Review author: Terrari School of Design
Owners of private houses now no longer look at their plots only as a source of fresh fruits and vegetables. More and more owners are trying to beautifully arrange the landscape around their house and create a small area for outdoor recreation.
The opportunity to purchase rare ornamental plants via the Internet and numerous design ideas provide not only room for imagination, but also affordable means to implement it right in your own yard.
Evergreen front garden made of conifers
If you live on the territory of a country house permanently, it is most appropriate to use coniferous plants. They will delight you even in winter, remaining green and giving the landscape a noble look.
Arborvitae, junipers, spruce and pine trees are suitable for creating a hedge. To decorate the flower bed - dwarf spruce, low-growing fir, creeping junipers planted against the background of ground covers.
To complement the composition, place paths or dry streams made of natural stone and crushed stone between the plants.
Flower beds in the courtyard of a private house: photos of original ideas
Flower arrangements using old vehicles
Any old vehicles that are unsuitable for their intended use are suitable for this purpose. It often happens that it is a pity to throw them away and they stand idle for years in a barn or garage. Thanks to your imagination, such things can take on a new life. Absolutely anything can be used: bicycles, motorcycles, old cars and even boats.
An original flowerbed in the courtyard of a country house
To create a flower garden using a bicycle or motorcycle, you need to attach spacious containers to the frame, front and rear racks in which you can plant flowers. To unite all the elements, it is recommended to paint them in a single color scheme. This will give the mood to the entire structure. An important advantage of this type of flower garden is mobility. The ability to move it to another location at any time significantly expands the options for further use of the space.
The flowerbed-car will become a unique element of the design of the garden area
If you use an old boat or car, the flowerbed will be stationary, but at the same time more voluminous. The boat is perfect for creating a decorative flowerpot. To do this, it is enough to firmly fix it on the ground and fill it with soil. Use the same principle with a car. Remove all unnecessary parts from it: seats, engine, trunk and hood filling. Then you can start decorating with flowers.
An old bicycle painted in a bright color is an excellent option for creating a flower garden.
Helpful advice! To arrange “transport” flower beds, it is better to use a spacious open lawn. Otherwise, the structure will take up too much space and clutter up the space.
Various vehicles can act as a flowerbed - from a bicycle to a boat.
Using a special mesh filled with nutrient soil, you can decorate horizontal and some vertical surfaces. It is best to use climbing or small border flowers in this case.
Mini-flower beds in containers made from scrap materials
Creating miniature flower beds in containers is an elegant solution to two problems at once: decorating a summer cottage and getting rid of old unnecessary things. In addition, this arrangement of flowers will help protect them from children and pets. To create a mini-flower bed, you can use anything: from old plumbing to unnecessary clothes and shoes.
Flowers growing in wooden boxes are a mobile and attractive flower bed option
Flowers planted in old shoes look very original. At the same time, the larger the shoe size, the more interesting it can be decorated. Making a flower pot from worn-out shoes is simple: you need to make several holes in the sole, which will help create a drainage system. After this, the inside of the shoe is filled with earth and flowers are planted inside.
Mini-flower beds arranged in shoes look interesting and unusual
A clear advantage of such an improvised container is the ability to easily move it to a convenient place. You can always place it on your porch, fence or steps. This will allow you to easily decorate the interior at the right time.
An old birdcage can be a good base for creating a flower bed.
Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the need for daily watering and weekly feeding.
Old toy cars of sufficient size, leather bags and briefcases, a cracked jug, etc. can also be an excellent basis for mini-flower beds.
Wooden flowerbed palette
Such an unusual and original flower bed is quite simple to make and does not require advanced woodworking skills. Materials you will need:
- plywood sheet;
- wooden blocks;
- hand cutter along the contour;
- varnish or paint for woodwork.
Design option for a wooden flowerbed-palette
First you need to cut out the palette shape of the required size. Then make holes for the pots of the required diameter. Two legs are attached to the back of the structure so that the surface is located at a slight angle. In order to increase the life of the flower bed, it is coated on the outside and back with a special varnish or paint for wood. After drying, you can insert pots with bright flowers inside.
“The Artist’s Flowerbed” looks original and is quite simple to implement
An excellent solution for such a flower garden would be pots with petunias, nasturtiums or violas. And don’t forget to complement the composition with a rake and a shovel, because these are the tools of a gardener-artist with which he “paints” the world around him.
Creating beauty in the surrounding space is the true calling of man. Using the recommendations given, you can create a unique flowerbed that will delight you every day throughout the warm season.
With beds
It is not necessary to plant a full-fledged vegetable garden in the area in front of the house: cucumbers and zucchini will quickly get out of control and fill the front garden. To create a decorative vegetable garden, neat high beds and plants with bright fruits are suitable: sweet peppers, tomatoes, decorative pumpkins.
An alternative to a small vegetable garden can be a garden with herbs: parsley, rosemary, thyme, aromatic mint and lemon balm.
The idea is not suitable for those whose front garden is not fenced or is located close to a road.
Entrance design
If the layout of the site assumes close proximity of the porch to the street, the decorative function is completely taken over by the entrance group. It includes railings, steps, a canopy and a small “patch” in front of the house. Here you can place flowerpots with flowers or flowerpots with conifers.
The design style of the railings and the finishing of the canopy should be supported by the design of the balconies, platbands and roof. Harmony can be achieved by using similar materials, colors or geometry.
In addition to design techniques, a few simple rules will help give your front entrance an attractive look. Avoid accumulation of construction debris, old branches and leaves near the gate. Control weeds and excess growth in a timely manner. A neat, well-groomed area is already half the battle.
Unpretentious of perennials
The adjacent area for “lazy” gardeners can be an ideal place for a flower garden. Thanks to its variety of colors, you will immediately enter the world of aromas and colors from home. Plant a large plant (roses, phlox or peonies) in the center of the selected area, and place small flowers around it (crocuses, tulips, irises, catnip, marigolds).
It is better to plant perennials in the fall: this way they can more easily adapt and harden during the cold winter months.
Historical reference
Front gardens came to us from Ancient Rome. At first, they were defeated exclusively by retired legionary soldiers.
Initially, the palisade was a light barrier with sentries, broken by troops during a short-term stop.
In case of a surprise attack by the enemy, it gave the soldiers time to raise the alarm. After retirement, the Roman military, out of habit, placed a palisade in front of the house.
According to the regulations, there was some space between him and the place of deployment - that’s where they began to plant different types of ornamental vegetation
From all of the above it follows that the front garden must be located in front of the facade of the house and can be viewed both from it and from the street. Based on this, it is necessary to develop the design of this landscape element.
Rustic style
The front garden in a slightly naive rustic style looks a little careless, but still thoughtful. Decorative sunflowers, mallows, daisies, and delphinium are used.
The front garden is characterized by a low wooden fence or wicker fence. Decor from used household items is appropriate: cast iron, wooden barrels, dishes as flowerpots. Clay pots with plants planted there, as well as baskets, look good.
The main goal of such a site is to create the impression of simplicity and comfort.
Gates and wicket
The perception of the garden will largely depend on the appearance and location of the gate. It is advisable to place it in such a way as to combine business with pleasure, namely, ease of access to the site and passage to the house with the attractiveness of the view opening from the gate.
For gates and gates, materials are selected that are combined with the materials used in the construction of the fence. Relatively speaking, plastic gates are completely unsuitable for a brick fence, just like gates made of chain-link mesh. But metal and wood are very suitable materials for making a gate that will harmonize with most types of fencing.
The dimensions of the wicket and gate should provide comfortable passage and access to the site; usually the width of the wicket is at least 1 m, and the width of the gate is at least 2.5–3 m. Wickets can be solid, impenetrable to view, or, conversely, see-through.
The attractiveness of the gate will largely depend on its framing and the nature of the decoration. Climbing plants seem to be specially designed for these purposes. Depending on the size and design of the gate, it can be decorated, for example, with climbing honeysuckle, virgin grapes, actinidia or climbing roses. In the front part of the garden, symmetrically planted conifers of a columnar or pyramidal shape, such as thuja occidentalis Columna and Smaragd or common juniper Suecica, look good.
With decorative sculptures
It would be ideal if, upon entering the front garden, you and your guests will be greeted by well-chosen objects that organically fit into the landscape, and not by bright, poorly executed figures from the nearest store.
The variety of garden sculptures is so great that you can choose any suitable product from them. Antique figurines made of artificial stone or concrete, stone spheres, crafts made of wood and metal, and mini-gardens will never become outdated.
Some objects can be made with your own hands, and if desired, you can turn an ugly building (for example, a well) into a lighthouse or a mill, thereby camouflaging it.
Tips from landscape designers
To properly create a front garden with your own hands on your personal plot, you should listen to the advice of professionals in this matter:
- the style of the front garden should be combined as much as possible with the general appearance of the facade of the residential building;
- when laying out a mini-garden in front of the house, it is important not to make a mistake with the scale - it should occupy no more than 2/3 of the area occupied by the building;
- the slope is made towards the path;
- Tall shrubs are planted along the blank wall of the house;
- Flowers with light buds are planted against the background of the dark walls of the building and vice versa.
In Natur Garden style
The phrase translates as “natural garden”, as if created by nature itself. The direction arose in contrast to clearly defined, strict landscapes. But even in a “natural garden,” each plant is not accidental: all the visible chaos is clearly ordered.
The following plants are planted in a landscape front garden, more reminiscent of a meadow:
- birch leaf spirea;
- sedge;
- anaphalis;
- heliopsis sunflower;
- thyme;
- miscanthus and others.
container garden
This is a popular solution for modern times. In this case, you can create a so-called portable garden. For this you will need various flowerpots, pots and flowerpots.
A distinctive feature of such a portable garden is that you can simply exchange one pot of plants for another. Trees in large tubs will look unusual. Chrysanthemums, hydrangeas and coleus are well suited for such a front garden.
With a pond or fountain
Any body of water - be it a pond or a fountain - plays a central role in the front garden, and therefore requires special design. The pond, located in the corner of the site, looks great paired with a waterfall. The classic fountain looks luxurious in the center of the composition, surrounded by rocky paths.
A pond in the front garden makes it visually larger and adds variety to the landscape.
Functional differences
The area in front of the house can perform: decorative, environmental and productive (economic) functions.
Decorative model. Direct purpose: decoration of the site. For these purposes, various flowers from tall to dwarf sizes, fancy shrubs and climbing plants can be used.
The ecological function is largely performed by trees that are capable of removing dust and harmful gases from the air as much as possible. Poplar and eucalyptus cope well with this function.
Productive, economic function. Makes it possible to receive visual pleasure and harvest from fruit-bearing trees and shrubs.
With seating area
If the plot is small, you can use the area in front of the house as rationally as possible - arrange a place for breakfast there in the form of a table with chairs or a full-fledged gazebo, a relaxation area in the form of a hammock or hanging chair, or a children's playground.
The most suitable option would be a front garden, fenced off from the road and curious neighbors by a high fence or hedge.
What flowers to plant
The main selection criterion is the desire to plant annually, or not change the composition for several years. Annual plants provide the opportunity to plant new types of plants every year.
Accordingly, perennials will grow on the site for many years. Design solution: combining annual and perennial plants will be the most interesting and rational option.
Minimalistic front garden
The most popular representative of the laconic style is Asian. It is restrained in everything: the color design of perennials, the number of plants and sculptures. An important role is played by natural or artificial stone, which plays a dominant role.
A carefully trimmed lawn, neatly decorated tree crowns and rounded shrubs will emphasize the severity of the landscape and the impeccable taste of the owners.
The lawn is the main part of landscaping
A beautiful and well-groomed lawn is the dream of many land owners, but you should not think that it grows on its own. You can prepare the area and buy a ready-made rolled lawn, the care of which is limited to regular mowing and watering during dry summer periods.
There is also an option to spend more time, but grow a lawn yourself from a special mixture of seeds. Currently, you can find several types of seed material for sale for different types of lawns. They are parterre, universal, sports and Moorish.
But any of these types of grass for landscaping a private yard requires proper design.
To maintain an even lawn planting boundary, you need to mow it periodically. To limit the green fragments, a shallow ditch up to 4 cm deep is made along their edges, which is filled with small pebbles or shavings of coniferous bark.
Border tape is also used to secure the lawn line.
An area covered with a green grass carpet can be diversified with all kinds of ornamental plants and flower beds.
Smooth, mowed lawns are an important element of the improvement of a private home; they can be used for outdoor recreation, playing game sports, meditation and contemplation of a large amount of greenery, pleasing to the eye and calming.
With a rosary
Even the most modest house will look luxurious surrounded by colorful roses. The best place for planting them is the sunny side with low groundwater. The soil should be light, fertile, with good drainage.
If you set aside an entire front garden for rose bushes, your area will stand out with its beauty, royal elegance and richness of colors.
The front garden is a grand place, worthy of better design and a responsible approach to the choice of plants and sculptures.
Future project planning
Before you start implementing the actual material part of the plan, you need to clearly think through the points related to the positioning and functioning of your future front garden:
- dimensions - the breadth of scale of the compositions you have planned will depend on them;
- sunny or shady side - this affects which types of plants are preferable to plant based on the location of the front garden;
- time - the front garden requires care, because the landscaped area requires a significant degree of attention;
- resources and opportunities - many seeds and plantings of various plants cost a lot of money. Also, it is advisable to plan your budget based on the need for materials for creating fences and paths;
- appearance - it is better to think in advance about how to implement the desired design of the front garden: what elements will be included in it, where is it better to lay the paths, and what will be the color of the front garden - monochromatic or close to Pollock’s work?
