Achievements of modern civilization are moving farther away from man. The life cycle often violates the natural harmony that connects us with the world of flora and fauna. In this regard, many people are interested in gardening, creating flower beds and growing exotic plants. Designing a summer cottage is a useful activity that allows you to relax and enjoy the exterior features of your own territory. This article will discuss the popular ideas of the basic elements of landscape design in combination with residential buildings.
Planning
To clothe space in aesthetic forms, it is impossible to do without planning. Virtual dividing the total area will help to create initial guidelines. As can be seen in many photos, the design of a summer cottage requires an integrated approach. On well-maintained estates, everything is usually streamlined and subject to certain rules. Therefore, you must immediately decide where and what will be in each individual corner. At the same time, you need to strive to accommodate your own unique options that match your inner world.
It is necessary to think over what materials will be used in the work, and calculate their cost. When arranging a place for recreation, each owner should proceed from his abilities. After all, the main task of this work is to make the house and its surrounding vegetation blend well, and for this it is not necessary to buy expensive materials. You should not think that such classes are only for professionals. If desired, any summer resident can cope with this interesting idea.
Main sites
All areas on the site must comply with the intended purpose. The total area can be divided into the following functional areas:
- main buildings;
- central - visible zone;
- household part;
- garden and garden areas;
- playground;
- area for recreation.
It is important to remember that the boundaries between the individual elements must be blurred. When landscaping a summer cottage, it is necessary to ensure that all its modules merge into a single image that fits perfectly into the territory with buildings. For these purposes, use curly arches, plantings from low shrubs and various decorative elements. To make less mistakes during the work, it is better to make a small sketch on paper with the project plan.
Layout Types
It would be wise to embody your own landscape ideas in the design of a summer cottage with your own hands by combining it with one of the standard options used by designers.
- Free type. It implies the free placement of sections and the use of natural natural relief adjacent to the house. Meanwhile, the site should be quite cultured and not look neglected. To avoid the undesirable effect, you need to focus on larger aesthetic islands throughout the territory.
- Rectangular type. Widely used and at the same time suitable for beginner designers. The scheme of such a site consists of geometric elements and is designed very simply. Such compositions look quite original and create an atmosphere of order.
- Diagonal type. The basis of this layout is the principle of diagonal parallels. It is more suitable for small estates, as it visually expands the space and erodes the contours of the sections.
- Round type. These are advanced geometric design elements. Looking at landscapes of extraordinary ideas in a photo with decorated summer cottages, one can observe rather bold and complex decisions. This option is suitable for lovers of creativity, because it gives great freedom for imagination. Masking of rectangular shapes is created, in particular, from plants. Rounded undulating lawns and flower beds can transform a nondescript garden into an exclusive fairy-tale corner reflecting the preferences of its owner.
Traditional parks
In the cultural complex, it is important to coordinate all well-viewed sections and the front part of the courtyard with the country house. The effect of completeness can be created using traditional parks.
Very interesting and peculiar is the idea of designing a summer cottage with elements of English handwriting. Its thematic direction is to create the illusion of antiquity, where a person’s hand did not touch some of the landscape sites.
Elements of the French park are perfect for arranging the main entrance. These are large flowerpots and symmetrical flowerbeds with the most accurate layout, giving the overall picture a stylish look.
The traditional Italian park is characterized by fragments of stone ruins surrounded by lush plantings. Flowers for the design of flower beds need to choose saturated colors. It is important to give the impression of a vibrant and vibrant vegetation.
Most popular styles
People have been making dachas for a long time. Despite the fact that they underwent changes, the basic styles in their arrangement have been preserved and are readily used by experienced designers. These include the following:
- landscape;
- architectural;
- classical;
- rural;
- Japanese.
There is another unique style that deserves more detailed consideration.
Eclectic Ideas
The organization of this style is important to approach especially competently. Techniques for decorating a summer cottage using eclecticism allow you to combine incompatible styles. Mixing the heterogeneous components of some people is confusing. In fact, this arrangement does not go beyond the reasonable. It is used by many experienced designers and achieve unsurpassed results. So that such areas do not look tasteless, you need to follow the main eclectic rules. Properly executed details look very sophisticated and harmonious. The following are a few principles applied by professionals:
- Four options are not allowed. Style differences between them are erased due to repeated colors. When combining elements alien to each other, one design idea should be pursued. In order for the filled space to look like a single whole, it is necessary to introduce general-purpose items.
- In any suburban project, the home environment is divided into zones. So, when mixing several styles, the boundaries of the functional areas are distinguished more clearly. For such purposes, use low curly fences, or pergolas.
- Particular attention should be paid to the color scheme. Naturalness harmonizes well with eclecticism, but by no means is it monotony. You should not paint all the components in one color.
- In relation to benches for rest and arbors it is necessary to show moderation. Busting in such things can give the viewer the impression of a lack of any logic.
- Extremes must be avoided. For example, against the background of traditional wattle from a flexible vine, plastic chairs will not look. Likewise, an expensive wood set is absolutely incompatible with the Japanese fountain.
In order to master the principles of the style under discussion, you first need to visually familiarize yourself with some ideas for designing a summer cottage with your own hands. Photos illustrating the beauty and virtues of this kind of art can be seen in our article.
The use of eclecticism allows you to save time and money in case of necessary fundamental changes on the site. Perhaps something was broken in the design due to new buildings. The preserved parts of the landscape can be supplemented with details made in a different style.
Garden decoration
Garden design should begin with larger objects. A combination of landscape and regular (classic) style is appropriate. Mandatory elements of the second are trimmed hedges, a lawn with a curb and flower beds with intricate shapes. All these stands will look good in the central part of the courtyard. The rest of the area can be filled with landscape compositions that envelope decorative trees.
Renovation of the garden should be carried out selectively. Replace adult fruit trees with new ones as needed. If possible, at least a few old plants should be left. They give the garden a beautiful and majestic appearance.
Building requirements
On a site with a large area, the country house should become an emphasis on the general background. It is not at all necessary to paint it in one tone with other buildings, the main thing is that it be with them in a single color combination.
Do not build massive complexes in small areas. Additional buildings should be somewhat scattered between living plants. The correct distribution of elements will affect the general appearance of the summer cottage. Making small estates requires a uniform alternation of landscape islands with arbors, benches, a bathhouse and other decor items. To avoid the feeling of limited space, do not put a high fence.
Rest zone
It is impossible to get real pleasure from relaxation without cooking on fire. Owners of suburban areas give priority to the recreation area. Whatever the idea of designing a summer cottage area with your own hands, you can not do without a barbecue. If you plan to create a section in the Russian style, then the traditional oven will take its place in it. For her, you need to take a separate place.
How a summer cottage will be decorated depends on its size and material capabilities of the owner. In a small area you can place equipment for barbecue. Under it, you need to construct a wooden flooring and a canopy. The foundation for the Russian stove and barbecue will serve as a platform in the form of laying out of brick clinker and stone. You need to think about comfort while relaxing.
It would be nice to place a table and several armchairs near the barbecue. Wicker furniture made of rogantha looks very rich. Plastic products are much cheaper. Such furniture is practical and will fit perfectly into the overall composition if it matches the color.
Tracks
Garden paths connect all zones together. Their forms usually depend on the chosen style. The winding trails are in perfect harmony with the landscape design. Paths laid along the central lines are made wider than the rest. Mosaic decoration of several colors looks pretty good. Solid paths can be bordered by low plants.
The laid-back forms, covered with natural pebbles, are beautifully combined with deciduous ornamental plants. You can create interesting tracks from crumbs and sand. A combination of the same materials is allowed, but the use of different types of finishes is not recommended.
Flower beds
If something can be excluded during the arrangement of free space, then this is by no means a planting of flowers. Without them, it is not possible whatever the design of the summer cottage was. Photos with original compositions can be found in our article. To create flower beds, plants are selected according to criteria such as appearance, color, survival rate, and adaptation to climatic conditions. Types of colorful plantings are very different. Here is some of them:
- geometric flower beds from deciduous plants;
- compacted group landings;
- elongated flower beds (discount);
- longline plantations (border);
- single placement of plants in the style of tapeworm;
- ground flower beds;
- mobile exclusive flower beds;
- exotic deserts with succulents landed on the sand.
To beat the bumps in the relief, you can organize an alpine slide or flower garden with a raised bridge. Imitation of the highlands perfectly mask all kinds of defects and can become a worthy decoration of a country estate. The wild landscape is created from improvised materials: granite, gerbils, natural stones and limestone. Then several mountain plants are planted, harmoniously combined with each other.
Ponds
When making a summer cottage site with your own hands, you can get great pleasure from creating a reservoir. Such an element brings a special twist to the overall landscape. Before proceeding with its arrangement, it is important to calculate all sizes and think about proper maintenance. It is worth considering that caring for an artificial lake is not so simple, as well as the fact that the prepared reservoir visually looks much smaller than it actually is. Having considered the practical aspects, you should choose the appropriate style. If a classic prevails in a project, the water body must be built in clear, even forms. Brooks made of natural materials will fit well into the landscape style.
Conclusion
To create a cozy atmosphere around a country house, you do not need to be a designer. Approaching correctly this issue, you will be pleasantly surprised. Thanks to the recommendations of professionals and personal imagination, the results of your work will look no worse than in the photo. The landscape design of the summer cottage will bring you a lot of useful emotions, and you will feel like a creative genius.