mistress of this beautiful garden I wanted him to have not a French or English, but a Russian accent and combine the scope of a Russian estate with the comfort of an old Moscow dacha. At the same time, it should be modern and incorporate the achievements of landscape art. What happened and how did it contribute 7 garden sculptures- read in her captivating story
A bit of history
In the late 90s, we purchased a plot of 15 acres of meadow, along the perimeter of which centuries-old trees grew - the remains of a manor estate. All the main material and creative resources were thrown into the construction of the house. A little later, they covered the site with a very good one, laid paths one stone wide, built in the middle, three in front of the house, and a vegetable garden on the side. Soon we bought a plot from a neighbor. Mighty ones grew on it. How they smelled when they bloomed! It was an offer that couldn't be refused. 
The husband gave the task: all the nooks and crannies of the garden should be worked out so that cute corners, benches, a platform for tea drinking and places for cultural pastime with friends appear. "And be sure household yard!" Mom and dad said. They voted for the acquisition of the site, since it solved exactly this problem. They hired specialists, and the work began to seethe. New lawns were laid out and more than 300 trees and shrubs were planted.
You give a worthy frame!
Soon, visiting our friends in a garden near Kiev, we saw limestone sculptures. We met the sculptor, we agreed on sketches, and three months later he invited us to view.
There were six sculptures, they were wonderful, but we wanted to lucky number 7. The husband immediately proposed the candidacy of a ram.
When the sculptures appeared in our garden, they not only changed it, but also demanded new ones. landscape solutions. I wanted to lift on completely new level color solutions, add a colorful floral frame to the sculptures, make the garden interesting in all seasons. 
There were other reasons that made us think about reworking the garden: a huge lawn area - more than 25 acres. Mowing with a good wide-cut self-propelled mower took 5 hours, a herd of cows could be fed with grass, it became impossible to get moles out of the site, the paths were narrow and uncomfortable. By this time, I had found "my" designer, and when I found out that she was in charge training center "Blossoming Planet" immediately signed up for the course.
Age of Civilization
Elena Konstantinova did not immediately agree to take on our garden. But one day we lured her to visit, drank tea, had country-garden conversations. Later, she admitted that she immediately fell in love with our age-old lindens ... We spent many hours discussing the future garden. Her proposals were so consonant with our ideas that we did not hesitate to give her free rein and never regretted it.
The world was turning before our eyes. And literally, not figuratively - hundreds of cubic meters land moved from one end of the plot to the other. At the same time, only one additional machine was purchased. fertile soil! As a result, the entire site was completely reoriented, leveled and drained.
A new area of about 40 m2 has appeared with a smooth coastline. It has a deep place for wintering crucian carp and shallow water areas with swamp irises and cattail. We never imagined that in our climate they could grow of such size and marvelous beauty. My husband's dream of a full-flowing stream with a wide channel also came true.
They grow freely along the banks, and multi-colored dragonflies sway on the schenoplectus in summer. The stream originates from a key beating from a rock, at the source of which a very beautiful weeping grows. New retaining walls dry masonry, small steps with pockets for ground cover plants enhance the decorative effect.
Arrangement of 7 figures
A picturesque alley 15 m long is decorated with lanterns. She is taken in a pergola entwined girlish grapes, clematis, lemongrass, honeysuckle. At the end, framed by mock oranges and park roses, proudly standing sculpture "Time loop"- similarity of the Mobius strip on the Doric column. 
"Young woman" landed gracefully against the deciduous rhododendrons against the backdrop of black pines among purple foxgloves. In the spring she "gathers" tulips, and in June - wild strawberries. Surrounded by sheared forms, this is undoubtedly the most spectacular composition of the garden. 
"Snail" creeps under huge lindens along a path of glossy periwinkle leaves, in spring - among multi-colored crocuses and tulips, and in summer hides in astilbes and ferns. 
"Lamb" peacefully grazes among thyme, Carpathian bluebells and fescue, anemones soar above it. 
"Wave" bends and pours strength under the spruce. From the moment we met, the spruce has grown from a baby into a huge beauty, and only an annual haircut does not allow it to grow to the size of a Kremlin New Year tree. 
On the retaining wall behind the house, among junipers, mock orange bushes and park roses, it is important to "Rebirth"- the largest of the sculptures. 
And, finally, in front of the house, among the multi-tiered flower beds, there is a small sculpture "Two hearts". Not very noticeable, modest, like first love, but she is surrounded by a halo at all times of the year. bright colors, symbolizing the strength and joy of this feeling.
walks in the garden
Wide paths of gray sandstone were laid across the territory. To brighten up their color uniformity, we laid them mixed with yellow sandstone, and also interspersed sea pebbles from the Crimea. Finally, we can walk hand in hand! The path, gently curving, escorts us from one corner of the garden to another through a wrought-iron bridge, past flowering onions, viburnum strewn with flowers or berries, a wrought-iron arbor, around which our always young parents wind circles of health path. 
Bushes and trees joined in a very diverse group in terms of shape, structure and color. The husband later admitted that he had not imagined the existence of such a number of shades of green and yellow in nature. He also refers to the advantages of our garden a combination of practicality and beauty - the basis of Art Nouveau. We manage the garden with one assistant, because it is technologically advanced and quite easy to care for.
Numerous dumps of pebbles and pine bark mulch, huge clumps of perennials planted in monochrome spots leave no chance for weeds. Compositions and flower beds that freed the lawn from single landings, made it easy to cut and care for. And only a few clearings of crocuses are allowed to disturb the surface of the lawn. in early spring when everything around has not yet woken up from hibernation. 
Sheared forms from the most common bushes of barberry, spirea, stephanadra and hawthorn, together with evergreens, create the volume, shape and structure of the garden and are especially indispensable in winter and early spring. Combinations of various vertical forged and wooden structures, stone surfaces and sculptures allowed us to create cute corners and green rooms that we subconsciously dreamed of. 
We wanted our garden to have not a French or English accent, but a Russian accent. So that it combines the scope of a Russian estate with the comfort of an old Moscow dacha. And at the same time, it should be modern and incorporate the achievements of landscape art. I had the good fortune to participate in an exceptionally interesting and exciting process of creating a Garden with a capital letter. It has become our pride, a place for family holidays and meetings with friends, and sculptures - its calling card.
Illustrations for the material: Olga Kopytova, Olga Petina.
The landscape style in garden design, which is also called English, is more similar to the natural landscape. The main note in this stylistic decision garden is the unity of man together with nature. As you can see in the photo, this style does not imply any clear arrangement of elements on the territory, there is even some negligence and asymmetry here. At the same time, it is important that all the details of the territory organically fit into the landscape and at the same time do not violate the harmony of nature.
Living fence in the country
The easiest way to get a beautiful front lawn
You have, of course, seen perfect lawn in the cinema, in the alley, and perhaps on the neighbor's lawn. Those who have ever tried to grow a green area in their area will no doubt say that this is a huge job. The lawn requires careful planting, care, fertilization, watering. However, only inexperienced gardeners think so, professionals have long known about innovative tool - liquid turf AquaGrazz.
A garden in a landscape style, as such, arose in England around the 18th century. Thanks to the development of romanticism, the English style appeared. Here, the single perception of man with nature, in which their relationship is closely felt, is of primary importance. Such architects like William Kent, Charles Bridgman and Lanceloa Brown contributed to the formation of this direction in landscape design.
At that time, this direction became widely used in France, where strict French garden and park ensembles prevailed. Also on the formation of this stylistic direction influenced and East, where they denied pomposity and artificiality, but on the contrary, they preferred the naturalness and harmony of man with nature.
garden style
landscape style today
Landscape style today is a simpler ensemble that can be created in almost any type of garden. The English garden is slightly less expensive, it also requires less work and further care. Since in any landscape design several adjustments are made and it turns out completely a new style which is shown in the photo below.
Landscape style is good because it does not require large space. The English garden also involves splitting into small areas. In creating a garden, the main elements should have soft and at the same time as smooth lines as possible, and there should be a gradual transition from one to another.
Landscape style on the site
In the design of a park of this stylistic direction, the relief remains the same, there is no need to use retaining walls and other structures. Any type of relief irregularities can be beaten, and any territory can be emphasized with the help of individual details. Also, most architects today use such a relief transformation method as geoplastics, which involves an architectural and artistic change in relief.
A landscape image in the garden can be obtained by including a couple of types of grasses in a mixture of lawn seeds. Quite often it is decorated with Moorish lawn, which looks quite elegant and resembles a great carpet. You can also use and alternative options lawn - backfill or ground cover plants.
English garden and the arrangement of plants in it
The landscape garden is also distinguished by the fact that the plants in it are arranged in tiers - large-sized, hedges, shrubs, borders, as well as flower beds. All plantings are located independently from each other, in groups. Such a style as landscape is distinguished by a huge number of different flower beds, such landscape design is dominated by:
- mixborders;
- rocky gardens imitating mountain landscapes.
You can look at the options for such gardens in the photo.
English garden and the arrangement of plants in it
In such a garden, there are also beautiful tapeworms that set the unique atmosphere of the entire territory. Honey plants are often planted on such a site, which attract bees, as well as bumblebees. The existing plantings of large-sized crops basically do not change. In the shade of large trees, a cozy whist can be located, which can be hidden in the depths of the garden. In such a landscape landscape, plants with foliage and flowers of various shades are selected; quite often, architects use gardens with continuous flowering in landscaping.
Water element in landscape style
Landscape park is impossible to imagine without a reservoir . No need to choose for your small suburban area huge ponds that look unnatural. This style suggests indistinct coastlines, coastal plants should be planted randomly. But some owners of private houses already have a natural reservoir. In this case, it is necessary to use new options for planning the park and landscaping. However, this style means the presence of natural reservoirs in the garden.
water element
Visually, the reservoir will be better perceived if it is oval or round shape. The pond on the territory is quickly populated by various small animals, which brings the summer cottage much closer to the wild. Great solution there will also be an organization of channels or streams. On flat areas, streams of a flat type are organized, in which a winding channel, on uneven ones, mountain-type streams with drops are created. Thanks to the movement and noise in the water, the garden will come to life.
hedges and flower arrangements
There are also hedges in the garden. However, unlike the regular style, it involves the use of uncut hedges from flowering trees and shrubs. However, hedges and neatly trimmed borders can also be used. Most architects use the berso technique.
hedges and flower arrangements
Numerous arches and pergolas that are entwined climbing plants, are able to divide the territory into separate parts and serve for its zoning. Also, for zoning the site, wooden fences, metal fences, as well as various screens are used.
But real professional- always a bit of a cynic. He strives to subject the highest matters to classification, measurement, and generalization. Landscape designers, without embarrassment, as in an anatomical class, divide the harmony of nature into its constituent parts in order to understand the laws of beauty. For what? It's simple: on their basis, you can create new beauty.
Landscapes are often compared to paintings; but some of them are man-made - indeed works of art, made by the hand of a master gardener and designer. And whoever wants his garden to be created according to the laws of beauty and harmony will have to become a bit of an artist himself.
Let's define terms right away. What is scenery And view in the understanding of the landscape designer?
Scenery (French payage, from pays- country, locality) is a part of the landscape, visually separated from the general space. That is, in order for this or that natural beauty to have the right to be called a landscape, it must:
- be conditionally enclosed in a "frame" that limits the field of vision (a "frame" can be considered a hillside or rock, the edge of a forest, a tall shrub, a group of trees, or even a single branch that limits our view. And also any inanimate object- wall of a building, garden fence);
- have a certain compositional structure.
Synonyms of the word "landscape" in landscape design - " park picture " , "landscape painting ", "view ".
When planning to create beautiful landscapes in your garden, you must always remember that both in nature and in the garden they exist according to the same laws as picturesque paintings framed and hanging on the wall. And the composition of landscapes is determined by the same factors, the most important of which is composite node .
The composition node is the center where the main subjects of the image are located. Note, in brackets, that it does not have to be in the geometric center of the image. And anything can serve them. For example, several trees or one standing alone (tapeworm), a lawn plane or a bright spot of a flower garden, the surface of a pond, a waterfall, a stream, an arbor, twined climbing roses, etc. and so on.
What should be considered when "drawing" a landscape in your garden?
First, the distance from the observer to the picture. But since our landscape, unlike a picturesque landscape, is not flat, but three-dimensional, then, depending on the depth of space, you can be guided by the distance either to the compositional center of the picture, or to its foreground, or, more rarely, to the background (background). Let's say it's good to admire a small flower garden from a distance of several meters, and a tapeworm or a group of trees of the first magnitude (lindens, oaks, pines) - from a distance of several hundred meters.
Secondly, the width of the picture. This is the distance between the objects that are the "frame" of our picture. Let the line connecting them be drawn only conditionally.
Thirdly, the height of the picture. This value is determined by the height of the elements of the landscape. But, like any artist, the designer necessarily takes into account the "air", including the sky and the plane of the earth (water) in the composition.
And finally, the horizontal angle of perception of the landscape. A full circle - 360 ° - is seen only by visitors to man-made circular panoramas and climbers standing on the peak of the mountain. Typically, the viewing angle ranges from 15 to 60 °, and its optimal value is 23-28 °. The 28° angle is used by landscape designers as an initial measure of the perceived landscape. Its conditional equivalent is one photo frame.
Landscapes are simple , complex And panoramic . A landscape painting with one subject (and usually with one compositional node) is a simple landscape. Two or three such landscapes with different subjects, forming a single whole - a complex landscape. Both simple and complex landscapes can be captured with a single click of the camera. If for this you need to take a series of photographs, we have a panoramic landscape. To see a picture that is several simple or complex landscapes, united by a common idea, plot and composition, the viewer will have to turn his head.
All types are divided into domestic And borrowed .
Types of internal are located directly on the site, the owner of the garden can create them with his own hands.
Borrowed views - a visual bridge between the garden and the surrounding landscape. (From a landscape designer's point of view, a sea view from a balcony is a borrowed view.) And, of course, they must be taken into account even before buying a site, and then be sure to check with them when designing it and building a house, creating and landscaping a garden. A competent architect will certainly connect the layout of the house, the placement of windows with the surrounding views.
The landscape designer or the one who will deal with the garden, first of all, must look at it from the windows of the house and appreciate the views. Some of them - on the forest, lake, river, fields - will need to be emphasized. Others - on the road, vegetable gardens, technical buildings - will have to be masked with trees, architectural structures and hedges.
The landscape style, as opposed to the regular style, does not isolate the garden. On the contrary, it becomes an organic part of the surrounding landscape. In such a garden, a person feels like a part of nature, and not its master. In fact, this natural beauty is the result of carefully thought out planning and the efforts of the gardener, who maintains strict order here.
Natural or landscape style parks are characterized by smooth contours and soft lines, asymmetry, free arrangement of roads, alleys and other planning elements.
Usually here you can find extensive reservoirs, glades, groves. architectural structures complement and enrich the landscape. Parts of the garden are united by winding paths made of natural materials: wild stone, saw cuts of tree trunks, lawn resistant to trampling. If you follow a well-thought-out system of paths, you see a picturesque change of landscapes. The perspective opens up gradually, there is no point from which you can view the entire garden.
All elements of the garden, for example, reservoirs, even of artificial origin, should have a pronounced natural character. They are characterized by uneven coastline, natural framing (pebbles, sand, coastal plants).
The relief of landscape-style parks is usually uneven, with flat areas alternating with hills, imitating the natural landscape.
The landscape garden style that emerged in the 18th century in Great Britain became a logical continuation of the philosophical idea of unity with nature that was fashionable during this period. Researchers believe that final formation style was facilitated by the acquaintance of Europeans with the landscape gardens of China. British garden architects decided to get rid of the decorations of regular gardens. They led the meadow right up to the house, which now sat proudly in an open grassy area. All around was an idealized forest landscape, water and statues, on which light and shadows played. As a tribute to fashion, pavilions, pagodas, bridges, pavilions in the Chinese style were also built in the parks.
At the heart of the reigning landscaped garden natural beauty there is a certain order. Plants are planted in tiers - big trees, undergrowth, shrubs, flowers, lawn. For these compositions, imitating the natural landscape, participants are selected that best match each other in color and texture. Often when designing an English garden, seasonal changes in the color of foliage, grass and flowers are taken into account. This makes the garden year-round. In landscape gardens often coexist edible plants(vegetables, fruits, herbs) and purely decorative (flowers). Flowers attract beneficial insects, which pollinate fruit-bearing plants and prevent pests from multiplying.
Landscape gardens can be made in a more or less pronounced naturalistic style. Among them stand out "natural" and "forest". In such gardens, for example, grassed areas of the garden, where the bulbs of some plants are left for the winter so that they bloom in early spring, are left without mowing. As a result, cereals and meadow plants can bloom here. In landscape gardens, plants characteristic of the area most often predominate.
However, sometimes in such landscapes there are quite exotic plants. Plants compete with each other for space and the stronger ones can overwhelm and even kill the weaker ones. To prevent this, vigorously growing herbaceous plants usually removed, overgrown bushes are thinned and pruned, seedlings of plants propagating by self-sowing are weeded out. In this way, natural and landscape gardens are balanced and natural looking, but neglect is prevented.
In modern landscape design, landscape style is used most often. This is probably due to the fact that the inhabitants of cities, with their rectilinear, orderly design of streets and houses in the horizontal and vertical plane, need rest and relaxation. And the naturalness of landscape style gardens helps them with this.
Very popular in the design of the garden area landscape style. A fashionable return to the origins of nature, a reassessment of its elegance and beauty. Also, this style in the transformation of the site is called English. Its main idea is closeness to nature.
Landscape style features:
- smoothness of the lines of the tracks. No straight or sharp corners
- usage natural materials in decor. Maximum closeness to nature,
- lack of symmetry and visibility of human intervention. Welcome asymmetry,
- calm colors, unacceptability of variegation, flashy shades and riot of colors,
- free-growing shrubs and trees. There are no mowed lawns, topiary and figured modeling.
How to create a landscape style in your garden
Start by laying out tracks. This is the first step for a dramatic change or transformation. garden plot. All paths from one building to another, ponds, flower beds go smoothly, without clear diagonals. They are designed not only to overcome distances along the shortest path, but also to admire the scenery around. The tortuosity and smoothness of the lines is an attraction on the site. Designers pay a lot of attention to this style feature. Successfully following the rules in arranging paths is half the success, which is interestingly beaten and created a natural garden. The chosen landscape style can be described as "the more wrong, the more interesting."
And although the main direction of style is naturalness, you should not forget about the rules, questions of composition, engineering nuances. Negligence should be only in visual perception. There should be no clear, straight lines that divide the site into zones and compartments. It is smooth lines that help to unite all the elements and tie them together. If, nevertheless, there is clarity and straightness on the site, then gardeners soften and add a small radius. Excessive curls and the intentional creation of a "serpentine" are not welcome. Everything should be in moderation.
Alpine slide
The construction of flower beds, in particular alpine slides, is one of the most frequent and favorite types. flower decoration. And requires the following rules:
- imitation of a natural mountain landscape does not allow symmetry, clear patterns and spirals. Need naturalness.
- the use of stones of different shapes, sizes, textures and types. A combination of no more than 3 species in one composition is allowed so as not to overload the landscape.
- the use of a purchased, good stone for the facade. Welcome beautiful shape and tint. The remains of bricks and stone found in the garden should not be used. The rock garden will lose its decorative effect. A maximum of such material is suitable for preparing the base and provided that such materials are not visible. good stone- the key to a beautiful alpine slide.
- competent location of the rock garden in the garden. Often they use a beautiful front place that you want to emphasize.
- when planting plants, those for which there will be enough space for full growth and development are used.
- the ratio of the size of the site to the structure. The Alpine hill has an impressive size, a small area is not suitable for it.
- when placing the composition near the fence or walls of the house, it is also necessary to take into account the height of the building and the rock garden.
Knowing and observing all of the above features, you can independently create an alpine slide on your site.
Color combination
Beginning gardeners tend to use all the colors of the rainbow to decorate the flower bed. This typical mistake. The beauty of a flower garden does not depend on the number of plants used. To get a picturesque ensemble, you must immediately choose the most attractive colors and stick only to them. Used in landscape style natural colors and shades, which are often restrained, not flashy. Another mistake of beginners is the use of painted inert materials. Their use interrupts the plants themselves and the natural style direction. Such materials are used very carefully and in a minimal amount.
In the landscape style, the emphasis is on one idea, you should not strive to place all possible compositions at the same time. emphasized forte with which the gardener knows how to handle. Having chosen one thing and already on this build the creation of the entire overall composition. They, as part of a whole garden, will radically transform the entire site.
It is very important to look after and look after a lawn. It is the facet of all compositions. A neglected, overgrown, sometimes yellowed lawn can ruin even the most beautiful flower garden. Against such a background, any composition will not look so interesting and advantageous. Any garden is a 3D model, a combination of all components. They should all be interconnected and have a presentable appearance. Without spoiling some things in relation to others.
Rest zone
To design a recreation area, you can use a decorative tent, which is based on a flower pendant made of live or artificial branches. The latter option will last a very long time and will allow you to form the direction of colors, due to flexibility. In the tent will be appropriate soft pillows for seating and entourage elements. It is acceptable to create a photo zone from a light screen with a diamond-shaped layout, decorated with natural or artificial flowers. Such asymmetry is a classic of the genre for such design. Rhombuses are noticeable in the landscape style in the design of fences, garden. This ornament is also present in the form of paths, where tiles and green lawn alternate. The gazebo or gazebo area is decorated with lanterns, which is an indispensable element for English style. By putting flowers (live or artificial) inside the lantern, they can be made a highlight of the design.
Water
Water is not an essential element of landscape style, as in Japanese and Chinese gardens. But the presence of an artificial or natural waterfall, pond and small river makes the site even closer to nature. The most harmonious work of a designer or gardener is one whose hand is not visible. A kind of illusory natural randomness. At first glance, it seems that no one cares for such a garden, but this is not so. Moving along an original path that leads to a bridge thrown over a stream, the view opens up to a hilly terrain, a mysterious corner of the garden, a romantic gazebo, etc. Everything should look as natural as possible.
Plant selection
The plants used are mainly those characteristic of their area. Exotic representatives can be trusted with small accents. As an example, you can use real English manors, with forging elements in a stone fence, discreet flower beds and asymmetrically planted trees and shrubs. In this embodiment, the plants are planted without a clear scheme, in tiers. Most of them are used in flower beds, flower beds, hedges, on Alpine rollercoaster. Honey plants are planted as a tapeworm so that the attracted bees and butterflies set a special tone. An important point is continuous flowering. Plants are selected in one composition blooming at different times, one after another.
In no case do hedges lend themselves to regular and shaped haircuts. They are created from shrubs and trees and look natural. The site is also zoned with the help of plants, they can wrap around arches, hedges and fences. Most often, the choice falls on roses from the English selection. They are used in flower ensembles because of their unpretentiousness and minimal maintenance. Beautiful flowers and foliage, and the duration of their flowering are important. Ideally, this is the whole season or all year round.
A combination of callas, euonymus, elm, maple, honeysuckle is played up. Not complete in landscape style without rosemary. This is a classic resident of the English style. A fragrant plant is planted in rockeries and decorated garden paths. All types and varieties are welcome. frost-resistant and mountain holly (it is possible to use deciduous, whorled, Caroline) delight visitors even during the first frost. Their partners are zinnia. Due to its similarity with grapes, mahonia is used to decorate living fences. Plants should be English restrained and aristocratic.
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