Design flower beds in the country: basic rules and ideas for creating a flower garden
When all the large-scale work on the site is over - the house is built, fence built, trees planted, paths laid, and paved areas, it is time to think through the design of flower beds in the country, to give your own suburban possession a complete look. An inhabited, cozy hacienda is inconceivable without beautiful flower beds creating a mood and a joyful feeling of country life.
A flower bed is the general name of all flower or decorative plantings fenced or having a clear shape.
Varieties of flower beds: free (landscape), regular (strict forms, symmetrically executed), from summers, perennials, including decorative trees, shrubs, various species of conifers.
Mixborder is an elongated flowerbed along the paths enclosing structures, where plants are selected in height from shorter to higher, and in terms of flowering so as to look spectacularly most of the vegetative period.
Parterre - an extensive flower garden of strict form (square, rectangle), which occupies a central place in the garden, where plants are planted with contrasting patterns.
Rabatka is a strip bordering the paths, where relatively low flowering plants create a distinct ornament.
Front garden design - involves planning flower beds from the gate to the entrance of the house, with the presence of tapeworms (single plants that attract attention) to create a beautiful appearance of the cottage, viewed from the driveways.
When choosing plants for flower beds, consider the timing of flowering, so that some flowers replace the others, and the flower bed is not empty. Keep in mind that each plant species has its own “early birds” and “owls”, i.e. varieties that bloom later with a difference of 2-3 weeks.
An important point in the breakdown of the flower bed, which must be taken into account, is the possibility of viewing it. Some flower gardens suggest a circular appearance, i.e. they are equally spectacular from several viewpoints. Plane-shaped flowerbeds look better from elevations, interesting for use in areas with slopes and terraces. Vertically and horizontally oriented flower beds emphasize the necessary dominants, visually expand the space or add a suburban corner of chamberness.
Where to begin
Thinking to create a decorative corner - a flower bed on your personal plot, you need to perform several sequential operations:
Collect illustrative material (magazines with schemes of flower beds, sites on landscape design, gardening forums on the Internet will help in this).
Decide on desires and opportunities (which plants you like, what will survive in a particular climate,what are the material resources allocated for the purchase of planting material).
To reduce financial costs will help to grow the required number of copies from seeds. This process takes longer, but does not hit the family wallet, especially if the area of the flower beds is large, and the number of plants is selected to a hundred or more.
To break a flower bed, to think over its protection (a stone, a tree, concrete, plastic, an earthen groove separating a flower bed from a lawn).
Prepare the land for planting (add the necessary soil components, make the required fertilizers).
Create a scheme (your own sketch), taking into account the size (height and width) of plants.
Decide how the flowerbed will be planted - for growth or so that it looks good on the first day. Calculate planting density.
Place pots with plants on the square to check the correctness and harmony of their placement not on paper, but visually.
Landing by watering. Mulch open areas of land between plants, leaving clean ground 10-15 cm from the stems (trunks).
Maintain plant survival (provide necessary watering, shading, if the weather is very hot).
Enjoy the result and start making new plans.
Which plants to choose
So that the flower garden captivates guests and delights the family for a long time (for example, peonies and clematis grow in one place for several decades), select only climate-resistant, unpretentious plants. Having landed extremely liked, but demanding care and shelter, poorly tolerating Russian winters copies, you will carefully look after them.
However, after 3-5 years, removing dead bushes that did not survive the winter in the spring, you will realize that there is no more strength to take care of whims. At this point, you will decide to replace all "southerners" with regionalized ornamental plants.So why not immediately pay attention to those flowers that feel good in your climate?
The initial selection for beds of suitable planting material, varieties and species resistant to the climatic conditions of the region has many advantages:
Easy maintenance (no need to build serious winter shelters).
Preservation of one’s own nervous system (lack of worries about poorly covered or untimely open plants, fear of mopping up, getting wet, damage by moles or mice who like to house in winter under shelters).
Lower financial costs (there are no costs for the purchase of new plants for replacement).
Reduced labor costs (there is no annual digging of "dead" specimens and landing new ones in their place).
A more accurate appearance of flower beds in the winter (even snowy spaces with shrubs covered with hoarfrost or snow caps look much more presentable than wooden boxes or arc structures throughout the site).
Every enthusiastic summer clerk, feeling like a landscape designer of a particular site, needs a rest. Without time to admire one's own achievements, there will be no pleasure in the accomplished task and the country life as a whole. Therefore, plant more unpretentious plants, they will allow you to enjoy the surrounding beauty more.
Fashion trends and custom solutions
Modern landscape design offers a wide variety of compositions of flower beds in a suburban area. The main direction is “harmony in simplicity”. There are several ways to implement it.
Type of design
Decision
Monochrome (using a single color scheme)
Greens of different shades: silver-green, blue-green, dark green, lemon green
Green and white: tree hydrangea, derain, astilbe, white peonies, primrose with white flowers, stalk, hosta with spotted leaves, spirea wangutta, mock
Monoformity (selection of planted plants of a single form)
Connection in one flowerbed of plants with a round crown: spherical willow, spherical thuja, round spirea, large-leaved hydrangea bushes, roses on the stem, rounded forms of herbaceous plants (gray fescue)
Contrast (choice of plants with flowers of saturated colors)
Blue-pink (roses and a frame of lavender, verbena, matthiola bicorn)
Another interesting technique is the creation of vertical flower beds. Strengthening flower containers on the walls of buildings and planting bright summers in them will decorate the boring corners of the garden, and the creation of columns with petunias placed along the entire height will add originality and rich aroma, turning a flat area into a luxurious voluminous flower garden. Planted near an old tree, clematis (it is possible to use a species as more resistant to adverse conditions) will cover the trunk with a flower wave, delighting the summer resident with continuous flowering for 3 months.
Decorative design of flower beds in a summer cottage
The rules of landscape design allow you to decorate flower beds with a variety of decorations. Practically any of them, with some effort, can be made with your own hands. Such a move is especially appropriate when arranging central flower beds, where the decorative element is viewed from all sides, as well as the "secret corners" for relaxation, hidden from a direct look and full of intimate charm.
As the basis around which the composition of the flowerbed is formed, it is often used:
mosaic balls, drinking bowls for birds, sundials;
wooden driftwood, carts, logs, stumps, wheels;
sculptures;
mirrors;
trellises, arches, figured constructions;
plants with a dense crown, trimmed in the form of various figures (art of topiary).
Each of these elements solo in the flowerbed. Plants of different sizes create a common background, and some specimens (for example, climbing roses) often perform with a duet.
In addition to the central elements, a large role in the decorative design of flower beds is played by:
fencing;
solar powered lights;
mulching with colored chips, different shades of gravel.
In the latter case, the alternation of multi-colored wavy stripes is able to emphasize the interesting shape of the flowerbed or to advantageously give a bright plant.
The combination of beautiful and healthy
Recently, in landscape design, it has become fashionable to use instead of flower beds decorative beds in a regular style. Placing an artistically broken garden near the house allows you to enjoy a beautiful view, concentrated smells of herbs and save time (everything you need for a salad is nearby).
In the original (the French royal garden), the framing of the beds was made of sheared boxwood. In our climate, this plant requires shelter for the winter, but even it does not guarantee survival. And his "deputy" - privet will require a lot of time for a haircut to maintain the curb in perfect shape.
Therefore, when dividing flower beds by the type of “decorative garden” it is better to limit themselves to creating raised beds from timber, thick treated boards with platbands along the upper perimeter, or lay out walls made of slab stone.
Having laid an earthen composition inside the beds, it remains only to plant garden plants in even rows or geometric patterns. A contrasting pattern can be obtained by arranging different varieties of lettuce (green, red, lemon flowers), purple and green basil, varieties of decorative cabbage (it can be eaten), dividing the space into cells, using as a border a line of radish or dill.
When all the large-scale work on the site is over - the house is built, fence built, trees planted, paths laid, and paved areas, it is time to think through the design of flower beds in the country, to give your own suburban possession a complete look. An inhabited, cozy hacienda is inconceivable without beautiful flower beds creating a mood and a joyful feeling of country life.
Content
Varieties of country flower beds
A flower bed is the general name of all flower or decorative plantings fenced or having a clear shape.
An important point in the breakdown of the flower bed, which must be taken into account, is the possibility of viewing it. Some flower gardens suggest a circular appearance, i.e. they are equally spectacular from several viewpoints. Plane-shaped flowerbeds look better from elevations, interesting for use in areas with slopes and terraces. Vertically and horizontally oriented flower beds emphasize the necessary dominants, visually expand the space or add a suburban corner of chamberness.
Where to begin
Thinking to create a decorative corner - a flower bed on your personal plot, you need to perform several sequential operations:
Which plants to choose
So that the flower garden captivates guests and delights the family for a long time (for example, peonies and clematis grow in one place for several decades), select only climate-resistant, unpretentious plants. Having landed extremely liked, but demanding care and shelter, poorly tolerating Russian winters copies, you will carefully look after them.
However, after 3-5 years, removing dead bushes that did not survive the winter in the spring, you will realize that there is no more strength to take care of whims. At this point, you will decide to replace all "southerners" with regionalized ornamental plants.So why not immediately pay attention to those flowers that feel good in your climate?
The initial selection for beds of suitable planting material, varieties and species resistant to the climatic conditions of the region has many advantages:
Every enthusiastic summer clerk, feeling like a landscape designer of a particular site, needs a rest. Without time to admire one's own achievements, there will be no pleasure in the accomplished task and the country life as a whole. Therefore, plant more unpretentious plants, they will allow you to enjoy the surrounding beauty more.
Fashion trends and custom solutions
Modern landscape design offers a wide variety of compositions of flower beds in a suburban area. The main direction is “harmony in simplicity”. There are several ways to implement it.
Another interesting technique is the creation of vertical flower beds. Strengthening flower containers on the walls of buildings and planting bright summers in them will decorate the boring corners of the garden, and the creation of columns with petunias placed along the entire height will add originality and rich aroma, turning a flat area into a luxurious voluminous flower garden. Planted near an old tree, clematis (it is possible to use a species as more resistant to adverse conditions) will cover the trunk with a flower wave, delighting the summer resident with continuous flowering for 3 months.
Decorative design of flower beds in a summer cottage
The rules of landscape design allow you to decorate flower beds with a variety of decorations. Practically any of them, with some effort, can be made with your own hands. Such a move is especially appropriate when arranging central flower beds, where the decorative element is viewed from all sides, as well as the "secret corners" for relaxation, hidden from a direct look and full of intimate charm.
As the basis around which the composition of the flowerbed is formed, it is often used:
Each of these elements solo in the flowerbed. Plants of different sizes create a common background, and some specimens (for example, climbing roses) often perform with a duet.
In addition to the central elements, a large role in the decorative design of flower beds is played by:
In the latter case, the alternation of multi-colored wavy stripes is able to emphasize the interesting shape of the flowerbed or to advantageously give a bright plant.
The combination of beautiful and healthy
Recently, in landscape design, it has become fashionable to use instead of flower beds decorative beds in a regular style. Placing an artistically broken garden near the house allows you to enjoy a beautiful view, concentrated smells of herbs and save time (everything you need for a salad is nearby).
In the original (the French royal garden), the framing of the beds was made of sheared boxwood. In our climate, this plant requires shelter for the winter, but even it does not guarantee survival. And his "deputy" - privet will require a lot of time for a haircut to maintain the curb in perfect shape.
Therefore, when dividing flower beds by the type of “decorative garden” it is better to limit themselves to creating raised beds from timber, thick treated boards with platbands along the upper perimeter, or lay out walls made of slab stone.
Having laid an earthen composition inside the beds, it remains only to plant garden plants in even rows or geometric patterns. A contrasting pattern can be obtained by arranging different varieties of lettuce (green, red, lemon flowers), purple and green basil, varieties of decorative cabbage (it can be eaten), dividing the space into cells, using as a border a line of radish or dill.