Many summer residents who buy cottages, first equip the interior design of the house, and only after that proceed to the design of the yard. This is the right decision, because all the elements of your property should be combined with each other in style and color scheme. This article discusses how to decorate the area around the cottage and the popular styles of landscape design.
Landscaping styles in front of the cottage
There are several styles of landscape design in front of the cottage:
- Romantic. It implies the planting of bright and noble plant species. More often lavender, rose, lilac or dog rose are grown. It is necessary to care for the plants in order to preserve the exquisite appearance of the design.
- Modern. In this case, it is assumed that the gardener should plant boxwood or yew in the plot. You can also complement the composition with stone trim. Thanks to the cobbled paths, coniferous perennial crops will stand out.
- Mediterranean. In this case, you need to give preference to palm crops, which are unpretentious in care. It is possible to make flower beds of different sizes in the garden to give a certain randomness.
- Rustic. Thanks to this design, you can create home comfort, but at the same time adhere to conciseness and restraint. In this case, it is preferable to use perennial perennials that need to be planted next to a house or a fence. Given the fact that they will trail, there is the opportunity to make a bright hedge.
- Country. It is allowed to make it a bit sloppy, but always cozy. Prefer thick perennials so that weeds are lost against their background. It is better to plant herbs that do not require care: daisies and dandelions. Use only natural materials to design the site in front of the cottage: wood and stone.
- Chinese. It is preferable to create beautiful compositions from water so that the oriental style is preserved. Through streams it is better to put in compact bridges that will give naturalness. Water lilies will be the perfect decoration for ponds.
When choosing a particular style, try to build on your own preferences and the size of the site. For example, the Mediterranean view is not suitable for small courtyards.
Site layout
Before proceeding with the design of the site in front of the cottage, it is necessary to plan the site. Using a pencil, draw on paper how the ponds, plants and rocky compositions will be arranged. How you will allocate the area depends on your preferences.
Did you know? In ancient times, landscape design was no less popular. Emperor Claudius Caesar spent all his free time in the garden, growing roses and arranging the plot.
Tentatively, the ratio of elements may look like this:
- buildings - 100 m²;
- lanes for transport - 120 m²;
- flower beds - 50 m²;
- garden crops - 150 m²;
- garden - 120 m².
The formed plan can be transferred to the site, marking it in squares. Try to keep scaling so that there is enough space for everything you plan. You can fix the lines with the help of sharp pegs, outlining the territory and pressing them. Educated grooves can be sprinkled with lime to make them noticeable.
Walkways and paving
Choose your paving so that it matches the chosen style. If you settled on the Italian style, then the tracks should be accurate geometric shapes. In rural landscape design, they should have smooth bends.
If you are going to make a site in oriental style, then it is better to make out paths in a sinuous form. Their color should not be bright. It is better to design a site in restrained tones that will give comfort, warmth and harmony.
Paving should be used in areas where a lot of time will be spent. In particular, it is used to decorate recreation areas, children's and sports grounds. You can use paving next to benches, fountains and other bodies of water.
Plants for landscaping
If you are just starting to improve your territory, it is better not to use exotic plants. They need a lot of attention and care, which is not always suitable for summer residents. It is better to give preference to annual and perennial plants, shrubs and conifers acclimatized to your region.
Did you know? Landscape design in Ancient Greece arose only in the X century BC. e.
So you will be sure that flowers and trees will delight for many years, without requiring special care. Try to use persistent and long-playing plants so that the design of the site does not change for the worse with the onset of winter.
Video: Plant Selection in Landscaping Planning
Bulbous
The prospect of planting bulbous plants is justified by the fact that they begin to bloom with the arrival of the first spring heat. With the onset of April, your site will be transformed and will delight you with bright colors. First of all, snowdrops begin to bloom. When they bloom, inflorescences of hyacinths and crocuses will appear.
Also, tulips, daffodils and irises are often planted. They begin to delight with beautiful flowers in late April or early May, replacing crocuses and hyacinths.
By the end of May, bright lilies will bloom. Try to plant different varieties so that the garden plays with colorful shades: orange, white, pink and yellow. In summer, bulbous cultures go into a state of dormancy and will bloom only with the onset of spring.
Conifers
If you want the site to be bright throughout the year, you can plant evergreen conifers.
The best option are:
- juniper (Chinese and Virgin);
- thuja;
- cypress;
- spruce;
- Pine.
Ornamental shrubs
To give the cottage area charm, it is necessary to use decorative shrubs. There are a huge number of climbing species, thanks to which you can give the fence a bright color. You can also plant shrubs that you will trim and give them an unusual shape. Thus, the site will be transformed in different ways every year.
Important! Try to plant hydrangeas in partial shade, that is, they do not tolerate direct sunlight and drought.
In the European climate, the following types of ornamental shrubs grow well:
- hydrangeas;
- jasmine;
- tree peony;
- rhododendron.
Most often, hydrangea is found in the garden. This culture pleases gardeners not only with bright and large leaves, but also with lush inflorescences.
Perennials
In order for the garden to please you with bright colors in summer, it is necessary to plant perennials. The perfect option would be stonecrops, reed and feather grass. You can also land a cleaner, whose appearance is similar to fluffy bunny ears. Often gardeners grow spicy herbs that delight with a beautiful appearance and pleasant aroma. The best options are basil, mint and oregano.
To decorate the garden near the cottage, you can plant a rose. This flower will bloom in summer and partly in spring. Bright buds contrast beautifully with conifers.You can also plant the following types of perennials:
- yarrow;
- sage;
- delphinium;
- bells.
Chrysanthemums are especially popular in the garden. These flowers bloom in late summer and continue to delight the eye until the first frost. Saturated and large inflorescences look beautiful against the background of the autumn plot.
Creepers
In most cases, vines are used to decorate walls, fences and other types of buildings. It is necessary to ensure that the plant grows vertically. For these purposes, you can choose varieties with this type of growth (fastened with spikes or leaves), or use special supports.
The best long-term vines are:
- Wild grapes.
- Honeysuckle.
- Ivy.
- Wisteria.
- Schisandra.
- Clematis.
Decor application
To complement the private garden area next to the cottage, you can use different decor. Garden figurines are often used, because their cost is low, and the transformation of the garden is immediately noticeable. The advantage of such a decor is that it can be moved to different sides of the site.
Many gardeners decorate the landscape with rock gardens or fountains. Thanks to these methods, you can recreate the alpine style. The area next to the house will be similar to the resorts of Switzerland and France.
Garden figures
Very often in the courtyards of private cottages you can see various garden figures. They give aesthetics, fabulousness and a special mood. You can choose those shapes that fit the design of the entire site.
In the past few years, gardeners have become less likely to use gnomes and storks. Creative options are increasingly being used that can easily be combined with each other. The most popular are sculptures in the Greek style, which will add romance and sophistication to any design.Alpine hill
To give the site pristine and natural, it is necessary to establish alpine hills. You can place such decorative designs as you wish.
Important! It is better not to plant an alpine hill immediately with plants, but to allow the soil to settle down throughout the winter. This will prevent violation of the root system after subsidence.
You can create them yourself if you carefully follow the instructions:
- Dig a pit 30 cm deep.
- Pour a thick layer of gravel and broken brick (about 20 cm).
- Pour sand on top and cover it with soil.
- Lay the natural stone. First, it is better to use large specimens, and leave small ones at the end, placing them in a chaotic manner.
- Fill the crevices between the stones, peat or soddy ground.
- Tamp the soil and let it brew for a few days.
- Plant the plants.
Fountains and reservoirs
If you equip the territory near the cottage with artificial ponds, you can not only increase the soil moisture. Thanks to such elements in the decor, the site becomes more expressive. Creating streams, waterfalls, pools and ponds is the best option for those who love to be alone with nature. Resting near fountains and ponds, you can achieve peace.
To decorate a beautiful courtyard near the cottage, you must first determine the style, and only after that choose decorative elements (ponds, figures, plants, etc.). It is very important that they all blend beautifully together for a perfect aesthetic picture.
