Owning your own land gives a lot of privileges to a modern person, especially if the bulk of his life is spent in the city. A small plot or a full-fledged orchard can bring variety to life, become a platform for relaxation or a treasury of natural fruits. To maximize the use of natural resources, the layout of the garden or plot should be carefully thought out and implemented taking into account the smallest aspects of future operation.
Layout scale
Any layout begins with the formation of the scheme. To do this, you can use a regular sheet of paper and a pencil with a ruler. The essence of the method is to visualize and visualize the location of household objects on the site: paths, places with green spaces, decorative elements and other garden attributes. By applying a grid, not only the layout of the garden and the garden is formed, but also the lines of symmetry are worked out when placing the objects. This is important if the greatest emphasis is placed on the aesthetic function of the territory.
The grid pitch should be determined by the dimensions of the house and the site itself. For gardens with an area of not more than 6 acres, the step can correspond to two real meters, and if it exceeds 20 acres, then indents equivalent to three meters can be made. In the designated cells, you can mark the location of green landings, arbors, buildings, beds, utilities, pool, etc. The main task at this stage is to roughly outline a plan in which user requests will be taken into account and compared with the capabilities of a particular garden or plot.
What factors are considered during the planning?
The inclusion of certain functional zones in the project will depend on the conditions in which the site will be operated. In this regard, the layout of the garden should include the following factors:
- Distribution possibilities for fruit trees with lush crowns. The presence of one such instance will require up to 4 square meters of free space.
- Soil characteristics. Fruit plants have a powerful root structure that only fertile soil can provide . It is difficult to get a good crop on rocky, clay or sandy soil. In addition, the groundwater level must be taken into account.
- Relief. On uneven ground it is advisable to break a decorative garden. The layout of the plot for the garden requires an equal area, since cold air will linger in the hollows and depressions and moisture will accumulate - such places are not suitable for fruit vegetation.
- Open to the sun. Green spaces should be protected from the wind and at the same time access to light and heat. Therefore, the possibility of creating favorable conditions in the existing area should be foreseen in advance. If this is not possible, some varieties of trees will have to be abandoned.
Preparatory work
If there is a need to create a flat area, then you should start by adjusting the landscape. When the site is leveled, it is necessary to proceed to the formation of pits and pits for the septic tank and reservoir (if any in the project). The soil itself can be maintained in its current state if it is planned to equip a garden garden plot. The garden, the layout of which had not previously affected the soil layer, should be dug up and the weeds on its territory destroyed.
If the site is large, then manual weeding can be very time-consuming, so it will not be out of place to use special preparations for spraying unwanted vegetation. Getting rid of old fruit trees is not recommended, even if they do not bear fruit. Firstly, they can give a shadow, which is important for the beds, and secondly, it can take years to form new trees.
Communication support
A modern site cannot be imagined without an established engineering infrastructure. Such systems will facilitate the operation and maintenance of the site, increase its functionality and will create additional conditions for recreation. In particular, the layout of the garden may include drainage systems, sewers, the organization of the passage of the gas pipeline and water supply. It is also necessary to provide for the presence of a well, septic tank or well. These engineering facilities should be located at a sufficient distance from each other. It is impossible not to provide for a street lighting system in the garden. It is advisable to conduct electrical wiring at a depth of about 70 cm. Laying must be carried out before plants are planted and garden paths are equipped.
Regular or landscape layout?
There are two approaches to organizing green spaces in the garden: landscape and regular. There is no strict border between these concepts, but there are certain rules that adherents of these ideas are guided by. So, if the landscape layout of the garden is carried out, then the free arrangement of trees, plants and ornamental shrubs is permissible . It is possible to mix fruit and vegetable crops with vegetation that performs an aesthetic function. In practice, close combination is rare, but there is no clear order in the creation of such schemes either.
The regular concept, however, involves planting shrubs, trees and vegetables on a bed in strictly formed rows at a certain distance from each other. That is, the layout of the garden can reflect the location of beds, flower beds and lines with tree planting in the form of squares or rectangles.
Where and what plants to plant?
Initially, you should choose those varieties that can develop and bear fruit precisely in the climatic conditions where the site is located. For example, the middle lane provides good conditions for the growth of apple, pear, cherry, cherry plum and plum. In warm regions, apricots and cherries take root well. Among the berry shrubs that also grow in these latitudes, we can distinguish currants, blackberries, gooseberries and raspberries. By the way, in a small area, it is advisable to plant bushes around the perimeter of the site.
The listed varieties will make it possible to form a harmonious personal garden plot. The garden, the layout of which also provides a place for vegetable beds, may contain cucumbers, cabbage, peas, celery, potatoes and other crops that can grow in close proximity. The arrangement of beds can be different and not necessarily strictly symmetrical. For example, there is an option in which, with the help of a decorative plate, the center of the plot from which the garden paths go is indicated. The beds are located between them, with crops of a certain type growing on each strip.
Household block
Functionally, this is the most important part of the site, as it will be responsible for all the technical support of the area. According to the zoning rules, no more than 30% of the entire territory is allocated for this part. This block may include a utility room, a house, a sennik, a pantry, a workshop, a toilet with shower and other facilities. When determining the location for buildings, it is important not to forget about the endurance of the boundaries of the sanitary zone, which takes into account the planning of the garden. A photo illustrating an example of organizing a business unit on a site is presented below.
Rest zone
Whether it’s a small garden or a spacious garden - it must have a corner where you can rest after a hard day on the beds or have a real feast with outdoor activities. Even a compact garden layout on 6 acres may include a modest, but harmoniously inscribed arbor. Needless to say, on large areas of land where you can organize a summer kitchen, equip a swimming pool, build an observation deck and much more. The list of ideas for implementation is limited only by the capabilities of the area and the desire of the owner. But in any case, the recreation area should have a thoughtful location relative to other functional areas. It is desirable to remove it as much as possible from household blocks and communication facilities.
Conclusion
There are no clear rules for creating planning schemes for plots and gardens in our time, because owners are increasingly striving to individualize their own property. With his own hands, the created layout of the garden embodies the aesthetic view of the owner on the organization of the “piece of nature” and his needs in the functional provision of the site. Of course, it is one thing to plan the future organization of the garden, and another to implement it. Moreover, green spaces sometimes require several seasons to demonstrate their decorative qualities and bring first fruits. And yet, when this happens, every budding gardener realizes that everything was not in vain.