. There should be a bathhouse at the dacha, Summer shower or a small swimming pool.
Each object must fit organically into the overall concept of landscape design. For a small inflatable pool for a preschooler, you need a small flat area and a hose connected to the water supply.
Attention: When constructing a permanent pool, it is important to consider not only the water supply, but also its purification and drainage.
High water consumption is appropriate if you have your own well, but when communicating with a meter, you have to save water in your dacha.
The children's playground is another important area of the site, but even a sandbox and a place for games can be organized quite aesthetically. It is important that there is a convenient path leading there so that children do not have to overcome obstacles in the form of gooseberry bushes or a collection rose garden.
Note!
In a small area, functional zones border each other, it is important to beautifully delimit them:
- hedges;
- garden paths;
- masonry;
- alpine slides and flower beds.
Major costs and effort for landscaping and decoration ornamental plants The improvement of the area adjacent to the house should be aimed at.
The playground should be clearly visible from the windows and different angles plot.
Garden decor and new landscape design items should be prominently displayed.
Fruit trees and beds can be moved outside the landscape design - deep into the dacha space.
The outdoor seating and cooking area requires the most effort and expense, so it’s best to start there. It is important that sparks from an open fire do not fall on the tops of trees and dry foliage.
Note!
Perennial flowers and shrubs require less maintenance than annuals, they should form the basis of landscaping.
Low-growing plants are planted along the paths and along the edges of the flower bed, large ones - in the center of the flower bed.
DIY landscape design photo
Gone are the days when everyone at their dacha plot was busy with the beds and fruit trees, but didn’t think about decor. Once upon a time the best decoration The courtyard had unpretentious flowers along the fence or a small flower bed. Today, the dacha is becoming a place for country holidays, and many owners hire a landscape design specialist. But if your hands are in place and you have a few worthwhile ideas, you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Original design Do-it-yourself summer cottage plots are made from scrap materials, which are abundant in every garage, on mezzanines, balconies or storage rooms.
Decorating a cottage with your own hands
Mill at the dacha made of stones
Decorating a flower bed with wood
The main advantage of homemade country decor is that it is possible to attach everything that was a pity to throw away. Every thrifty homeowner has long-term deposits of all sorts of goods stored in the garage and on the balcony, mezzanine and pantry, which will soon become an adornment of the landscape.
You can adapt many items that have served their main life to your dacha design with your own hands:
- bald car tires;
- plastic bottles, containers and containers;
- ropes, tarpaulin, burlap, camouflage net;
- cutting boards and thin cuts of wood;
- unnecessary plastic pipes;
- thick wire, chain-link mesh, metal scraps;
- old shoes and sports equipment;
- plywood boxes and wooden containers;
- empty barrels and other containers;
- leaky teapots, bowls, pans;
- unnecessary carts and bicycles;
- old plastic and wooden furniture;
- leftovers building materials And polyurethane foam.
First of all, you need to evaluate the “reserves” in order to distribute them for the arrangement of the dacha as needed. Some of the materials will be used to make fully functional devices.
In any yard, a “Moidodyr” (washbasin) in the barbecue or grill area and a sofa swing in the shade of the garden under a tarpaulin canopy will be useful. From other old things, make flower stands and flowerpots, all kinds of original garden decorations with your own hands.
Boar's head from a pile of earth at the dacha
Decorating a flower bed with flowers
Will need detailed plan site for proper zoning and marking. Even in a small courtyard of a country house or in country garden it is necessary to distribute functional zones that will delimit:
- curbs;
- sides made of plastic bottles;
- hedges;
- decorative stonework;
- original fences.
A well-maintained estate does not require redevelopment; all you need is creative design ideas for your dacha. On the new site, places for a comfortable pastime are determined:
- outdoor cooking fireplace;
- children's playground with decorative sandbox;
- gazebos, benches, swings;
- parking under a canopy for cars, motorcycles or bicycles;
- a playground for a children's pool;
- decorative beds, flower beds, flower beds and alpine slides.
By working on your own country house design, you have the opportunity to realize long-standing dreams and plans of the whole family. Free areas can be covered with small stones and sowed lawn grass, low-growing border plants and flowers, as in the photo.
Do-it-yourself gazebo in the country
Flowerbed at the dacha
DIY border at the dacha
Garden paths
Discussions about whether paths are needed in a dacha last until the first rainstorm. In some regions, the soil is so viscous that you can’t pull your feet out of the mud - it sticks to your shoes in a heavy lump. The only way out is to provide aesthetically pleasing paved passages between summer cottages.
Paths made of different materials will help you decorate your dacha with your own hands:
- bricks or foam blocks;
- cutting boards and round cuts;
- sea pebbles and wild stone;
- compacted fine gravel and sand;
- homemade paving slabs;
- marble chips and others bulk materials small fractions;
- concrete paths with a mosaic of broken glass and ceramic tiles.
The country alley leading to the garden will be functional and attractive in itself when it has original borders or rows of annual flowers on the sides. But the original idea of laying it will make it a real decoration of the garden with your own hands from scrap materials.
Decorating a summer cottage with plants
Flower beds at the dacha
A paved path can be lower than ground level or slightly elevated, and have a flat or slightly convex surface. Alleys will last for many years if done according to all the rules.
You need a shallow trench, which is marked and the boundaries are fixed using a rope between driven pegs. This is the only way to make the path the same width.
The bottom of the trench is compacted with gravel and sand, regardless of the type of paving material.
Next, you need to organize formwork for concrete with filler or sides for large blocks. Low log pegs and rows of glass or plastic bottles of the same size dug upside down are suitable as decorative borders.
Sandbox with flowers
Flowers in pots at the dacha
Flowerbed made of stones at the dacha
Between the formwork, the compacted trench is filled with a concrete base under the recessed Decoration Materials. Between the pieces of mosaic path tiles, you need to carefully fill the seams.
Alleys made of bricks, blocks and solid tiles (without connection cement mixture) sprinkle sand along the seams.
When laying tiles or bricks on sand, use a rubber or wooden hammer– for adjustment and alignment.
The horizontal is adjusted using the building level.
If the site is located in a lowland, be sure to organize drainage, otherwise the alleles may turn into drains during a rainstorm. The situation will be saved by a shallow drainage ditch parallel to the garden path, paved with ceramic fragments or filled with cement.
Design ideas for the dacha will be implemented the best way, if all stages of the path construction and its decoration are done slowly and efficiently, following the laying technology. The easiest way is to use ready-made lattice templates for homemade cement walkways with filler, as in the photo. The template is step by step moved into the prepared trench with a bed of sand and gravel, filled with base material.
Molds for paving slabs and “Euro fences” of various sizes and shapes are available for sale. You can organize an entire production for your summer cottage or start your own business.
Gardening the border at the dacha
DIY border at the dacha
Decorative hedges, fences and borders
Using the technology described in the previous section, decorative sides are made to strengthen the levels of a sloping summer cottage and the walls of a cascading flower bed. The picket fence method is also suitable as a decorative fence.
The edge of the low side can also be used as paths between flower beds and sandboxes. Children love to run along the rows of buried stumps.
Hedges - great way save on zoning your summer cottage with your own hands. Shrubs for pruning, ordinary or standard roses in the form of a tree are suitable. Low-growing border roses are planted between them, creating a two-row flower wall.
The simplest side is made from plastic bottles. Containers of the same color are filled with sand, gravel or soil. Bottles are dug halfway into a small trench and covered with earth or stone chips. They may be empty, but they last longer when filled with something.
Attention! Plastic bottles cannot be filled with water - under sun rays Lenses are formed that burn nearby plants. There might even be a fire.
DIY flowerbed
Castle made of stones in the country
Do-it-yourself barbecue made of stones in the country
Flower arches and arbors made of climbing plants
Climbing roses and other climbing flowers are a great way to decorate your homemade summerhouse or arches from scrap materials. A metal rod, corner or channel, which can be assembled into a structure, is suitable as a base. welding machine or bolt it together.
Ready-made supports for arches must be securely fixed in the ground. Dug holes with columns underneath country decor with their own hands they compact it well with crushed stone and sand, after which they cement it and fill it with stone chips. At the top of such a gallery, depending on climatic features region, grapes or fragrant flowers may spread.
In hot climates it is better to make an indoor gallery. Remnants of light-transmitting ones will also work. roofing materials. Canopies along decorative paths can only be on the south side, but at an angle to provide more shade. A wire trellis is stretched between the posts where the plants will climb. The most economical way is to grow cucumbers, decorative beans or pumpkins along the arch.
Flower lovers can different methods decorate the cottage with your own hands from scrap materials. They make vertical flower beds in holes from wide plastic pipes, wooden or openwork metal shelves for pots, as in the photo.
Flowerbed made of stones at the dacha
Decorating a cottage with your own hands
Garden sculptures and decor from scrap materials
Do-it-yourself garden design from scrap materials is mainly associated with the following materials:
- car tires (bald tires);
- templates from plywood scraps, from which it is easy to make the missing elements for the “smiling characters” of country decor;
- plastic containers;
- ceramic flower pots;
- unnecessary shoes;
- metal and wooden barrels etc.
Some homemade garden sculptures are so good that they can compete with real masterpieces. For example, foam frogs or plaster swans.
But most role models are made from car tires- cut and turned. Acrylic paints will transform any material to make characters recognizable for country house design with your own hands. Depending on the skill and style of garden and patio design, you can choose any idea. This is what swans and parrots look like made from rubber, palm trees made from plastic bottles.
Decorating a flowerbed with snails with your own hands
Decorating a cottage with improvised materials
Table and chairs made of hemp in the country
Original flower beds and mini-beds
Mini-flower beds with succulents and cacti (other small plants) inside large shells look original. No less interesting to many will be the idea of using shoes as flower pots or old hats on the wall.
Small containers are suitable for succulents and indoor plants, exhibited in the open air for the summer. But before you decorate the dacha with your own hands, keep in mind that you will have to bring them into the house during rain, hail and gusty winds. Original forms and it is better to make flowerpots stationary, and insert flower pots for the season or upon arrival at the dacha on weekends.
Traditionally broken vehicles used as original DIY garden decorations. Trolleys and bicycles, large car body parts are suitable for a small flower garden. Musical instruments are also suitable. Creative idea– a piano with flowers and a waterfall.
Fountain, artificial pond
Mini pond – perfect solution for decorating a dacha with your own hands. A small tank can be equipped using available materials:
- old rubber boat;
- large metal barrel;
- excavator bucket;
- tub;
- tank trim.
The bottom of a homemade pond is made in a small pit, with a compacted cushion of gravel and sand. The top is lined with tarpaulin and thick film in 2-3 layers, the edges are secured with stones in the form of sides. All that remains is to fill with water and decorate with the raised plants.
Advice. To maintain eco-balance, you need to monitor the condition of the water, which is periodically drained or circulated. A fountain requires a pump and a filter. To complete the “lake” design, add homemade frogs, swan or crocodile.
Flowerbeds at the dacha with flowers
DIY flower bed at the dacha
Landscape design with a children's playground
So that children don’t get bored at the dacha, and they don’t waste time while working in the garden and beds, there is a solution - a children’s playground with a sandbox and funny homemade figures.
An important condition is that the place for children’s games should be clearly visible from different angles of the summer cottage in order to observe what is happening.
The sides of the sandbox can be easily built using available materials:
- palisade made of logs;
- painted boards;
- wide wooden box;
- big tire, etc.
With any type of sandbox, children need a place to sit and lay out the molds. A country children's corner can be fenced off from neighbors with a fence in the shape of pencils or decorated with other homemade decor - paints to the rescue!
If you have enough space, you can build a more interesting sandbox on the site - in the form of a ship, car or mansion. Somewhere nearby you can build a tree house with rope ladders and a slide for descending into a sandbox or a tent city made from old blankets. Stretch ropes between the trees, give them clothespins and fabric, they will happily build houses for themselves.
Original garden furniture
Fantasy craftsmen limitless - they make it from plastic bottles, awning materials and wood waste garden furniture on the verge of masterpieces. After pruning the garden and removing dead wood, there is a lot of material left that is easy to use to make:
- armchairs;
- swing;
- rocking chairs;
- tables and stands.
For comfort, soft seats are made, and natural-shaped material is used on the sidewalls and frame of the products. It is very convenient to use ready-made pallets or pallets as the basis for a sofa or a corner under a canopy. Poufs and banquettes, tables and armchairs are made from plastic bottles. If you have time and experience, make an entire sofa for your dacha out of plastic bottles, but you will need many containers of the same shape and volume. A cover or cover for a homemade sofa is sewn from old curtains.
More original ideas They will prompt you with a photo from our gallery.
