A great garden is a source of well-being for the body and mind: in your outdoor living room you can breathe pure air, rest after a tiring day of work and spend special moments surrounded by the people you love most. This green area will prove to be a true oasis of peace for the whole family. Precisely because of the importance that the garden has, designing and creating it independently can represent the best way to express your personality and take care of your spaces, making them just as you want them. It is certainly not an easy path, but fortunately there are refined solutions and materials that can be installed without the support of technicians and gardeners. We see them in detail in this complete guide that will answer your question: “How can I build a great garden?”.
Define style of your garden
In order to design a Garden, you must first have clear ideas about the style you will have to follow. In fact, there are different types of outdoor spaces, which differ in shape, the presence of particular ornamental elements and the choice of plants. For example, we can find:
- Classic garden: it is characterized by the search for the harmony of the elements. It is characterized by an extreme order in the arrangement of the plants, by hedges pruned according to geometric shapes and by grassy surfaces cut to perfection. The final effect is simply breathtaking, thanks to the care that characterizes each decoration, whether natural or artificial.
- Rustic garden: This is the typical country garden, a natural, spontaneous and not at all artificial environment, which includes the presencenative plants.
- Rock garden: The protagonist of this garden is, as the name itself indicates, the rock, which is expertly interspersed with particular plant species that are grown on terraces. It grows mainly on drained soil, often sloping to prevent water stagnation and in well-sunny areas.
- Zen garden: Of clear oriental origin, this type of garden perfectly combines water, plants and stone, which represent man’s journey towards eternity. A true oasis of daily well-being, where the only sounds come from the flowing water and the movement of the leaves.
- Mediterranean garden: Built on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, a garden of this type boasts a temperate climate and exposure to the sun for many days a year: this is where plants such as olive trees, lavender and vines grow.
Obviously, the style of the garden must also follow that of the house : in fact, if the house is modern, characterized by straight and geometric lines, it will hardly go well with the curves and naturalness of a rustic outdoor living room.
Research characteristics of your garden
After choosing the garden style, you need to answer the following questions:
- What is the surface area of the garden?
- Is the garden facing north, south, east or west?
- Is the terrain smooth or rough?
- What climatic conditions characterize the garden?
Based on the answers to these questions, you will be clear on the essential elements you will need to focus on. For example, if the garden has a limited surface area, don’t indulge too much with outdoor furniture but limit yourself to a few useful elements. Furthermore, opt for climbing plants that grow in height leaving the ground free.
Studying the exposure, however, will allow you to choose the right plants. Creating a beautiful Garden also means paying attention to all those aspects that can facilitate its well-being and beauty over time: choosing the type of vegetation based on the climatic conditions and the garden’s exposure to the sun will save you from having to constantly intervene and, therefore, to enjoy your outdoor living room to the fullest.
Another aspect to evaluate is the terrain; if it is very steep, terraces will necessarily have to be built.
Consider functions of your garden
The outdoor living room can be an extremely versatile area, in which it is possible to carry out multiple activities… provided, however, that it is designed appropriately. Think about what the function of the garden will be, whether it will only be a beautiful environment to look at or whether it will also and above all be a space to live in. In this last case, evaluate the daily needs, desires and habits of the people who will use it. For example, a space could be dedicated to a small playground, with a swing or a slide, to allow children to play outdoors.
If, however, you need a space in which to relax after work, you will create a relaxation area, equipped with deckchairs and sofas on which to rest or listen to music. And if you want to make the most of your space for barbecues with friends, don’t miss the possibility of creating a barbecue area, perhaps under a gazebo, with ad hoc garden paving. The presence of a walkway will be very functional as will the creation of a low wall to protect the crops, in case the garden is also inhabited by domestic animals who could ruin them. You can also cultivate vegetable gardens and orchards to enjoy natural products.
Did you know that the garden can also be used in the cold months? Design a habitable winter garden right away : you will immerse yourself in nature even in the cool seasons and will thus be able to enjoy its beauty every day of the year. What more could you ask for?
Choose decorations
Once you’ve designed your garden, it’s time to make it a reality. The starting point of this step is the choice of material, which must be easily installable and versatile, so that it adapts perfectly to any type of use. We therefore recommend that you rely on fake stone for exteriors : made with stones and marbles mixed with mineral hydraulic binders and high-resistance cements, it remains beautiful over time even if subjected to bad weather or in close contact with water. Furthermore, reconstructed stone allows for dry installation, which is very simple to carry out even for those who are less accustomed.
What can you make with reconstructed stone? Here are just a few examples of how you can make your Garden more beautiful and comfortable:
- Flooring to create the barbecue area, solarium area, swimming pool area etc.
- Walkways that lead to the heart of the garden
- Garden borders that allow you to delimit flowerbeds so as to make cutting the grass easier: plants scattered here and there will get in the way when mowing and will force you to use the brush cutter.
- Garden walls, to create splendid flowerbeds and fascinating planters in which to contain your plants, a riot of colors that will release joy at any time of the year.
- Garden waterfalls and water blades to create fascinating water features. There is nothing more relaxing than listening to the slow flow of water: waterfalls are the best way to make your garden a serene and, above all, high-impact place.
- Pond in the garden. Both adults and children like it: the pond allows you to create a real ecosystem in your outdoor living room. A romantic and fun place, where you can spend the most beautiful moments.
Then there are decorative elements that give even greater charm to your outdoor area. For example, the balls, steel spheres that will spread the colors of your garden in every direction. You can also integrate them with water, giving life to water balls : the flow of water merges with the nature all around and the atmosphere becomes magical.
Importance of lighting
One of the biggest difficulties for anyone who is about to create a garden concerns lighting. This is an essential aspect to make the external area livable even during the dark hours, but also to highlight the most interesting plants and subjects; at the same time, however, it is not easy to find systems that can be installed without the help of an electrician. What to do, then?
Fortunately, there are 12 Volt systems on the market that allow quick and easy installation for those who are giving life to their garden, without sacrificing versatility: it is possible to choose between garden lanterns for the paths and the relaxation area, spotlights for the flowerbeds or recessed spotlights for walkways, all equipped with LED technology, which guarantees maximum energy savings with greater effectiveness.
A garden also on the terrace
If you don’t have much space available, you can still create a terrace garden. This can be more or less large, but in any case it is always possible to create a green area. By optimizing the space as best as possible, even a small balcony will seem larger: to do this a professional will help you by designing your terrace and selecting the most suitable plants together with you. The choice of the latter is a delicate step because not all of them grow healthily if placed in pots or planters. The most used and easy to maintain plants are the climbing ones that frame your balcony, allowing you to have the right amount of privacy and an element of connection between your home and nature. Paving is also an important element in a terrace garden: if you want it to last a long time, choose carefully. In these cases, wood, specially treated to resist bad weather, is the most common choice and fits perfectly with the greenery.
Garden maintenance and watering
Whether it is a large or small garden, maintenance is always important. For this reason, having the support of a gardener allows you to carry out regular jobs that you often don’t have time to do alone. It is also essential to think about irrigation, especially if it is a terrace garden, if you want to grow aromatic herbs or vegetables. In fact, if in nature plants live off the nourishment of the soil and rain, these conditions are not always present in our gardens. There are balcony systems that allow you to program irrigation , so as not to leave your plants without water, even if you are not at home. These systems can also be used for liquid fertilization, necessary for the correct growth and maintenance of your plants. These innovative systems can also be connected to your smartphone: at any time and wherever you are, you have the possibility of managing the lighting of your garden, giving free rein to your imagination and creating splendid atmospheres.
In conclusion…
Creating a beautiful Garden allows you to experience unforgettable moments alone or in company, every day of the year. It is essential, however, that each element is planned in detail, with the aim of making this space not only beautiful, but also functional to your needs and those of those who live in the garden with you.
We hope this guide has been useful to you. If you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our team. Otherwise, to learn more about the topic you can download the guide to the perfect garden by clicking on the button below. Enjoy the reading!