A well-groomed courtyard allows for an advantageous frame of the house, provides self-presentation and a basis for further impressions. Well thought out and organized courtyard design and landscaping should complement the natural setting and continue the interior design concept. Everything is more detailed later in the article.
5 essential aspects for the landscape
When designing your landscaping, it is important to think not only about aesthetics, but also about the contribution you will make to the environment.
Setting up an outdoor space starts with the right landscape design. First of all, answer your questions:
- Do you rarely spend time in your backyard?
- Do you have a dilapidated veranda or an old patio?
- Do you hate wasting time and water to maintain a large lawn?
- Does your backyard have no place for entertainment?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it sounds like you might be ready for a backyard makeover. Check out the key factors to consider when planning your yard.
At times, starting a landscaping project can seem overwhelming. But with the help of these five tips, you can design the landscaping yourself or with the help of a landscape designer and make the yard you have always wanted.
Use and purpose
When you start a landscaping project, the first thing to consider is how you want to use the space. Decide what the purpose or goals of your ideal yard is before making any other decisions.
Popular outdoor uses are as follows:
- entertainment;
- summer kitchen and dining room;
- swimming;
- game Zone;
- rest zone;
- garden.
Next, you need to think about who will be using the space. Will this area be needed to accommodate small children, or will it be primarily an adult shelter? Don't forget to think about pets - animals too often dictate beautification decisions.
Environment and climate
Now it's time to take inventory. You will want to mark areas such as:
- sunny areas;
- shady areas;
- overview;
- Direction of the wind;
- water supply and drainage.
Next, your attention should be drawn to the soil. It is important to make sure your soil has the nutrients to support the selected plant material. Your soil, which may be mostly sand, clay, or gravel, will dictate which plants you should grow. A landscape designer can perform soil tests for you and amend the soil if needed.
Disembarkation zone
An important factor to consider when choosing is the drop off zone for them. It is determined by climatic conditions such as temperature and rainfall. Knowing your planting area will help you and your designer choose plants that are appropriate for your site and thus are more likely to take root.
Hydrozone
Once you have an idea of what plants will be used, start thinking about how the water behaves in your yard. If there are certain areas where water is collected, you will want to create a group of plants that need a lot of water. On the other hand, if there are certain areas where water drains off quickly, you will want a group of plants there that love dry conditions. This process is often referred to as hydrozone planting.
Garden style
The last thing to think about is the aesthetic appeal and style of your landscaping. Consider interior and exterior styling and try to create unity between home and gardening. Make an open space that reflects your personality and makes you feel happy and relaxed. For a little inspiration, browse through these garden styles, which include Japanese, Art Nouveau, Cottage, and Desert.
Backyard makeup ideas
After considering the basic rules of landscape design, proceed to the improvement of the space. Check out the ideas below for decorating your backyard.
Replace obsolete materials
For this, solid concrete with brick strips is now often used. Create a patio area with concrete, add white sand and add a fountain for expression.
Expand your patio area
A common mistake in the backyard is making the patio too small. When you're working on your backyard makeup, consider expanding your patio to accommodate larger furniture and provide a walk around the space.
Redo the paving
Plain gray concrete can be quite boring. Transform your backyard cobbles to transform the feel of your entire terrain. When remodeling paving slabs, you have two options: remove the existing sidewalk, or transform what you have. Create stains and engravings on the concrete walkway to make it look like natural stone. If you want to remodel your existing paving, you will save money on materials and labor.
Don't let small or uncomfortable spaces limit you
Narrow spaces can be problematic and often end up not being used. However, you can turn a narrow space into a backyard fully equipped for outdoor activities. Creative and space saving techniques can be used to accommodate more options for a small or uncomfortable backyard.
DIY your backyard
You can remodel the backyard yourself, without professionals with their resources, if the matter is limited to a feasible job. However, this does not include the demolition and installation of new small architectural forms, as this work will take the average homeowner weeks to complete, while a team of professionals can do it in a few days.
In addition, projects that include the installation of running water, gas or electric lines can be complicated. If you want a fountain, built-in grill, or lots of lighting, it's best to hire a licensed professional. However, when choosing a DIY option that will save you some money, consider planting your own plants. If so, make sure you know the requirements for each plant in order to choose the best location. Consider setting up a patio area yourself.
Patio Design Ideas
The patio is outdoor life. You will probably spend many hours with your friends and family on your patio. Instead of buying a large home, many people are looking to expand their outdoor living space. As a result, the patio area is becoming larger, more luxurious and more protected.
Outdoor patios have become centers of activity focused on entertainment and relaxation. A well-designed patio will not only add extra living space to your home, but it will also increase its resale value.
Since your patio will provide the foundation for outdoor living space, it needs to be sturdy, well-constructed. A variety of patios and sidewalk materials can be selected. Determine what size, shape, and style of patio will best suit your needs. Use the information here to start gathering ideas for your new patio.
It's time to stop thinking of your patio as a simple place to spend time outdoors. It can serve as a hub for a variety of functions including dining, cooking, socializing, and relaxation. The style of your patio will change depending on what functions you want to place in it.
Concrete patios
The durability and versatility of concrete makes it an excellent choice for patio paving. A concrete patio has many advantages over corrugated board and other surfaces.
Benefits of Concrete Patios:
- High strength.
- Low running costs.
- Adaptable to any style.
- Can be poured into any shape.
Decor options:
- Colored concrete. There are several ways to paint concrete, including contrasting, integrating, solid and liquid painting methods (used in conjunction with embossing), and full painting.
- Embossed Concrete - The surface of your concrete patio can be embossed to create a texture that mimics stone, brick, or other materials.
If you already have a patio that's cracked or dirty, you can clean it up with concrete. Concrete sanding will make your patio look like new. Rehabilitated concrete patio can be painted and stamped.
Another strong trend is to integrate plants into places where expansion joints would otherwise be located. They help create a more breathable surface and dilute the sprawling structure with greenery. Artificial turf is often used in these places, especially in areas where moisture needs to be maintained.
Are concrete patios susceptible to cracking?
Concrete is good for warm climatic landscapes that do not experience extreme frost and thaw changes in northern regions that cause uncontrolled cracking. Other factors can lead to cracking as well.
Ideas for gazebos
Gazebos and other shady structures are another way to enjoy nature, even if conditions outside are not ideal. During hot summers, you can relax and enjoy the great outdoors without getting sunstroke. Shady structures also extend the season to fall and winter. If your structure is built with a solid roof or even insulated walls, you can enjoy a calm winter morning sipping tea without worrying about rain or snow.
Types of shadow buildings
The gazebos are an autonomous structure, organically placed in the landscape. They can stand on a path and define an area to walk, or they can denote a patio area or outdoor entertainment space. A pergola usually has open sides and a slatted or solid roof.
Patio structures are similar to pergolas, except that they are attached to the house. This can be an advantage because a patio area can use the home for support and therefore can cost less than a stand-alone structure.
Octagonal gazebos with a solid roof are most often used in traditional garden and park areas. They can be an attractive addition if the style of the surrounding landscape works with structure.
A tarp is a modern way to get relief from the sun. The fabric stretches across specially designed pillars to accentuate and cover your seating area or patio. The tarpaulin shed looks great with the straight lines and simple geometry used in modern homes, and serves a double duty as a decorative and artistic part of a landscape.
A mesh deck is built right outside the house, usually at the back door for easy access. Instead of glass windows, it has large nets to keep out insects. The mesh terrace is great for dining as you get a quality outdoor experience with no intruders.
A solar room is also being built right next to the house. Since it can be fully insulated and built with double pane windows, it is a four-season structure that acts as an addition to your home. The sunroom is completely weatherproof, so you can watch birds and wildlife in comfort even in winter. The sun room really differs from the rest of your home in that it has many windows that enhance the outside view.
Terrace decoration
No matter what size of your backyard you have, you can make the most of the available space and live the dream. Here are some simple DIY landscaping ideas to make a great outdoor space that you can enjoy day and night.
Customize your space with decking
There is nothing better than a brand new terrace to transform your backyard into an outdoor living room or a great party space. It's an easy and affordable way to expand your living space that will last for many years, and with a little know-how, you can build it yourself.
Terrace - room with decking
There are several options for flooring material. Besides traditional wood flooring, there is an environmentally friendly alternative. Composite decking can be made from recycled plastic that is durable, easy to install and maintain, and is rot and pest resistant.
Build with beams
You can shape any size backyard and give it a natural, earthy look with treated pine beams. Treated pine beams are resistant to decay, fungus and pests, making them one of the most versatile, easy to use and durable landscaping materials on the market. They can be used to create a retaining wall, stepped garden, flower bed, or as a border along your garden beds.
Space with retaining walls
Retaining walls are a great way to create interesting steps to decorate your backyard. You can use them to create a raised garden to surround your entertainment space or make a quiet corner to unwind. Retaining walls are also a good way to smooth out the tilted block areas and add extra space for the kids to play or for you to have fun with. Depending on the look you want, retaining walls can be made from logs or treated pine sleepers. Use specially formulated wall support materials that are interlocking, durable and come in a range of colors.
Own paving
You can bring some real definition to your backyard and create a great look with pavers. Plus, it will be an easy project that you can do yourself. Paving stones make a solid foundation for your outdoor entertainment area, or you can make a path through your garden. There are a variety of paving colors and designs on the market to suit any backyard, from concrete textured, panel and sandy pavers.
Add color and texture with the pebbles
Pebbles are an easy way to bring different colors and textures to your backyard. You can use it to fill in empty spaces in garden beds, or as a ground cover to complement a paved or decking area.
For a clean decorative look, you can use pebbles to create a border or landscape path. There are many colors and styles to choose from white, blue, orange, red, green, lime, silver or gold. Using the same colored pebbles, you can create solid areas or mix colors to create a brighter look.
Front yard landscaping
When it comes to front yard decor, you'll want to think about what features of your home will be highlighted, as well as how you can turn it into an open space that will be actively used. If you want to spend your vacation there, then privacy will be key. Privacy can be created with a wall or hedge.
Get a new perspective
Before deciding on a project, look at your landscape with fresh eyes and a broader perspective. We are so used to our landscape that it can be difficult to determine what others might see. There are two simple tricks to see the landscape from a new perspective. With both of these methods, the goal is to forget what you think about your landscape and instead see what actually exists.
The first is a trick by an old artist. Move far enough from your landscape that you can see everything at once. Then squint your eyes until the picture is blurry and try to clear your memory.
"Paint" your painting to create a landscape
There may be areas that become dark and overgrown with a blurry look. Some areas may look messy because there are too many small plantings, statues, or pots. Or, you might have a bright and clear area, but a little too blank. All of these ideas can give you a general idea of which projects to tackle first.
The second technique you can use to see your landscape in a new way is to take black and white photographs of your landscape design. By imparting color, you can make a familiar space new, so you will see it with objective eyes. Most digital cameras nowadays have a black and white setting, so it's easy to do even if you're not a tech genius.
Define boundaries and add mulch
The clean edges are deceiving, creating a neat and well-groomed landscape. If the lawn has crept into the flower beds in the garden and created an uneven line, then defining the boundary can improve the appearance of the entire landscape.
Start by laying out a garden hose to define a new boundary. Don't make the beginner's mistake by creating a "drunken snake" wavy line. Instead, make wide curves that are scaled to the size of your house. Then use a hoe to trim the grass until you have a clean, attractive line.
Once you've set a neat border, add a layer of wood chip mulch for a sophisticated look. The vibrant color is attractive, smoothes uneven soil surfaces and generally gives landscaping a professional finish.
Cut off huge bushes
If the plant is clearly not intended to be a hedge, then it should be pruned. Otherwise it will feel like the service is out of control.
Prune the shrub at the base, removing any branches that are 15 cm from the ground. It gives a more open look and works wonders on Rhododendrons and other shrubs, which can seem gloomy and overwhelming when creeping across the ground.
Another good task is to carefully prune any plant that touches the house. Plants that lean against the house can cause paint cracking, as well as mold and ants. Pruning plants 20 to 30 cm away from your home will give your landscaping a more open look and also give you the option to clean up or touch up your home if needed.
45 trendy front yard ideas
Modern front yard designs rely more on a minimalist and desolate look. Gone are the three-dimensional forms and the abundance of color. The modern look consists of clean lines, earthy colors, creative use of stone, and a lack of atypical colors.
Steps and paving stones
We are seeing a shift away from hard pavements with a preponderance towards patterned pavement pavers, interspersed with round stones.
Horizontal Fence
The lines are more pronounced with a clean horizontal railing. Aluminum, vinyl, steel, and wood are popular materials for trendy kitchen gardens.
Metal parts
The idea behind the metal house number plate is for modern, crisp fonts that are made from brass, aluminum, or chrome. Simple and stylish.
Herbal inserts
These are sidewalks covered with grassy gaps so that the grass can grow right under your feet. Traditional white or light-colored courtyard paving stones are combined with green for a clearer view of the courtyard.
Cinder blocks for the garden
Gardening is still relevant for both front and courtyards, although it has become more understated. If you love flowers, use block gardening, which introduces an interesting and new dimension.
Large pots
Large plant pots are very prominent among modern front courtyards. The larger they are, the better. The main shapes are round, square, cylindrical or conical.
Stone and succulents
The use of large and small stones is common among modern front yards. And what grows and looks best with stones? Succulents!
Wall garden
Don't limit your landscaping on the ground. The picturesque wall gardens are attractive, innovative looking and the main decoration of the front yard.
Clusters of color
Many modern front yards still include many colorful flowering plants. Keep them under control and in good color ratios to avoid clutter. Plants that require less time work well.
Illuminated paths
Backlit footpaths define and enhance your front yard design. It is also appropriate and attractive.
Combination of fence and benches
It's time to replace the sleek iron seats in favor of more discreet, integrated nooks. And if they are made in the same technique with a fence around the perimeter, this will make the design the most harmonious.
Minimalist fencing
Enclose your front yard with a subdued and minimalist fencing. No more grandiose curls, monograms and bright colors.
Combination of green and white
The modern front courtyards are decorated in earthy tones. White hydrangeas against lush greenery brighten up your front yard.
Combination of stone and wood
Let's go back to basics. Rough stone and wood planks lend character to the austere lines of modern front yards.
Terrace gardening
Don't let an uneven facade get in the way of creating a beautiful front garden. Make it work for your space: For a tilted surface, the idea of a stepped garden with a terrace will work.
Red planters for plants
Bright red pots against quiet earthy flowers look defiant and striking. Use them when you want to divert attention to certain areas.
Modern pergola
The gazebos are romantic and charming. Create a modern, minimalist gazebo to suit your garden.
Stone with stone
Modern front yard designs use a variety of natural elements. The various irregularities and textures of the stones are best shown together.
The charm of decorative bow
Plants in today's front yards are structured and strong in character. The decorative bow has height, shape and color: ideal for front yards.
Black flowerpots
Modern outdoor plant pots have gotten bigger, they have shapes and basic bold colors - especially black.
Wooden fences for succulents
A tree with a rich dark hue will shade and even out dark green succulents well.
Ancient greek amphora
Make your backyard attractive with decorations such as an ancient Greek amphora. Use the sculpture as a center focal point for your front yard.
Combination of black and green
The combination of black and green is interesting and expressive. Black makes green fresher and more vibrant.
Wooden and bamboo facade
The basic, classic and minimalist look of bamboo will bring a touch of Japan into your home.
4 seasons garden
The Four Seasons Garden is a selection of those plants that become expressive at different times of the year, making the composition interesting in any season. You may need the services of a landscape designer to properly place your landscaping.
River horsetail hedge
The riverine horsetail is suitable for a hedge, accentuated partition, or as a stand-alone decoration. A vibrant green hue, clean vertical stems and black details create a striking design.
Equipped water source
Convert a shapeless garden crane into a creative project. It will serve its purpose, but it will add some great styling to it.
Owning an estate requires much more effort from the owners than an apartment in the city. And a large part of this hassle is aimed at surrounding the house. Despite the fact that dacha preferences are already beginning to be forgotten, when the main territory around the residential building was allocated for planting edible plants - a garden and a vegetable garden, and the owners also do not really want to turn a country house into a village courtyard with beds and sheds for breeding domestic animals , you can't leave the yard empty anyway. Right now, a solid mansion (or at least a cute mansion) surrounded by a picturesque area is in vogue, where it is so pleasant to relax. And watching the well-groomed suburban areas on cinema screens or the pages of magazines, many owners wonder whether it is possible to equip the courtyard of a private house with their own hands.
The yard of a private house in general
Each of us has our own tastes and preferences. And they are most often expressed not by loud statements, but by the environment. And every little thing that really pleases our hearts definitely gives an idea of us. Therefore, before taking on the improvement of the courtyard of a private house, try to see in your mind's eye the general picture of the planned events and think about whether it will coincide with your personal idea of convenience and beauty. After all, you yourself understand - if in a year some creative ideas, so enthusiastically perceived today, will make you curse the presence of a backyard, then instead of rest you will get an exclusively headache. By the way, often such ideas for improving the courtyard of a private house are photographed and posted on the Internet, and, seeing such beauty, it is difficult to resist the temptation to try it on your site.
However, let's get down to more specific things. So, what exactly do we want to have in the yard of our house? There are a lot of options, but some values are almost always present. These details include:
- terrace or patio
- garage, by the way, nearby you can make a parking for guests
- bathhouse - it is better to build it separately from the residential building
- outdoor shower (although it is more in a rustic style, but if properly decorated, it can even decorate a modern villa)
- summer kitchen, which recently more and more looks like a barbecue and is a platform with a hearth or barbecue
- household buildings, in a simple way - sheds, for storing various implements that have no place in the house
- dog enclosure
- playground
- a web of paths connecting all buildings into a single ensemble
- various green spaces: trees, shrubs, flower beds, lawn and other floristic thickets
- decorative elements: garden sculptures, lanterns, alpine slides, rock gardens and other local decorations
It seems that the list is small, but if you start to implement it, and even with your own additions such as gazebos, fountains, ponds or other landscape design tricks, then there may not be enough space for everything. Therefore, first you should play with the plan of the courtyard of a private house, try to arrange everything on paper (remembering the ravines, of course). And only after your project of the courtyard of a private house becomes the most optimal, it will be possible to start marking the courtyard itself and building the outbuildings of your choice. And greening will have to be done in the very last place, when all objects are in their places with supplied communications.
Here's how you can equip the courtyard of a private house - photo selection:
Layout of the courtyard of a private house - some little things
It would seem that everything has already been said about the layout - imagine, draw on the plan and do it. But this is just a sketch. In the same way, one can say about the birth of a child - to conceive, bear and give birth, nothing complicated ... And yet even an unborn baby requires vigilant care and constant trouble, and after all, we do not have to independently develop a project for a new person, such responsibilities are taken on yourself mother nature. And with the improvement of your own yard, you will have to work a little as a demiurge - in a separate suburban economy.
Of course, the best will be the general planning of the entire complex, from the apartment building to the thickets outside the fence. But even if the mansion itself is already proudly flaunting facade decoration, all is not lost. Considering that in the end we want to get something integral, then the entire interior of the courtyard of a private house should be designed in the same style, this applies to both buildings and decorative elements.
First of all, let's evaluate our personal plot - its size and landscape. If the territory is not too large, you should not overload it with a large number of outbuildings. Choose only the essentials or just combine several elements with each other. A covered parking can easily replace a full-fledged garage, combining a patio with a small barbecue will also save space, and it is recommended to attach an additional room to the bathhouse, where household supplies and firewood will be stored. For a large courtyard, there are no restrictions, except for aesthetic ones.
And now a little about the arrangement of the courtyard of a private house - a photo of various options:
Registration of the courtyard of a private house - building codes
However, in any case, it is necessary to comply with construction standards, for example, the distance from buildings to the road and other outbuildings. Residential buildings are being built at least 3 meters from normal roads and 6 meters from the motorway. We hope that your suburban area is located in a fairly remote place, because the proximity of highways negatively affects the ability to enjoy clean air and sounds of nature. Housing and outbuildings (sheds and a garage) should be at least 7 meters apart from each other, remove your dog's aviary from the house at least 4 meters, but wells, separate toilets and compost pits (what if you still decide build them) must be built no closer than 15 meters from the house. The fence should be a meter and a half away from any buildings, or even more, so that it is possible to carry out various types of repair work as needed, and sufficiently tall plants (bushes and trees) - depending on their height - at a distance of from a meter to three ...
Having fully planned the arrangement of the courtyard of a private house with all ancillary buildings, we proceed to marking the paths. They should be no more than 75 cm - this is again a requirement of building codes. If the size of the area allows, make a circular path along the entire area - you will get a great cycle track for your children. And in general, it is better to make these sidewalks with smooth rounded bends and turns, because such a design of the courtyard of a private house will visually increase the area and even smooth out sharp corners in family life. Although in different styles and paths-paths differ in their appearance and material, but more on that later.
Here's a look at what the interior of the courtyard of a private house looks like - the photo wonderfully demonstrates all the details:
Landscaping of the courtyard of a private house
We have coped with the dirtiest and most financially intensive stage - the construction is completed, all the buildings we need for a comfortable life are already in their places, to which paths have been laid. Now is the time to start tidying up the territory itself, that is, to become a landscape designer.
It is most convenient, of course, to work with a flat surface - here the flight of imagination is simply unstoppable, because you can depict anything on a blank sheet. If you want, plant a park, make flower beds, sow lawns with a lawn, install fountains or gazebos overgrown with creepers - for every taste and color. But if the terrain resembles Russian roads, where a ravine is on a gully and seven bends per mile, then you still need to be able to turn all the shortcomings into an individual and original face of your territory. But - you can put aside any doubts - no one can repeat such a design.
But in any case, decorating the yard with the help of landscape design requires special knowledge. And they consist not only in the ability to beautifully use all the features of the site. Much more often, botanical knowledge is needed - which plants are best planted in your area. So that they please the eye and do not require much care (you hardly want to hire a gardener or constantly care for green spaces yourself), and in your climatic conditions you feel great.
So to start working on a landscape independently, it is necessary to clearly define all the environmental factors affecting plants:
- the amount of light that your green pets receive (this is both general data on the approximate insolation of a given area, and the specific data of your site - some flowers are planted under trees, in the shade, on the north side, and some need almost constantly illuminated by the sun clearing)
- ambient temperature (here you need data on the average temperature of the summer and winter periods)
- humidity - both of the earth and of the air (that is, not only the average amount of precipitation, but also the proximity of groundwater)
- relief of the territory
- chemical composition of soil (chernozem, loam, etc.), water (acidity or alkalinity) and air
Knowing all the conditions, you can already easily find those plant species that will grow normally on your site without much additional investment. And from the complete list, you can select those that you like or will fit into the overall design of the courtyard of a private house. Photos of plants in encyclopedias or just on the Internet will help you make the right choice, but you still need to take into account that in such cases, the pictures show not only the most successful specimens, but also professional photographers try to choose the most favorable angle. So you will get an idea, but you should not count on the same ideal result in your own backyard.
How to decorate the courtyard of a private house - different styles
You have already decided on all the little things, but something in the depths of your soul gnaws at uncertainty - was everything done correctly. Sometimes it happens. Some people are only satisfied with the ideal, which asks for on the pages of the magazine about the life of successful people. Well, the ideal is what each of us should strive for. Therefore, now we will slightly analyze the already recognized styles of decorating the courtyard of a private house, in the photo of which many look.
So, the main division of styles goes to classic (regular) or landscape (natural). Moreover, the regular style implies strict lines and clear geometric shapes of both paths and landings. It is believed that this style softens the storm of feelings among the townspeople who have returned to nature due to the outlines that are more familiar to the city. But I warn you right away that a regular style requires constant and tireless work to maintain shape, otherwise in a year or two only horns and legs will remain from your classic style - everything will overgrow at random. In the natural style, everything is much simpler. Here it is not necessary so much to rest against "driving" the plants into frames. Quite the contrary, the result of all efforts should be the apparent naturalness of the landscape.
However, as you yourself understand, everyone has their own concept of naturalness. Someone thinks that in a suburban area there should be garden trees, someone likes park crops more, and someone prefers flower beds and shrubs. Therefore, the landscape style is divided into several (or even many) different categories, mainly differing according to the peoples from which these styles came. If you go over the information about the styles of the courtyard of a private house, you will see mainly the following names:
- French style (one of the varieties of the regular)
- English (or landscape) style, austere but natural
- Slavic style - slightly disorderly, but nothing better has been invented to surround a wooden house
- Japanese style (elegance and the ability to relax even on a tiny patch of stone garden)
- European country style - somewhere echoes Slavic, but more orderly
- Art Nouveau style - the last word in landscape design and modern architecture, allows you to combine the interior space of the house with the surrounding nature at the level of sensations
Of course, this is not a complete list - there are many peoples and styles too. You can add Chinese, Mediterranean, and Alpine, but let's not scatter. Why would a person living far from the sea need a Mediterranean style? Therefore, only those styles were listed that may be useful in our conditions. The choice is yours.
And I want to warn you right away - decide for yourself in advance, please, whether you want to live in peace on your private estate and enjoy the delights of the surrounding landscape or you need to become the envy of your neighbors. Because in the latter case, a quiet rest does not threaten you in any way - after all, you will need to constantly return to your yard that very ideal view, which should overshadow everything around. But even in this case, you will be quite capable of doing everything yourself. Good luck!
Landscaping, created by a professional or by the owner himself, turns an ordinary house in the village into a real country estate.
Each site owner (regardless of the number of acres) is aware that it will be much more difficult to create a landscape design for a private house than to make repairs, for example, in a standard apartment. And yet, the effort spent will be more than rewarded with the beauty that will delight you every day.
Today, the easiest way to create a beautiful yard is to hire a professional landscape designer. However, this service is not cheap, and there are no guarantees that a stranger will correctly understand your preferences and create a dream site for you.
Given the abundance of information on this topic in the public domain, you can plan and create a piece of paradise in your yard yourself. How to equip a site near a private house, you can see the photo in our photo gallery.
Such a landscaped courtyard will become not only a beautiful plot near the house, but also a favorite place for meeting friends, for gatherings with the family, for relaxing in the bosom of nature.
Preliminary preparation
The landscape design of the courtyard of a private house is a very complex and responsible enterprise, therefore, starting this on your own, you should carry out a number of preparatory work, including theoretical training.
Each owner understands that landscape design near the house has two main goals:
- make the adjoining territory as comfortable and practical as possible;
- to refine the site, give it gloss and emphasize its beauty.
In order for both of these tasks to be successfully completed, in your work you need to take into account many factors that affect the overall result. So where to start and what must be considered?
Building codes
Over the years, the construction of country houses and the arrangement of the area around them, certain standards have been developed that allow you to properly organize work and avoid mistakes in planning.
The main building codes relate to compliance with the distance between objects:
- the residential building is at least 3 m behind the usual road and 6 m behind the motorway;
- a residential building and an outbuilding should be located at least 7 m from each other;
- the dog's aviary is 4 m from the house;
- an outdoor toilet, a compost pit and even a well should be placed at a distance of 15 m from the main buildings;
- the distance from the fence to the nearest building is 1-1.5 m, but large trees and shrubs should be planted no closer than 1-3 m from the border of the territory.
Strict rules apply to the laying of all communications. The depth of the ditches, the distance from buildings, as well as cables from each other, the possibility of planting certain plants near communications - all this must be taken into account even before the actual arrangement of the site. It is necessary to bring the light to the gazebo, lay water to the pool or organize a drain from it safely.
Due to the observance of these standards, in the future it will be pleasant to enjoy the beauty and peace, it will be convenient to carry out repair work, drive up to the house and move around the territory, in general, it will be comfortable to live.
Individual characteristics and preferences
When you independently work on the design of a plot of a private house, you will be able to fully realize all your dreams, make the surrounding area unique and inimitable.
At the same time, it is important to take into account not only your personal preferences, but listen to the wishes of all household members. Agree, in a house where children live, there cannot be a playground, and avid lovers of gatherings around the fire cannot do without a gazebo and barbecue. The professional design of the courtyard of a private house and photos of modern courtyards confirm this.
Lifestyle, family composition, the presence or absence of pets - all this significantly affects the design of the personal plot. And if you take into account all the nuances at the planning stage, in the future you will not have to rebuild, redo and regret.
Climatic features of the region
Having made a general idea of what exactly will be placed on the site, where and how the main objects will be located and, having chosen your favorite plants, be sure to take into account the peculiarities of the climate.
The landscape design of the courtyard of a private house in the photos that you find on our website proves that outdoor outdoor pools, for example, or huge fountains are difficult to design where winter lasts 9 months a year. A closed windproof gazebo with a huge stove would be completely out of place anywhere in the tropics.
Of course, the plants that you can plant in the garden of your dreams directly depend on the weather conditions.
Thus, the weather and the temperature background throughout the year largely determine not only the flora on your site, but also dictate the possibility and features of the placement of certain objects.
Terrain relief
Many people believe that a good plot is a flat plot. Therefore, the owners often try, at the cost of incredible efforts and financial costs, at all costs to cut off all the elevations and fill up all the depressions. And yet it is most advisable to think over the landscape design of the courtyard, taking into account the features of the relief.
If the area near your house is initially more or less level, you can do anything on it: set up a garden, plant a lawn, build a gazebo, or dig a pool.
The uneven area allows you to equip various functional areas in different planes, dividing them with decorative steps or terraces. On a hilly area, an alpine slide will look appropriate, and the depressions are perfect for arranging a pond. Huge differences in height also open up room for creativity - the vertical layout is fraught with a lot of surprises.
So, the whole courtyard will sparkle, acquire complexity and originality. This will be your individual creation, which no one can reproduce.
Combination with buildings and structures
Very often, the planning of the yard landscape comes at a time when the main buildings (including a residential building) have already been built. In this regard, it is important to think over the design in such a way so that the house organically fits into the environment, does not stand out from the overall composition and is combined in style with the surrounding area.
Given the scale, the cottage will play a dominant role throughout the entire site, so all other elements should emphasize its merits. At the same time, outbuildings can be hidden behind greenery.
Correct consideration of all the features of the site, construction norms and rules, laying of communications, as well as your own taste will help to create on the site that picture that will delight you and your loved ones for many years.
Layout
It's time to move from general ideas and reasoning to a more specific planning of your own site.
Admiring the beautiful landscapes of private houses in the photo, many owners strive to embody everything they saw. But you need to be able to control yourself and, with all the variety, choose exactly what is really needed and appropriate in each specific case.
At the planning stage, it is necessary not only to draw a scaled sketch of the site and all the objects on it, but also to place there those that will appear in the future. There are a number of "obligatory" attributes of any suburban economy (not counting a residential building):
- garden house (for inventory);
- garage and parking place;
- terrace or courtyard;
- a gazebo for relaxation (with a hearth);
- tracks;
- street lighting;
- green spaces;
- decorative elements.
Among the frequently encountered objects in suburban areas are:
- bath;
- an aviary for a dog;
- playground;
- pool, pond or fountain, etc.
All this must be properly placed so that the yard is not only beautiful, but also functional. Only after sketches and drawings on paper (or in special programs, where the design of the private plots of private houses looks like in the photo), when the layout is optimal, can you start marking on the ground.
Zoning
Even at the planning stage, the owners are determined with the functional load that their site will subsequently carry. Accordingly, the entire courtyard is divided into certain zones.
Among the main zones that are found in almost every suburban area, the following can be distinguished:
- entrance (front door);
- household;
- gardening;
- recreation area (quiet or active);
- children's area (if there are children).
If the territory is small, then often the functional zones are combined and do not separate from each other. The main emphasis in this case is on the design of a recreation area in a private house.
When the size of the site allows it, it is convenient to isolate each of the designated areas so that while sunbathing, for example, by a pond, you do not have to breathe in the exhaust gases of an approaching car.
To differentiate each element of the site, the following methods are used:
- green spaces (hedges);
- decorative fences;
- tracks;
- arches, pergolas;
- tapestries, screens, screens, etc.
When planning the location of each of the zones, it is important to take into account how they will look from above, for example, from a balcony or from the windows of the second floor of a house. Look at the projects of the courtyards of private houses photos that we have selected for you, and you will understand that it is not very romantic to admire the parking from the bedroom, but playgrounds, on the contrary, should be in sight.
Style selection
The landscape design of the courtyard of a private house looks solid and complete only if it is designed in the general style with the house and other capital buildings.
There are a lot of styles. However, at the first stage of species gradation, there are:
- regular (classic) style;
- landscape (natural) style.
The regular park appeared in France during the reign of Louis XIV, therefore this concept of site design is often called French. It is enough to remember Versailles to understand the main features of the regular style:
- large area of the site;
- strict geometry in everything (paths, flower beds, cutting shrubs and trees);
- order and regularity.
Such a park is very difficult to maintain, so usually the regular style is found only in large estates, where its beauty is maintained by a whole team of professionals.
It is quite natural that the landscape design of a private house is often created in a natural (landscape) style. Here leaving does not require such colossal efforts and is quite within the power of the owner himself.
Basically, natural design is classified according to the place of origin of a particular design model for the area around the house:
- English (as close as possible to the natural landscape, characterized by smooth lines, winding paths, cascades, artificial reservoirs);
- Slavic (natural materials, an abundance of wood, stone, rural decor, an abundance of perennials and the absence of flower beds with the correct outlines) Even the design of the garden of a private house will be important here;
- European country music (slightly more orderly than Slavic, but on the whole the same "careless", slightly neglected in appearance);
- Japanese (restrained, austere, with artificial reservoirs and an obligatory rock garden, evergreens, mostly low);
- Mediterranean (ideal for outdoor recreation: patios, gazebos, fountains, shady corners, bright plants in clay pots);
- Moorish (in the center there is always a small artificial reservoir surrounded by lush vegetation) and many others.
The choice of style depends on personal tastes, on climatic features, but the starting point is always the house, which sets the tone for the whole composition.
Decoration of platforms and paths
On the plan of the personal plot, they designate not only capital structures, highlight future functional zones, but also connect all objects with a network of paths, paths and paved areas.
For maximum ease of movement, the tracks are laid along the shortest path. And at the same time, if you want to create something original and unique in your yard, you can make the paths winding, and the areas (for example, under a car or for a patio) uneven and asymmetrical.
Of course, the paving of paths and areas in the local area depends on the chosen style of decoration for the entire garden.
Judging by the photo of the landscape design of the adjoining territories of private houses, often closer to the house, designers try to choose a more restrained option, but in the thematic corners and various zones they allow themselves to play with the shape and choice of materials.
Today, there are many tools for laying tracks:
- concrete tiles;
- paving stones;
- hewn stone;
- wood cuts;
- crushed stone and gravel;
- decking, etc.
Whichever option you choose for your site, the main thing is to correctly plan the road and path network so that you do not have to subsequently shorten the path through the lawns; and also comply with all laying rules so that the tracks perform their function for a long time.
Landscaping
Although landscaping the courtyard of a private house (photo below) does not look so difficult, in fact, this is the most problematic stage when designing the landscape of the courtyard yourself. And all because serious theoretical training is required here (botanical knowledge allows you to choose the right plant depending on the conditions of their growth, flowering periods, combination with each other, etc.).
And at the same time, looking at the landscape design of the adjoining territories of private houses in the photo in our photo gallery, I just want to create something similar outside my window. We will give basic tips for landscaping the site.
Lawn
The fundamental element of landscaping the area around the house is a lawn. The areas, planted with special cereal grasses, serve as a backdrop for all other plants, and frame the entire green composition.
Lawns are different.
- The main type that immediately appears when the word "lawn" is the so-called recreation lawns. It is with these that the territories around residential cottages are planted, because they grow well and are able to withstand moderate loads (running animals, playing children and even a picnic on a blanket);
- Ornamental lawns are usually set up in huge parks, where they create an even dense coverage;
- Blooming lawns (Moorish) are more like not a herbalist, but a summer meadow, dazzling with all the colors;
- Sports (for tennis courts and football fields).
The process of arranging a lawn and its subsequent care is quite troublesome, despite its apparent simplicity. Preparing the soil, sowing, watering, loosening, sowing, regularly mowing - these are just the main types of work. To simplify the initial stage, you can use a roll lawn, but here you can hardly do without the help of professionals.
The modern design of the territory of a private house in the photo cannot be without green lawns, which allow you to enjoy the surrounding beauty to the fullest.
Flower beds
Leafing through the photos with the design of the personal plots of private houses on our website, first of all, you pay attention to the flowers, without them it is impossible to imagine a single yard. When large plants (trees and shrubs) have already been planted, you can start organizing bright, eye-catching corners.
Flowers and ornamental plants can be planted in different forms:
- flower bed (flower garden of the correct shape, consisting mainly of annuals);
- mixborder (composition of their complex perennials);
- border (floral framing of paths);
- rockery, rock garden (compositions of stones and mountain plants), etc.
Bodies of water
The design of the adjoining territory of a private house (photo from our article), in addition to lawns and flower beds, also implies artificial reservoirs. They enhance the feeling of being close to nature, while the sound of the water relaxes and soothes.
Basically, on personal plots, you can find the following types of reservoirs:
- pond;
- Creek;
- waterfall;
- the fountain;
- pool.
Artificial ponds are not created for swimming, but for admiring nature. There you can plant special aquatic plants and breed fish.
The stream can be either an independent element of the water structure of the garden, or supplement, for example, a pond. Here the water must necessarily be running and not stagnate. That is why pumps and pipes are required to equip the stream.
Waterfalls and fountains are also often additional facilities and require significant effort and expense to set up.
But the outdoor pool is a real luxury. After all, it needs to be carefully thought out and properly built, so that later it can be planted with cool water on a hot day.
The murmur of water, light refreshing splashes and the mirror-like surface of the reservoir are the world's best antidepressant, relieve stress and allow you to relax. The design of a plot of a private house with ponds, even in the photo, looks soothing. Therefore, a reservoir in a recreation area is the best solution for owners of personal plots.
Lighting
Today, the lighting of the courtyard of a private house can be divided into two categories:
- functional light (i.e. one that allows you to safely and comfortably move around the site at night);
- decorative light (designed to highlight the most interesting areas and objects on the territory and allow everyone to enjoy this aesthetic view).
Light is mandatory:
- to the front porch of the house,
- to the parking lot,
- outbuildings.
The second stage of lighting is aesthetic light. Sculptures, large trees, original flower beds will sparkle with new shades in the beams of searchlights at night, and the pond and pool will enchant with the reflections of lanterns on the water surface.
It is necessary to think over the location of all lighting devices even before landscaping, because every lantern and lamp requires wiring. Fortunately, there are now many solar-powered lamps that make your job a lot easier.
Decor
The finishing touch to creating a garden of dreams is decorative elements that not only emphasize the stylistic solution of the local area, but also add variety to the surrounding picture. The best options for decorating the courtyard of a private house in the photo can be found on our website.
The decor includes small architectural forms (arches, fountains, sculptures, garden furniture). With their help, they delimit the functional zones on the site, create dynamics and make the necessary accents.
Small decorative elements (such as figurines of animals and fairy-tale characters) give the courtyard a touching and unique charm. Only here you need to know when to stop so as not to turn your site into a playground.
Combination of decorative and utilitarian functions is warmly welcomed in modern landscape design. For example, a waste box decorated with trellises, a hatch decorated with floral arrangements or a fun and unusual bird feeder, in addition to its original purpose, will also serve as a decoration for your garden. Such a design near the house of the photo can be found in our gallery.
Countryside landscaping can be beautiful and thoughtful. Arranging a plot in a village requires a special approach - everything should be simple: from plants to decorative details.
A bit of history
In the old days, the villages always tried to keep their plots in order. Despite the fact that our ancestors did not have any achievements of modern technologies at hand, they still managed to create real works of landscape art on the territory of the site.
In every yard there were necessarily not only flowers, but also fruit trees and fruit-bearing plants. After all, it was the household that used to provide the family with the necessary amount of food. Now a lot has changed, but all the same, the village courtyard should be decorated not only with marvelous flowers, but also with beds. It is not necessary to grow a lot on them at once.
You can plant carrots, herbs, lettuce, and so on in even rows. These neat beds will serve as a source of fresh and healthy food, as well as an interesting addition to the site.
How to register?
There are many ways to recreate the traditional style even on a rustic site. In order to achieve this, you need to know the basic rules.
Simplicity
First of all, do not try to decorate the site with any details that look unnatural. All details should be as close to nature as possible. If there are benches, then wicker or wooden, if figurines, then clay, and so on. However, the garden style in this regard is very free.
All plants are planted the way you like it. It is not necessary to adhere to certain clear rules, to create complex compositions. The simpler the better. At the same time, the combination of simple details looks quite harmonious and beautiful.
Naturalness
This point has a lot in common with the previous one. An ideal country-style patio can look a little shabby. You do not have to bother with sowing special grass, allowing weeds and wild flowers to appear here and there on your site. And the walls of the gazebo or the house itself may well be entwined with ivy or wild grapes.
But such negligence is only an appearance. The owners spend no less free time on caring for the landscape in a rustic style.
Layout
Like modern courtyards, traditional country-style plots must be carefully planned. Typically, one site is divided into five main areas. This is a garden, a vegetable garden, decorative flower beds, a place for storing household utensils and a recreation area. Each of them is equally important and it is worth allocating at least a little free space for it.
All zones must be separated from each other not only visually, but also with the help of stones, fences or even hedges. The most practical way is to decorate the paths by sprinkling them with fine gravel or leftover wood. On the one hand, you will get comfortable paths along which it is pleasant to walk, and on the other, a beautiful detail that will complement your site.
If you ride bicycles or own your own car, then you will also need a driveway. On both sides of it, you can lay out stones, plant flowers or even low thuja.
Flowers
But what is definitely not worth doing is to create some overly complex flower arrangements or use flowers that are unusual for the region in which we live. Flowers such as nasturtium, mallow, rose or bright yellow sunflower are best suited for decorating a plot in a village.
In addition to low neat flowers, you can also use flowering shrubs. For example, jasmine, lilac, or even hops. He will green one of the walls with his green leaves.
You can also use climbing plants as partitions. They will braid the structure of any height. This living partition of natural green color will perfectly fit into the style of the site.
Flowers and flower beds can be located anywhere on the site. Most often, they are used to decorate the entrance to the courtyard or territory next to the recreation area. So you and your guests will always be able to admire the beautiful flowers in your yard.
Trees and orchard
After you have created a bright floral background on your site, you can proceed to planting trees. Most hardworking owners prefer to choose not decorative, but fruit trees for their site in order to get the maximum benefit.
Even if you are not chasing a big harvest, it will be nice to pamper yourself on a summer morning with a plate of freshly picked apricots or apple compote. How dense and varied the garden will be depends on your preferences and the size of the site. But at least a few trees are worth planting.
Garden
Nowadays, few people want to start a large vegetable garden, on the care of which they have to spend the lion's share of their free time. But at the same time, the beds are an integral part of the rustic style. As a compromise, you can create a small vegetable garden. It will take only a couple of free meters, and you will get not only a beautiful addition to the site, but also a place for growing vegetables, berries or herbs.
It is not necessary to set aside one continuous piece of land for the garden. On the contrary, it will be better if you do exactly the same as with flower beds - divide the territory into several identical squares and fence them off from each other using stones or low wicker fences and narrow paths. It looks more aesthetically pleasing, and it is much easier to care for such beds. In neat squares, you can grow green cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, cilantro, basil, and so on. It is recommended to set aside the area most illuminated by the sun for the beds.
Rest zone
Even in the village you need to know how to have a good rest. There is no place for an exquisite gazebo with luxurious decor on a rural plot. Replacing it is a simple wooden table surrounded by wicker chairs and a covered canopy.
Decor
Rustic private courtyards can be decorated with whatever comes your way. This is both beneficial and practical. You will not spend a single ruble on such decor. To decorate the territory adjacent to the house, you can use old carts, wheels, wooden wheelbarrows that can no longer be used for their intended purpose, or even buckets and watering cans. They can be placed and hung around the site, or even used as makeshift flower beds, filling with earth and flowers.
When a private house has already been built, all that remains is to ennoble the territory itself. We will give you ideas on how to improve the courtyard of a private house and arrange a suburban area in an interesting, beautiful and inexpensive way.
How to create a beautiful courtyard with flower arrangements
Who among us will remain indifferent to flowers? Flowers are one of the easiest ways to add bright colors and comfort to the yard. In the matter of how to decorate the yard, flowers are simply irreplaceable.
Everyone can plant flowers, making a bright composition of them, but in order to do something more original, you need to show imagination.
A flower motorcycle or a bicycle will look very unusual. I think for those who had such a "friend" before, problems with this should arise. There are two ways to make a flower bed out of a bicycle:
We take this "miracle of technology" as a basis and cover horizontal and partially vertical surfaces with a mesh filled with nutritious soil.
We install ready-made pots. If you have chosen hanging flower pots with coconut flakes, then you can put a baby diaper below so that the water does not drain out at once when watering, but remains inside.
Next, we start decorating. In order for the creation to look more original, it is best to decorate it with climbing annuals, low ground cover flowers. In such bicycle beds, they live well:
- petunias,
- marigold,
- viola,
- geranium.
If you are preparing for a flower show, then you can twine the whole body of your bike with garden flowers. A flower arrangement will look very impressive if the flowers are of the same color.
It is very good to decorate a country house with curly flowers. To do this, you can use both the simplest, unpretentious plants, for example, morning glory or maiden grapes, and more noble flowers - climbing roses or clematis. These plants are able to create a real paradise in a suburban area.
Climbing roses can decorate your yard in such a way that it will simply be buried in flowers, especially if you pick up climbing roses that bloom all summer.
Do not forget that even unnecessary old shoes can become an original decoration of the site. Take a pair of bright children's rubber boots, make holes in the sole, pour drainage there, then soil and plant flowers. This will make excellent garden pots for outdoor flowers. And it's especially nice that we decorate the yard with our own hands at no extra cost.
To make an original garden flowerpot, you can use not only shoes, but also old broken jugs, garden watering cans, old kitchen utensils, basins, buckets, tubs, wheelbarrows, baths, barrels.
In old stumps, you can also arrange beautiful garden beds with your own hands. They are very simple and elegant. Such decoration of the yard with your own hands can be seasonal if you plant tulips in the stumps.
Old logs will help us a lot to decorate the patio in the country. If there are rotten logs, you can gouge a hole in them, lay the soil and create a beautiful floral arrangement.
Topiary
Another good way to create a beautiful courtyard and give a zest to the site is to give the bushes an unusual shape. This technique is very often used by experienced owners of country houses, creating stunning topiary and a beautiful courtyard of a private house.
Some of them even manage to turn their courtyard into a real zoo by carving with the help of a pruner the figures of various animals that bring the courtyard of a private house to life.
A waterfall, a fountain, a pool are the main decorations of the courtyard in the summer season
If you are thinking of how to equip the courtyard of a private house with your own hands, then be sure to create a fountain or pond in a suburban area. How pleasant it will be to be near the water in the summer heat.
The spray of water from the fountain will protect the plants from dryness, and the pool will become a real salvation from the sun's rays, especially children who love to splash in the water will be happy with it.
Looking at the waterfall, you imagine yourself somewhere far from home. Beautification of the courtyard of a private house with even the smallest fountain is very relaxing.
It is very easy to make such beauty your own. Surely after construction, many will find pieces of tiles, tiles, stones. River stones will look more realistic.
A fountain installed in the back of the garden will look very harmonious. There you can also put benches and swings for children. Thus, the garden will turn into a real park, where the whole family can have a rest and the arrangement of the yard will be complete.
Stone garden - beautiful and mysterious
For those who want to stand out, we suggest making a stone garden on their personal plot. It can only consist of stones and sand, but it is better to dilute it with different flowers, green plants, as well as a small pond or waterfall. This is a very unusual yard decoration.
Stone elements can be used as a walkway decor. Stones or bricks can be used to create incredibly cozy recreation areas - patios that can decorate any courtyard of a private house.
From all this, we can conclude that if you have at least a little skills in working on the ground and show your imagination, you can turn an ordinary courtyard into a work of art!
Gazebo in the courtyard of a private house
One of the most obligatory things in decorating the courtyard of a private house with your own hands is a gazebo. Gazebos can be different - open, closed, attached to the house. These can be awnings and tents, tents.
The most practical do-it-yourself gazebos in the courtyard of a private house are made of polycarbonate.
The most romantic gazebos in the courtyard are tents with fluttering fabrics and a lot of beautiful country furniture. Beautification of the courtyard of a private house with such a tent is one of the most enjoyable activities!
The classic layout of the courtyard of a private house usually includes a wooden gazebo with carved elements. Equipping the courtyard of a private house with a gazebo is as easy as shelling pears!