Front yard cottage garden
13 pretty cottage front yards |
(Image credit: Future/Clive Nichols Photography Ltd )
Framed by a white neat picket fence and containing a profusion of blooms billowing in the breeze, front yard cottage gardens are amongst our favorites. The epitome of charming front yard design, these dreamy, idyllic set-ups are surprisingly easy to create, making the cottage front yard perfect for beginners.
'Part of the ethos of a cottage garden is imbuing it with your own personality – there are no rules, just plant what you love to create a garden that appeals to you,' advises garden expert Leigh Clapp, 'whether you want to evoke a chocolate box image or just draw on elements of the flower-filled cottage style in a border, the appeal is popular for both country and urban dwellers, and for any garden size.'
Use your cottage backyard ideas as inspiration for your design, adding them to our favorite front yard cottage garden ideas below.
Front yard cottage garden ideas
If you are rethinking your front yard landscaping ideas, why not go down the cottage-style route? Packed with color, interest and wildlife-friendly planting, the exuberance and old world charm of this garden style is hard to resist.
1. Climb roses up the exterior of your house to create a romantic facade
(Image credit: Future)
The most important part of this look are the front yard flower bed ideas, with flowering climbers a must-have. Drawing the eye upwards and helping to create harmony between the house and garden, climbing roses are a staple of the cottage garden front yard.
'A climber grown on the wall of your house will often be the earliest garden rose to flower due to the additional warmth the wall provides,' says Richard Austin, manager of David Austin Roses .
Pick scented varieties like The Generous Gardener, Paul Noël or Constance Spry to fill your front yard with its romantic scent. Plus, if you grow it up the walls of the house, the delicate blooms will also fill your rooms with its floral perfume when you open the windows.
2. Opt for a rustic stone wall to frame your home's exterior
(Image credit: Unsplash)
Front garden wall ideas are often an overlooked aspect of the garden, yet they are a key part of any design.
Opt for a boundary inspired by the countryside with a rustic stone wall. With a look that evokes the drystone walls of England's Lake District, a stone wall adds instant British charm to your front yard cottage garden and will perfectly complement a cottage planting scheme.
3. Plant for pollinators
(Image credit: Joe Wainwright)
Flowers, grasses and shrubs are the cornerstone of any front yard cottage garden creating a casual, welcoming feel to the space, and appealing to wildlife. 'Although cottage gardens look haphazard, some thought needs to be given to planning the effect,' advises garden designer Leigh Clapp.
Consider the size and height of your cottage garden plants, placing larger varieties near the back of the border and then smaller varieties near the front. However, don't be too regimented in this – after all cottage planting is supposed to have a natural appearance. Look to include flowers that attract bees and attract butterflies, too.
'A classic cottage garden is filled with pastel shades, Roses, Foxgloves and Delphiniums to name a few' advises Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies .
'Loved by bees and butterflies, your garden will be brought to life with the gentle sound of buzzing and humming.'
4. Fill your front yard with beautiful cottage flowers
(Image credit: Clive Nichols)
Adding plants to your front yard can even be good for your health – researchers at the RHS have also found that a greener front yard can make you feel happier, more relaxed and closer to nature. 'The stress reduction data is startling, in that there was such a significant response with a relatively small number of plants. Now we know that access to a tiny patch of nature has beneficial effects for our health,' says RHS Wellbeing Fellow Dr Lauriane Suyin Chalmin-Pui.
5. Lay a path to guide visitors through your front yard
(Image credit: Future / Polly Eltes)
Front yard walkway ideas are an excellent way to give your garden structure, guiding visitors to your front door, while also protecting grass and flowers from traipsing feet.
'There should be harmony between landscaping and the architecture of the house.
It’s important you use materials that are in keeping with the overall look, such as weathered bricks, flagstone, wood chips, gravel or stepping-stones,' says Leigh Clapp.
6. Avoid sharp corners
(Image credit: Future/Leigh Clapp)
When laying, be sure to follow the most-walked route and avoid creating sharp corners, as these will usually be cut off on foot. Create a less regimented look by adding in additional meanders and curves.
7. Paint your front door to complement your cottage front yard
(Image credit: Little Greene)
Your front door is the most seen part of your house and makes an important first impression, setting expectations for the interior beyond. Therefore, it is vital that it is kept looking its best and blends seamlessly with your cottage garden scheme.
Paint is a powerful tool and enables you to completely transform the appearance of your home at relatively low cost and little effort. Over the course of a weekend, you can breathe new life into the most seen part of your home.
'If you’re struggling to select a shade, greens work well in an exterior setting, it’s a really comfortable colour to use outside as we are surrounded by green in our natural environment. 'Ho Ho Green’ pairs really well with warm red brick tones.' says Ruth Mottershead the creative director at Little Greene .
8. Add a porch to create a focal point in your cottage garden front yard
(Image credit: Future)
'If your property lacks a strong entrance, then consider adding a small addition at the front, which can serve as an enclosed cottage porch or even a mini snug while creating an important focal point.' says Melanie Griffiths' editor of Period Living.
Exuding natural character and warmth, oak is the perfect choice for adding a porch to a cottage front yard. One of the strongest building materials, some medieval oak buildings are still standing today. Plus its charm and beauty increases with age and weathering, so overtime is will work seamlessly with your cottage front yard scheme.
9. Line your front path with bulbs
(Image credit: Future/Kasia Fiszer)
'What should I plant on my front walkway?' Is one of the first questions asked when it comes to designing a cottage garden front yard – and the answer is yes, but that front walkway plants need to be durable while also show-stopping.
Bulbs are a great choice. Filling the garden with color and character before everything else has got going, planting bulbs on your front walkway is a great idea.
As seen in this cute cottage garden front yard, daffodils look stunning snaking their way alongside the cobbled walkway – the secret is however, that it's actually really easy to do. Simply plant them in fall and let nature do the rest.
10. Decorate your cottage front yard with containers
(Image credit: Future/Leigh Clapp)
If you want to take your front walkway planting to the next level, think about using different bulbs to map the seasons along your front walkway in containers.
Start with snowdrops for the end of winter, then crocuses, through to daffodils and tulips – by layering bulbs (also known as a bulb lasagna) you will get a succession of stunning flowers for minimal upkeep.
11. Channel the quintessential cottage garden front yard with a white picket fence
(Image credit: Future/Clive Nichols Photography Ltd )
A beautiful white picket fence is an essential component of the cottage garden front yard – containing a profusion of colorful hollyhock blooms and rambling red roses creates a picture postcard front yard cottage look for this 17th-century cottage home.
12. Add a window box for blooms in even the smallest front yard cottage garden
(Image credit: Getty)
If you're wondering 'What can I do with a small front yard?', then front yard cottage garden ideas are perfect. Even if you don't have a large front yard, you can still create a cottage scheme with beautiful blooms using a window box. A great way to add curb appeal to your home's exterior, window boxes, along with potted plants and hanging baskets, draw the eye and can create an uplifting display.
Metal or zinc planters make the perfect foil for flowers, while a wooden window box will blend in naturally with the house and garden scheme. If opting for a painted or colored window box pick a neutral shade that lets the flowers take center stage.
(Image credit: Getty)
When it comes to designing your window box, follow the 'thriller, spiller, filler' technique to create a show stopping display.
Also think about how your display is going to respond to the different seasons. 'Ringing in the seasonal changes means you can enjoy an ever-changing display of outdoor potted plants as the year unfolds. Either pot the old plants up in new displays or plant them out in the garden,' advises Isabelle Palmer of The Balcony Gardener , an expert in container gardening and author of Modern Container Gardening .
Be sure to incorporate lots of trailing plants (or spillers) to give your container a laid-back natural look – lobelia, variegated ivy and trailing geraniums all add a cottage feel.
13. Create front yard cottage garden sanctuary with a garden gate
(Image credit: Future)
Practical additions to your home can also be beautiful. As well as offering protection (and keeping the dog in the garden), a garden gate adds an extra level of cottage charm to your front yard. Opting for a quaint wooden or an intricate metal design will complement the cottage style of your front yard.
Painting your gate and front door in the same shade also creates harmony between the two entrances to your home. We love this soothing sage shade which perfectly complements the brighter green of the hedges and plants and reflects the warmth of the pebble path.
Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature four years ago, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title. Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending.
This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature.
8 Best Cottage Garden Ideas
A garden has always been an expression of personal style, as well as a reflection of the times—which may explain why cottage gardens (and, really, all things cottagecore) have been trending the past few years. Instead of tidy manicured plots, the focus has turned to creating more casual, peaceful spaces with winding paths and a riot of flowers and roses tumbling over stone walls. The goal in garden design has become to embrace the bright, unrestrained joy only nature offers during unsettling times.
Originally, cottage gardens were productive spaces where herbs, vegetables, flowers, and livestock were raised together.
“In the Victorian era, the style shifted into more informal gardens, crammed with flowering plants and championed by designers such as Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson,” says Greg Loades, author of The Modern Cottage Garden: A Fresh Approach to a Classic Style.“Cottage gardening is a way to maximize your space without there being too much order in the planting, yet never letting the garden go completely ‘wild.’ There’s also a strong element of nostalgia, perhaps for your grandparent’s garden and a place that’s timeless, not progressive.”
Cottage gardens have an ethereal charm that lures you in and offers refuge from the craziness of the modern world. “A cottage garden has a feeling of abundance. It’s lush. It’s colorful,” says Katherine “Kat” Aul Cervoni, landscape designer and founder of Staghorn NYC and The Cultivation. “It’s not a restrained palette of plants or colors. It’s a relaxed and happy space, and it’s OK if it’s not perfect.” Even container gardens and window boxes can reflect this joyful approach, if those are the only spaces you have for gardening.
Here are 8 cottage garden ideas to try in your front yard or backyard, no matter how big or small.
1
Attract Pollinators with Annuals and Perennials
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Cottage gardens are places where more really is more, and there’s always room to plant one more flower. “Make use of all your space,” says Loades. “Plant in small gaps between established plants, in pots, in between paving slabs.” Incorporate annuals for instant color and perennials, which come back year after year. A few quintessential cottage garden plants include pansies, foxglove, hollyhocks, delphinium, lady’s mantle, dianthus, calendula, and lavender.
2
Add Variety with Edibles
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Every cottage garden needs edibles tucked here and there among the ornamental plants. “In its historical context, flowers were planted to attract beneficial pollinators for edibles,” says Cervoni.
Many edibles are lovely in their own right too, such as rainbow Swiss chard, lettuce, sorrel, and perennial herbs such as salvia and thyme, especially when left to flower.
3
Train Flowering Vines onto Garden Structures
Jacky Parker PhotographyGetty Images
An arbor, arch, trellis, pergola, or even an obelisk not only anchors a garden but also offers flowering vines, a cottage mainstay, a place to climb, says Cervoni. Consider the fleeting beauty of sweet peas, which prefer the cool temperatures of spring, or flowering vines like jasmine, morning glories, clematis, and climbing or rambling roses, which will color and beauty for the rest of the growing season.
4
Change Up the View with an Informal Path
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A meandering path allows you to explore your garden from many perspectives.
Formal hardscaping typically isn’t used, but rather more relaxed materials such as pebbles, stepping-stones, or reclaimed brick are ideal. Woven borders made from wicker or willow and lush edging plants such as thyme and lady’s mantle further soften the edges, says Loades.
5
Appeal to the Senses with Fragrant Plants
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Gardens should appeal to every sense, and scent is one of the most important features of a cottage garden. Many plants also have scented foliage, which adds another layer of enjoyment to your garden experience. Opt for roses such as ‘Maid Marion,’ ‘Princess Anne,’ and ‘Gertrude Jekyll.’ Other fragrant plants to incorporate include peonies, catmint, salvia, lavender, and hardy geraniums.
6
Find a Spot for a Pretty Bench
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A garden is meant to be enjoyed, so be sure to place seating throughout, says Loades.
Classic benches and outdoor furniture made from simple materials such as wood and iron are best suited to the feel of a cottage garden.
7
Infuse Personality with Garden Ornaments
Jacky Parker PhotographyGetty Images
Incorporate garden ornaments that speak to you, says Cervoni, who suggests pieces that will age beautifully. Such items include interesting pieces of driftwood or shells, an antique iron chair or a copper pot left to patina, a weathered stone trough covered in moss, or a classic birdbath. Use a restrained hand so the pieces accent rather than overwhelm the space.
8
Add Definition with Flowering Shrubs
Mark Harrison / EyeEmGetty Images
Traditional cottage gardens had hedges for privacy, as well as to keep livestock out of the edibles. If space allows, add hedging plants such as small flowering shrubs or evergreens to provide a border, structure, and privacy, says Cervoni.
Cottage garden edging favorites include lavender, inkberry holly, hydrangeas, and boxwoods, which can be left natural or sheared, per your preference.
Arricca Elin Sansone Arricca SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more.
Plots and gardens in the courtyard - 135 best photos, landscape design of the plot, garden and vegetable garden
Natural garden. Zhukovka XXI century. 2017-2018
ARCADIA GARDEN Landscape Studio
Two years of daily work with tight deadlines and the number of workers up to 50 people a day, and the most interesting project of a large natural garden became a reality. Everything in it is unusual - from bionic architecture and the original solution of the relief, to openness to the winds, river beauties and the eyes of walking people. The house fits perfectly into the existing and created terrain, making it possible to smoothly rise to the terraces of the second floor directly from the ground.
Panoramic glazing creates the closest connection with the garden, and a magnificent view of the river is framed by expressive tree plantings. This is the great power of his charm for the owners. The implementation of this large-scale project made it possible to realize our past experience with elastopeve paving, in which it is very important to choose the right color of pebbles, taking into account the darkening from the resin, the creation of author's picturesque reservoirs with large stones and waterfalls, although all previous ones were concrete and no smaller than 170 cm, for swimming , and this one was designed - shallow, gently sloping and gravel, providing for a wintering zone for fish, lining the retaining walls with gabions - performed very high quality, with two types of stone, landscape lighting devices with 18 separate switching lines. From the new experience - the construction of a sports ground with artificial grass on a gravel base with lighting masts, the creation of a vegetable garden with beds made of Corten steel, the pouring of a large concrete bridge of slabs across the pond.
We carefully selected all the plants in Germany, paying great attention to the crown, the nature of the formation, we grew 40 thousand perennials in our nursery, part of the shrubs and tall pines - from Russian nurseries. 500 thousand bulbs are planted in the garden, thanks to them from April to July it turns into a bright sea of colors and textures. During the year after the commissioning, work on the site continued. We were entrusted with all care. At the request of the customer, we redesigned some areas, making them more private. For this, the best solution was backstage from slender cedar pines from Altai. We additionally separated the gazebo area from those walking along the river by planting a large group of formed Bonsai pines. Practical paving, powerful hills that hide the fence, huge areas of grasses and perennials, tall sprawling pines, very interesting in shape of Banks pines, a picturesque pond that reflects the house - these are the components of the unique appearance of the garden.
Already in June, shoulder-high grass massifs rise, adding depth and creating a feeling of returning to childhood, to the endless expanses of meadows. Wild ducks fly into the transparent pond to splash, and cats are interested in its inhabitants - Koi carps, sowing in the thickets of marsh iris. Project basis: Mikhail Kozlov. Refinement and implementation: Landscape Studio Arcadia Garden photo: Diana Dubovitskaya
Architectural design of a private house
Bon Ton
Fresh design idea for a modern style summer yard and backyard garden with afternoon shade, gravel and a garden path or gate - great photo of the interior
Woollahra Villa Garden
Think Outside Gardens
This walled Woollahra courtyard garden was built as an entry to a recently renovated house but also as a private relaxation space. Through a laser cut corten steel entry gate you get glimpses of a private oasis beyond.
Its rich warm brown color is perfectly matched with the new spotted gum decking on the porch and the feature downlight by the front door. Soft gravel and steeping stones outside and through the gate draw the visitor in adding a soft and organic feel. Three steps lead to a generous deck wrapping around a corner to reveal more space for entertaining and an outdoor lounge. Planted here is some Boston ivy that will grow up the wall and further green up the space creating a seasonal element with its autumn leaves. An eclectic and varied planting palette of different leaf shapes and colors creates texture and stands out against the white walls. Plants were also chosen for their hardiness and low maintenance requirements. Two Olives planted within the gravel provide a light canopy and a frangipani near the lounge will be great to sit under as it grows taller over the years. The resulting garden is not only a lovely entry for the residents and their visitors but also a spot where they can sit and relax.
An Arlington Residence
Scott Brinitzer Design Associates
The garden that we created unifies the property by knitting together five different garden areas into an elegant landscape surrounding the house. Different garden rooms, each with their own character and “mood”, offer places to sit or wander through to enjoy the property. The result is that in a small space you have several different garden experiences all while understanding the context of the larger garden plan.
Alderley Courtyard
Define Landscape Architecture
Sunken courtyard
Pictured: Small Summer Lot and Modern Courtyard Garden with Midday Shade and Stone Paving with
Purple Rain
0 gardenUP® photo: large summer regular courtyard garden in classical style with a garden path or gate, midday shade and gravel cover c
和庭 I-tsuboniwa
グリーン サムズアップ
小さな を 大きな 安らぎ の 和 スペース に に に
Stylish design: small shady, summer site and garden in the courtyard in the eastern style - the last trend
Manhattan Beach Residence
Subu Design Architecture 9000 9000 9000 9000 Manolo Langis Photographer
Design idea for a small sunny phytowall in a nautical courtyard with good lighting and paving stones
Mid-Century Upgrade, Seattle
Mark S.
Garff, Landscape Architect
In Seattle's Crown Hill neighborhood, a young couple recently upgraded a mid-century modern home with an amazing view of Puget Sound. A modern plant palette with year round vibrant color sets off the architecture. Installed in June, 2014. photography: Mark S. Garff ASLA, LLA
Living Walls
Urban Landscape
http://onpagevisibility.com
Inspiration for home decor: contemporary backyard yard and garden
A perfect spot for Coffee
Georgia Lindsay Garden Design
This compact courtyard garden has maximized every part to transform it into a lovely social space to enjoy with family and friends classic courtyard garden
Manor Farm Barn - my own Cotswold courtyard garden by Jo Alderson Phillips
Joanne Alderson Design
My own Cotswold courtyard garden in a simple contemporary style.
It has a strong formal structure that is designed to work throughout the seasons. I used mature trees in huge corten steel planters to create structure & shade in this south facing garden & added pretty planting to soften it & add seasonal interest.
Neutra House
CONNATE DESIGN
Fresh design idea: retro patio and garden with midday shadow - great photo of the interior
Zoom sur les plantes condimentaires du jardin-terraBosse
Paysanecval - concepta
La plante huître fait partie d´un genre botanique où toutes les plantes ont plus ou moins des feuilles au goût iodé. La Mertensia maritima, aussi appelée mertensie maritime, pulmonaire de Virginie, sanguine de mer, huître végétale est l´espèce qui a la saveur la plus proche de l'huître c´est réellement surprenant. On l'a utilisee pour vegétaliser les jardinières du restaurant.
Small Courtyard Landscape outdoors zen like
DeBora Rachelle Inc.
small zen like courtyard turned from a mud puddle to a nice modern simple area to enjoy. small budget, small area, small courtyard.
Inspiration for homeliness: small, regular modernist courtyard garden with garden path or gate, afternoon shade and paving
Urban Gardens
Ann-Marie Powell Gardens Ltd
Home Inspiration: Small Sunny Plot and Modern Courtyard Garden with Well Lighting and Decking
Peaceful Spa-inspired Retreat
Peery Homes
Original Design Example: Large Patio and Courtyard Garden neoclassical style (modern classic) with midday shade and stone paving
25 best summer cottage planning projects
There are many photographs on the Internet depicting impeccably designed summer cottages. They photographed beautiful cottages with terraces and pools, surrounded by well-composed flower gardens. Everything looks perfect in the pictures, but how to achieve such perfection in your summer cottage.
Everything starts with planning. First, the land allotment and everything related to it is examined, and after that a plan for the future estate is drawn up.
Contents
Site analysis
Pre-project analysis of the site helps to plan it with the greatest practicality. This is a kind of diagnostic that will show where it is best to build a house, where to plant a garden, how to prepare the soil for planting.
What does the analysis of the territory include:
It is important to pay attention to the very shape of the site. Its configuration determines the distribution of zones for various purposes and the trajectory of garden paths.
Where to build a residential building
The main building on the summer cottage is a house. Subsequently, it cannot be moved in one direction or another, therefore, when choosing a place for its construction, the proverb “measure seven times, cut once” is true. First of all, you need to know where it is definitely impossible to build it.
In the practice of building residential buildings, there are restrictions of a purely practical nature, as well as building codes and regulations (SNiP).
Basic rules in plain language: 9 ; After taking into account all the restrictions determined by various kinds of technical regulations, there remains a part of the land available for the legal construction of a house. It is not recommended to locate the house in the depths of plot , as its usable area will not be used rationally: the length of the path leading to the gate and the access roads to the utility yard and the house will increase. Yes, and each time to overcome a long way to the front door is not very convenient, especially in winter. The division of the suburban area into zones is carried out for the same reason that partitions between separate rooms are installed in the apartment. Only instead of brick walls, something else is used here. The division into zones in most cases does not imply the creation of clear boundaries from blank fences. Thanks to this, in order to get, for example, from a place of rest to a garden, it is not necessary to bypass a long fence. The zoning of a summer house should be approached by considering the features of the relief of the land plot, its location in relation to neighboring houses and, of course, taking into account your desires. As a rule, there are 4 main zones: Each of these zones can be divided into sub-zones. A large yard often has a patio or space for a garage. If the yard is small, a place for a garage and parking is allocated in the utility part, but a separate entrance for the car is planned. In addition, it is possible to make additional sites adapted to the needs of family members: sports, creative, relaxation. If there are children in the family, a playground is created in the recreation area or in the yard, which can be combined with a sports ground. Decorative fences are used to separate one zone from another. They are made in the form of a lattice or a low fence and do not block the view of the landscape. You can also use a hedge of deciduous shrubs or conifers. Different types of flower beds are an excellent way to distinguish between flower beds: borders, flower borders and mixborders. They break along the demarcation paths. A solid fence for zoning can only be used when it is necessary to completely fence off any part of the site. For example, dust is brought into the yard from the garden by the wind and it needs to be protected from dirt. A decorative hedge will not help in this case, you need to install an impenetrable fence or create a high hedge. It is recommended to proceed in the same way when it is required to completely separate the economic part of the cottage. If the relief of the site has elevation differences, retaining walls are used as a dividing element. 3-4 wide steps on the steepest slope will make it easier to move around the territory and become a natural transition between separate areas: a garden and a vegetable garden, a yard and a resting place. Statistics show that the garden and garden occupy up to 75% of the land in the country house, and divide them in half between them. Consequently, about 25-30%, that is, almost a third of the total area, goes under vegetable beds. That's enough. Considering that the garden is not the most aesthetic object on the site, it is usually set up on the outskirts, at the far border. It is impossible to grow a good crop of vegetables without watering, so when planning a garden, it is important to think about the way water is supplied. These can be pipes laid in the ground, a well drilled directly next to the beds, or a large tank filled with water using a hose. An area that is too shaded will also not produce high yields. It should not be surrounded by tall trees or a fence blocking sunlight. For this reason, the garden is not arranged on a narrow strip between the garden and a solid hedge, on the north side of the house or on the northern slope. Fruit trees are planted in several ways: in one place in a large group, in one row along the border of the site, pointwise throughout the dacha. If the site allows, it is better to arrange a garage with parking for personal vehicles next to the house, but on the opposite side from the main entrance. In this case, the yard will be completely freed, and there will be a great opportunity to create a beautiful landscape in it with an artificial reservoir, flower beds, a stone garden. This location of the garage will allow you to build it under the same roof with utility rooms: a woodcutter, a square, a change house for garden tools. When the house is planned close to the side border of the plot, the area between it and the opposite border has to be divided into two parts: a courtyard and a place for a garage. In this position, it is better when the facade of the house with the front door is turned towards the street, since the porch will not occupy the usable area between the garage and the wall of the building. Ennoble the yard flower garden, broken at the garage wall. Different people may have different ideas about recreation. For some, this is training on the sports ground, for others, relaxation by the pool, and for others, barbecue with friends. But for all this you need to allocate a place and equip it appropriately. When choosing a leisure site, it is recommended to adhere to three rules. Rest area must be: A patio area is arranged in the spacious yard. It is not far from the entrance to the house, so in the summer season you can start every morning with coffee in the fresh air and end the day here with a cup of tea. If the area of the yard does not allow or is already occupied by parking, a garage, a playground, then the resting place is arranged on an open terrace. It is no less romantic than the patio, and besides, all the tea and coffee facilities are at hand. For a small company to relax, you can make a gazebo in the garden. In the gazebo itself or not far from it, a barbecue is installed or a place for barbecue is provided. The surrounding background is designed accordingly. A pond, stream, waterfall, cascade and other hydraulic structures are created as independent decorative objects or as part of a composition with an alpine slide. What exactly to choose for the improvement of a suburban area depends on its area. The reservoir is located in a visible, open place, away from trees, the foliage of which can clog the water. Integrated into a recreation area, a pond or stream will perfectly complement the landscape and make leisure time more enjoyable. If for technical reasons it is not possible to create a reservoir, you can make a dry stream. Unlike a water stream, it has its own advantages: it does not attract insects, it is safe for children. Small architectural structures will help to dilute the landscape and make it more saturated. Sometimes they are purely aesthetic, but they can also have a practical purpose. These are various types of gazebos, pergolas, bridges, well log cabins and more. Such elements are surrounded by flower beds and ornamental vegetation. It is not customary to decorate a garden with artistic elements, but you can do something in it. For example, it is permissible to build a small bench and a pergola in the form of an arch, in the shade of which it is pleasant to rest. If vegetable beds are interspersed with flower beds, they are arranged as part of the landscape landscape and complemented with various decorative elements: wattle fence, windmill, garden figures, flowerpots with spicy plants. As a rule, there are no special difficulties with planning plots of irregular shape. On the contrary, they can create unusual, exclusive landscapes. The main thing is not to be afraid to stand out against the background of standard solutions. A long allotment of land only at first glance seems difficult to plan. The house is not being built right behind the entrance gate. It is recommended to leave enough space between the facade and the fence for a front garden, covered shed or paved patio. Since there is not much space left for the garage, it is better to include it in the project of the house, placing it in the basement, and arrange parking on the site in front of the gate. All zones are connected by one path, laid along the edge or in the center of the estate. It is desirable that the path has a winding trajectory - this will help visually expand the boundaries of the site, make it visually more spacious. Important. The big disadvantage of the plots with a slope is the complexity of their arrangement, additional costs for strengthening the slopes and creating flat areas. But if you are not afraid of all this, the height differences open up the possibility of creating an exclusive landscape with terraces. The already existing mountainous terrain allows you to create a waterfall with a cascade and an alpine slide in conditions that are closest to natural. The house is being built at the highest point. This location will protect the building from spring floods and landslides. In addition, the entire site and the surroundings closest to the estate are well viewed from the height. An exception is a slope that slopes down to the north side: it is recommended to build a house on it approximately in the middle so that the building does not completely obscure the land allotment. Practical tips for landscaping on a slope: Oddly enough, a plot that has the shape of a regular square is quite difficult to plan. You can spoil everything by building a house in the center. With this arrangement, there remains a distance between the fence and the building that is not sufficient for its rational use. It is best to visually divide the territory into 2 equal parts, and divide the one closer to the street into halves again. A house is being built on one of them, and the second is allocated for a yard, a parking lot and a garage. The remaining half of the plot is distributed between the garden and the garden. In this case, garden beds are broken up on the south or east side so that fruit trees do not block sunlight. The requirements for the location of houses are the same for small and large plots. Having found a place for a house, in accordance with the law of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, it is permissible to distribute the rest of the land at your discretion. What will be planned on it - an agricultural farm, a backyard garden, a tennis court - is the business of the owner of the dacha. Six acres, these are the standard dimensions of a Soviet-era land plot. It is not recommended to save on the recreation area by using the area for a vegetable garden or fruit bushes. If it is planned to build a bathhouse on 6 acres, a recreation area is arranged between it and a residential building. In this case, the distance from the house to the bath will be 6 m or more. If the plot has an area larger than 6 acres, this does not mean that you need to take more space for a garden. The family's need for vegetables remains the same, and growing the surplus, which then has to be distributed to neighbors and acquaintances, takes a lot of time and labor. Important. It should be noted that a pond in the country is fashionable, but it cannot replace a pool. When a choice has to be made between them, priority should be given to the pool. All decorative objects require attention and care. Garden figurines, bridges, ponds, benches, etc. need to be painted, varnished and repaired. Therefore, you should not overload the site with unnecessary details, otherwise there may be very little time left for rest. Developing a project for a country allotment on 12 acres, you can not stop at any one style. It is more convenient to break a kitchen garden and a garden in strict geometric outlines, and the landscape of a recreation area can have an arbitrary design. The space near the house is designed as the front part of the site.
Now you need to consider the location of the site in terms of ease of use. Zoning of the site
Basic principles for dividing a site into zones
In most suburban areas there are 4 separate zones from one another.
How to properly zone a plot - see our video: How to divide zones
Where to make garden beds and a garden
Garage and outbuildings
Each of these rooms has a separate entrance. Arrangement of a recreation area
Principles for planning a recreation area
Pond
So, even a not very long stream will take up a lot of space and for this reason is not suitable for arranging a small area (the exception is the layout without a garden).
Auxiliary architectural structures
You need to install them in the appropriate places: in the recreation area, in the garden, in the yard. Planning plots of irregular shape
If the plot is elongated
In fact, such a site has an important advantage: it is easier to divide it into zones. They are divided one after another according to the degree of importance or aesthetic indicators: a residential area, a children's and sports ground, a barbecue area, a garden, a vegetable garden, a bathhouse, and at the very end the economic part.
It is better to make a fence along the boundary with neighbors low and not continuous. Firstly, it gives less shade, and secondly, a light enclosing structure will hide the tightness of the territory. If the plot is with a slope
If the plot is square
Of course, this does not apply to large areas. Features of the layout of plots of different sizes
6 acres
Since the land in the neighborhood is occupied by the same summer cottages, in most cases there is no opportunity to expand, and the lack of space forces you to save space. This can be done by building a house with an attic: the building occupies less land, and the living area of the premises almost doubles. Also, you can free up part of the area by making a garage on the ground floor of the house or in the basement. 10 acres
In a dacha of 10 acres (without prejudice to other important areas), a pool will fit perfectly. It is mounted in a sunny place where the water will warm up well.
12 acres
