The complete guide to designing a garden yourself
Managing a garden takes time and passion, but also a lot of work. If you like the idea of having a space outside your home, where you can spend time with family, friends or alone in total relaxation, the garden is undoubtedly the ideal place where you can stay. in close contact with nature. This bucolic idea (which many like) quickly gives way to a much less romantic image, namely that of literally having to sweat in order to design, build and care for a garden. This is an essential truth. However, by starting with a good design, you can avoid wasting time and work. Clearly, things change according to the size of the garden you have to take care of and the time you have available to take care of it.
Step 1. Understand what you want to do with the garden
The main point when designing a garden is to determine what its function will be. Very often gardens are used as an integral part of the house and not as a space in its own right. The organization of a garden aimed at creating an extra living room raises the need to create a comfortable and welcoming environment, in which you can also sit on the ground. In this case, the lawn must be comparable to a carpet and therefore dense, in such a way as to completely cover the underlying ground, a detail that undoubtedly guarantees greater cleaning. Another aspect that should never be overlooked is the importance of not straying too far from the geo-natural context in which one finds oneself. It is necessary to inquire about the autochthonous plants, that are typical of the place, in order to make sure that the chosen vegetation has a good chance of growth, without having to intervene too much and without having to take care of them excessively. Attention: this does not mean that it is not possible to have a tulip in the garden just because they are typical flowers of the Netherlands. However, if you wish to have a certain type of flower or plant in the garden (which generally grows in other parts of the world), all you have to do is inform yourself about the possibility of having them in your garden too, and therefore : if the summer climate is winter in which you live are suitable for the plant if the soil is suitable for that type of plant or flower and if it is necessary to intervene with fertilizations or winter protection, to ensure its survival.
Step 2. How to mark the perimeter of the garden
Very often the borders of the gardens are delimited by the so-called hedge plants. A clarification must be made on this definition: hedge plants do not exist. This is because plants are born without the need to delimit a property. It was the human being who identified some species (and there are really many) which, thanks to their physical characteristics, respond in the best possible way to this need. The plants that generally lend themselves well to the formation of a hedge must be: thick, have branches that start from the lower part of the main trunk, belong to the category of evergreen plants (to avoid running out of leaves in winter), be characterized by rather fast growth, withstand summer heat and winter cold, in equal measure. A tip for choosing the hedge: take a walk in the areas where there are many houses with the garden facing the street, so as to understand which type of hedge plant is most used (and therefore most suitable for the territory) and also for getting an idea of the final effect you will get once the plants have grown.
Step 3. How to choose the garden plants?
In addition to the lawn and the hedge, which we have seen to be an essential element if you want to preserve privacy and if you want to protect yourself from prying eyes, every self-respecting garden is characterized by the presence of other plants and flowers . To better orient, yourself in choosing the other ‘inhabitants’ of the garden, and absolutely fundamental element must be taken into consideration: the exposure (north, south). This is because not all plants, although suitable for the local climate, withstand excessive exposure to sunlight, especially on hot summer days. To avoid finding yourself with plants that do not perform as they should or, worse still, become dry, it is good to inquire about which is the best position for the plant or for the flower. Furthermore, some plants prefer to grow and develop in particular conditions: near a low wall (which protects them from the wind), near rocks, under the trunk of a larger tree (sheltered from the sun or from winter frosts). These are all conditions that should not be underestimated, because only by respecting them could we transform the garden into the place we have always dreamed of. All advice relating to plant care is generally provided by the nurseryman to whom it is addressed. Otherwise, a valid alternative is a web, where you can find a lot of information on (almost) all types of plants and flowers.
Step 4. The garden furniture
Today there are so many ideas for furnishing the garden area with furniture and sofas. We return to the same speech made at the beginning: it all depends on how you want to use the space outside the apartment. Essential requirements for this type of furniture are the resistance of the materials with which they are manufactured, the visual impact, but above all practicality and comfort. As for the quality of the materials with which the outdoor furniture must be manufactured, this factor is really important in order to allow them to last over time, so that they resist atmospheric agents (sun, wind, rain, snow). The importance of the aesthetic aspect of garden furniture derives from the need to create harmony between natural and artificial elements. Therefore, the choice of pastel or excessively bright colors can create the typical ‘punch-in-a-eye’ effect. Generally, in fact, the colors most used in this environment are completely neutral: beige, white, cream, and so on. Don’t forget to choose chairs, armchairs, and garden sofas that are sturdy but above all comfortable, to enjoy your little corner of paradise.
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