DIY landscape design: where to start
It is very interesting to create landscape design with your own hands. Where to start making it, where to get original ideas, how much money do you need?
These questions are asked by many who have decided to transform their property.
Initially, you should understand that this business presents a lot of hassle and requires financial expenses. But landscape design gives coziness, comfort and beauty.
Content:
Where to start
Several decades ago, a summer cottage was perceived as an area where one could grow vegetables and fruits.
The owners came to the dacha to look after their seedlingsand then harvest. A small number of people planted flowers and original plants on the site.
But they were placed near a house or road. Almost no one thought about landscape design.
There were also summer residents for whom harvesting took second place, as they showed interest in the flower beds with which they planted the area near the summer house.
This could not help but attract the attention of the neighbors. Probably, it was these gardeners who introduced the idea of creating a cozy atmosphere near the house. After all, over time, many people became interested in this.
Today, almost every person who has a summer house wants, in addition to the vegetable garden, to transform a small area where they can relax with friends and relatives.And you can decorate it with plants, flower beds, ponds, and an alpine slide.
Many people saw the photos landscape design of other people, they do not dare to create it themselves on their site.
But do not be afraid, since the design of a dacha area is within the power of almost every person.
To begin with, you should carry out the following steps:
- Think about what your own plot should look like in the future.
- Seed the lawn.
- Select the necessary plants and materials.
- Additionally, you can make a gazebo, allocate an area for a barbecue, an alpine slide.
It is important to remember that landscape design must include a lawn. If you plant the area with ordinary grass, then the appearance will deteriorate, as it will look sloppy.
The design should look harmonious. To do this, you should take into account the specific color scheme.
If it is in orange and red tones, then the area will look warm, if in white and blue it will bring in coolness, if in pink it will provide calmness.
But the shades should look harmonious not only in flower beds, but also in furniture and other elements. The shape of all parts should also be taken into account.
If it is geometric, then the entire landscape will be holistic. For example, if the flower beds are round, then the gazebo, ponds and path material should be in the form of a circle.
You also need to pay attention to the finishing. If the border is made of white brick, then this material should be present in the flower bed and paths.
If a person decides to create a cozy corner for relaxation and plant original flowers near it, then he should take into account the location.
Some plants will not be able to grow in the shade, and some will not grow in the sun.And the rest area itself should not be placed where the sun shines almost all day.
Garden paths
Initially, experienced specialists advise to start placing paths. This is a mandatory element of landscape design.
Even before a person decided to transform his dacha plot, he had already walked around the area near the house several times.
After this, paths should already appear. They can serve as the basis for paths.
To mark the edges of the path, use a shovel. You need to draw straight lines. You should not make sharp corners, as it will be uncomfortable to walk in the future.
To create paths, you can choose different materials, but stone is considered the most economical. In addition, this material fits beautifully into the design and goes well with the grass.
Before creating the concrete base, a trench is dug along the already marked paths. Its depth should be 15 cm.
You need to pour sand 5 cm high at the bottom. The path can be framed with a curb or brick. This will complete the image and also prevent the path from diverging.
To make the path stronger, you should use reinforcing tape. A wire mesh would also work.
It should be laid on sand and then filled with concrete. You should be careful here, since the filling must be even, for which a board is used.
But this is only the first layer, after which the second is poured. Next the stone itself is placed.
There are other options for gluing the material. You can use glue for this. You need to pay attention that it is suitable for the stone. If the laying material is uneven, then you should choose concrete.
Alpine slide
An alpine slide is also called a rock garden.It is an original decoration for a summer cottage, reminiscent of the Alps.
This is a piece of a mountain embankment where stones, flowers, and bushes are located. To create such beauty, you should choose a suitable place. It should be harmoniously combined with the entire landscape design.
Rock garden is easy to make with your own hands. At the place where it was decided to build it, you need to draw markings.
Next, you will need to remove the top soil by 30 cm. Drainage should be poured at the bottom. It could be crushed stone, broken brick. After this, it is covered with soil, which is well compacted.
After this, the stones are laid. The first tier should consist of large stones. A smaller part of them should look out of the ground; they should be buried in the ground.
This placement adds naturalness. After the tier is ready, you should fill the holes between the stones soiland then fill with water.
The same actions are carried out with the remaining tiers.
You also need to choose the right plants for your alpine slide. They should look harmonious with the stones, but you shouldn’t plant too many of them.
To do this, it is recommended to include creativity. You need to think carefully about which plants or bushes will go together. Then they decorate the rock garden. Reservoirs can complement landscape design.
Where do you get interesting ideas?
Experts recommend that beginners think through the design of their site themselves. After all, many interesting ideas can come from the owner himself.
Everything should be analyzed, planned, and then started to work. But original ideas don’t always come to mind.
Don’t worry about this, because on the Internet and special magazines you can find ready-made ideas that you can apply to your site.
Such sources have options for designing a dacha area and offer a variety of styles.
Therefore, you can find many options for transforming the site. But you should not forget about the specifics of the territory, since the choice can be influenced by the climate and the size of the plot.
Don't be afraid to experiment. By combining different ideas, you can achieve an original landscape design that will attract the attention of all neighbors and passers-by.
Video with examples of landscape design:
Interesting information about the vegetable garden
Comments
This issue must be approached very responsibly. Since we planted plants and trees without thinking about design. And then I had to replant them a lot, change places and plant them.
I tried to do landscape design myself, in principle I won’t say that it is difficult, but as a beginner in this business, I lacked ideas and skills. I resorted to the help of the Internet and some specialists. For example, she couldn’t handle the pond herself.
I made the paths and the alpine slide myself. Everything can be done, you just need to have the desire and, most importantly, time. This takes a lot of time. But then there will be paths and a slide.