Landscape design of a small plot, beautiful ideas, basic rules, photos of options

Pre-planning

The option when landscape design will be carried out on an undeveloped site is considered optimal, since there is no need to rebuild or relocate existing facilities. Initially, the owners will have to balance their dreams with reality and determine the buildings that they really need. The set of necessary facilities may vary from family to family; in most cases the following elements are included (in various combinations):

Residential building, garage or parking lot.
Outbuildings (shed, workshop).
Buildings for recreation (sauna, gazebo).
Technical structures (well, septic tank).

The landscape design of a small area is determined by the principle of zoning the territory, which allows you to competently manage the available square meters.

There are many graphic programs that allow you to competently plan a site Source seattlehelpers.org

Even a modest-sized suburban area can be turned into a comfortable and, importantly, functional place. During preliminary planning, the following design principles are taken into account:

About 10% of the total area of the site is allocated for buildings
The garden and vegetable garden (including a greenhouse or greenhouse) account for the maximum area, up to 75%.
The recreation area, which includes a gazebo, flower garden and barbecue area, will occupy about 15%.

The size of the zones may vary depending on the preferences of the owners. Anyone who is not keen on growing organic vegetables, but loves relaxing with family and friends, can arrange a spacious recreation area with all the amenities. Anyone who appreciates the aesthetics of garden decor will plant most of the area with ornamental plants and install a stylish gazebo and fountain.

Small area - big opportunities Source yandex.ru

Secrets of zoning a small plot

At the zoning stage, not only the sizes of the zones are determined, but also their relative location. They usually want to create a relaxation area around the gazebo, and children will need a place to play. At the same time, everyone understands that it is impossible to arrange a place for children to play next to a barbecue area and build a greenhouse under a dense canopy of trees. Landscape design experts advise following simple space-optimizing techniques, which include the following concepts:

Location of buildings. To prevent buildings from looking massive, they are distributed throughout the site, alternating with green spaces and camouflaging them behind them. They try to locate outbuildings in the depths of the territory.
Location of the residential building. It is advantageous to place it near the front fence, facing the street. It would also be a wise decision to attach the garage to the home, placing it on the same foundation. This will make construction more economical, and the driveway, which eats up valuable land, will not be needed. An additional plus is that you can access the garage directly from your home, which is especially valuable in rainy or frosty weather.

An attached garage is an important condition for a modest plot Source stroitelyu.ru

Determination of geological parameters. The choice of plants and their planting location depends on what type of soil is present on the site and how deep the groundwater runs (especially for fruit trees and exotic ornamental plants).
Choosing the style of the local area. Landscape design of a small summer cottage is often done in one of the natural (landscape) styles, since a regular (symmetrical, geometric) style requires space. English, forest or country style is perfect. Exotic lovers can try Japanese or Alpine style design.
Selection of plants. When choosing trees for planting, take into account the size of their crown as an adult. Typically, tall trees in a small area are discarded; otherwise, the owners will have to undertake annual painstaking work to form the crown.

Country style in the design of a small area Source pinterest.com
Placement of zones. For a recreation area with a gazebo and barbecue, choose a secluded, quiet place in the rear of the site, away from the noise of the road and prying eyes. On the contrary, they try to locate the playground close to the house, in the shade and within visibility from the windows.

See also: Contacts of construction companies that offer landscaping services.

Unusual solutions

You can make the landscape of a small garden unique in its own way without extra costs. For example, old things are often used for this (tires, shoes, dishes, furniture that is no longer used). By correctly arranging these items, you can get very impressive flower beds. By the way, not only flowers, but also greens are planted in such “beds”: arugula, sorrel, dill, parsley, lettuce, spinach, strawberries.

You can use old things, creatively reinterpreted, as decorative elements for your garden.

The above unusual “vases” are not only placed on the ground, but also used in a suspended state. Then they become an ideal place for growing petunias.

In spherical pots with holes, petunia, violets, begonia, alyssum, fuchsia, and dandur look impressive.

If the area is very small and you need to place a lot of plants on it, use multi-tiered structures. The main thing is to place vertical gardening in the far corner of the garden.

Ready-made arches with climbing flowers, elegant benches, and garden chairs will fit well into the strict design of the garden.

Multi-tiered terraces are also created using ordinary pots. The advantage of such structures is that, if necessary, the pots can be easily taken indoors. Pots look especially impressive next to paths, a gazebo, or as a decoration for the entrance to a house. Remember that the pot must fit the plants, consider the size of the root system and the height of the crop. Today, dwarf coniferous crops, luxurious fragrant roses, and even vegetable crops (pepper, tomato) are planted in pots.

The lack of territory can be hidden with the help of multi-tiered terraces and vertical landscaping (rockeries, rock gardens).

Important! Control the number of flower beds and hanging structures so that the area does not look tasteless.

When choosing plants, pay attention to their flowering time. Try to make sure that the flower beds and flowerpots look like they are blooming all the time, so that one crop, as it fades, is replaced by another that is just beginning to bloom.

And one more little trick: to make the area seem larger, lay winding paths between plantings, flower beds and decorative elements. And yellow and white flowers planted in the far corners will allow you to “push” the boundaries a little.

When choosing plants, try to select flower varieties that will bloom alternately throughout the warm season.

Arrangement nuances: how to visually expand the space

In addition to the residential building and auxiliary buildings, there are other objects that appear during the development of the site and then exist for many years. Before you put up a fence, plant trees and lay garden paths, you should think about every little detail; redoing a poorly laid path is a troublesome and costly task. After dividing the site into zones, you can begin to design them. The main way to change the perception of space is to divert attention from all kinds of boundaries and barriers.

Video description

About landscape tricks on a small area in the following video:

Fence

The fence directly shows the boundaries of the site; The higher the fence, the more attention it attracts, taking up space in our perception and crowding out other details, making them appear smaller. A gaze constantly resting on a high, blank fence causes a feeling of constriction and discomfort. There are two ways to “push” the boundaries of a site:

Disguise. The fence is decorated with weaving plants, which creates the effect of an extension of the garden. Ivy, grapes, lemongrass, roses are suitable.
Replacement. The solid fence is replaced with a lighter, airier structure. This can be a picket fence, chain-link mesh, wooden or metal lattice fence. Trees and shrubs can be planted along the new fence, which, after regular trimming, can completely close the area from prying eyes. Thuja, elm, linden, lilac, and viburnum are suitable as hedges.

An openwork light fence makes the space cozy Source debugthemyths.com

Recommendations

First, let's look at three rules that must be followed when designing a small garden.

Refusal of massive structures. All structures installed on the site should feel light and airy. It is better to distribute objects evenly throughout the garden, and hide some of them with the help of a living fence and climbing plants. Decorative structures should alternate with functional ones (for example, a gazebo and barbecue area).

Anyone can give a stylish look to a small garden with their own hands, following the recommendations of professional designers.

Do not install a solid fence; this is the worst option when designing a small garden. Visually, the space will seem even smaller, and all your efforts to make the garden spacious will come to naught. In addition, such fences prevent free air circulation, which means the microclimate in the area will be changed. And this nuance can have a detrimental effect on plants. Choose a chain-link mesh or picket fence. The effective “decor” of such a fence will be climbing plants that can completely hide the structure itself and there will be a feeling that the area is fenced with flowering vines.

All buildings should have lightness. Try to hide them behind vertical hedges and bushes.

Don't plant tall trees. As these crops have larger crowns and roots every year, you will have less room to implement other design ideas. Better plant fruit trees - both beautiful and useful. They look very beautiful in groups, so there is an opportunity to show your imagination.

All objects should be evenly distributed throughout the garden so as not to create a feeling of clutter.

Video description

About the design rules for a small garden area in the following video:

Wood. There are paths made of boards, garden parquet (thermowood) or saw cuts. Skillfully placed saw cuts look trendy in a garden decorated in country style.
Construction Materials. These include paving slabs, processed stone, asphalt, paving stones, clinker bricks and concrete. Often gravel or tennessite (tennis court material) is used.

A useful landscaping design technique that allows you to divert attention from the size of the site is the placement of decorative details along the paths. They can be figurines of animals and gnomes, vases with flowers, small fountains, stone Japanese lanterns.

Winding paths can be the salvation of a small area Source seattlehelpers.org

Multi-level garden

A complex landscape for a small area is not a punishment, but a gift, since it allows you to create multi-level areas and add volume. Uneven terrain can be used in different ways:

If the site is on a slope, terraces are arranged, the passionate love of every landscape designer.
If the area is flat, a small area at another level can be created in another way. Among the options are built-in flower beds, alpine slides, small terraces raised above the ground (or vice versa, deepened into it). The effect is emphasized by flowers planted in a cascading manner.

Choosing a style

To prevent a small garden from appearing even smaller, it is important to know a sense of proportion regarding decorative elements. Also, even at the project stage, decide on the height of objects and plants. Objects that are too voluminous will “draw” attention to themselves, and the impression of the landscape as a whole will be hopelessly spoiled.

To prevent a small area from appearing even smaller, when working with its design it is important not to oversaturate it with decorative elements.

The ideal style for a small garden is Japanese. Mandatory “residents” of such a site: dwarf trees, mini-waterfalls, compositions of stones. Traditional hedges serve as decoration. And when choosing plants for an oriental-style garden, preference is given to evergreen shrubs, various types of moss and creeping grass.

Landscaping of a small summer cottage

Landscaping in a small area includes the selection of suitable plants and their correct location. Preference is given to trees and shrubs of dwarf and low species. If the owners want to see less compact varieties on the site, they must be prepared to care for them in a timely manner (so that the crown of such trees does not absorb the living space of other plants, it is periodically pruned). When landscaping a small area, the following techniques are used:

Vertical gardening. It not only decorates and expands the space, but also saves space very effectively.
Taking into account the light requirements of plants. An important parameter on which the well-being of green spaces depends. Low-growing plants are planted in the southern part, the tallest ones (as a rule, these are fruit trees) - in the northern part.
Entrance registration. Landscape design experts recommend laying out a small lawn or two flower beds at the entrance; the only condition is that they should not be symmetrical.

Proper landscaping of the recreation area Source mart-sad.ru

Flowerbeds on the site. There cannot be many of them due to the limited territory. Flowers can be planted near the gazebo and along the paths. The flowerbed next to the house can be planted with medicinal plants and herbs, which will not only be beautiful, but also useful.
Accents. A flower bed made from scrap materials will be an original decoration. A basket, cart, log, chest, old shoe or bicycle can be used.
Organizing a vegetable garden. A vegetable garden is more of a habit than a pressing necessity. More and more owners are abandoning their garden beds in favor of expanding their recreation area. However, even on a plot of 2-3 acres, you can allocate a little space to have fresh herbs and the most necessary vegetables for the table.

A vertical flower bed attracts attention and saves space Source homegar.ru

Laying out a flower garden in a small summer cottage

A creative approach to garden design will help a lot when you have to choose between vegetable plants and a flower bed. Well-fertilized and well-groomed beds are in no way inferior in appearance to decorative flower beds. Colorful lettuce leaves, neat rows of carrots, green beans in the background along the fence. Onions and garlic are easy to combine with flowers that will bloom much later.

Beautiful flower bed with densely planted flowers

It is better to place flower beds in the warmest, sunny place. You can decorate them with available materials - colored plastic bottles, stones, bricks, and construction waste. Many flowering plants are planted closer to autumn, when most of the harvest has already been harvested. Morning glory, marigolds, daisies, and pansies are suitable. Gladioli, Alpine forget-me-not, petunia, asters, and crocuses look good.

An island with flowers in the center of the lawn breaks up the space, blocking the view, and the garden can no longer be seen through at first glance

The flower garden can be given any shape, but to save space, simple geometric shapes are preferred. If the roof of a house or one of the buildings is flat and strong, then a flower bed can be made there. It is only important to choose drought-resistant, light-loving plants. A great idea is a floating flower garden. It is located on a foam “raft” and can be attached to the bottom with an anchor.

See alsoModern landscape design. Main trends

Additional details in a small area

Many owners consider it necessary to decorate the site with additional elements, which include:

Water. In a small area, it is more often powerful to encounter a pond, fountain or waterfall than a stream. A modest-sized but beautifully designed pond will make the landscape more natural and will definitely attract attention. A landscape waterfall will require more effort to organize; it can be combined with an alpine slide. A fountain has long been no longer considered an unaffordable luxury; Manufacturers offer exquisite options in all sizes, made from different materials.
Playground. If there are children in the family, it is important to provide them with a cozy and safe place to play. Many people believe that children can spend time in the gazebo during the day, but this is not always possible. A much better option would be a playground near the house, with a swing and a sandbox. You can install a ready-made gaming complex. Such structures are well thought out, safe and compact in placement.

A modest pond will decorate any area Source pinterest.com