How many years does it take from “was” to “has become” or how to create your own garden from scratch

Classic orchard

Summer residents often complain that they do not have enough space on their plot to plant apple trees, pears, plums, cherries, currants, and raspberries.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to add cherry plums or cherries. And you need apricot too. Eh, if only there were 20 acres of land... Then everything would fit! Have you ever had such thoughts? It’s quite possible to grow all this on 6 acres if you know some tricks. But first, let's decide what we need.

So, for a family of 4 people this is enough: 4 apple trees (1 summer, 2 autumn and 1 winter) 2 pears (autumn and winter) 2 plums 2 cherry plums 1 apricot 4 cherries 1 sweet cherry 4 black currants 1 red currant 1 white currant 2 gooseberries 20 raspberry bushes.

Classic garden

Standard plot - 6 acres. The house occupies approximately 50 m2. On the remaining 5.5 acres you need to fit a garden, a vegetable garden and a flower garden. We will allocate a little less for flowers - 1 hundred square meters is enough for them. We will give 2 acres for the garden - this is enough even to make supplies for the winter.

We will place trees and shrubs on the available 2.5 acres.

Advantages of a classic garden

A classic garden is usually laid out in even rows. We did the same. In the end, everything turned out symmetrical, neat, with wide passages between the trees. They, as required by law, are located at a distance of 4 m from the fence - on the north and west sides. You can plant trees and shrubs close to the fence, but taking into account the height and so that they do not shade each other. On the south side we have strawberries - the beds are planned half a meter from the border of the plot so that there is a passage (for example, to paint a fence).

This type of garden is very easy to care for. It is perfectly ventilated, which means there will be fewer diseases and pests. It is well lit, and the more light, the higher the harvest, since all fruit crops love an abundance of sunlight.

Which varieties to choose

As you can see, there are few trees and shrubs in this garden. And in order to feed the whole family, you need to choose the most productive varieties.

We offer:

Apple trees

Summer varieties (yield per plant is indicated in brackets): Yandykovskoe (200 kg), Luch (160–190 kg), Malt Bagaevsky (160 kg).

Autumn varieties: Oryol striped (up to 430 kg), Scarlet anise (200–300 kg), Ural bulk (250 kg), Borovinka (150–200 kg), Baganenok (150–160 kg), Bashkir emerald (up to 150 kg) , Oryol Pioneer (up to 150), Autumn Joy (up to 150 kg), Prizemlennoye (130 kg) and Veselovka (up to 110 kg).

Winter varieties: Jonathan (up to 490 kg), Welsey (up to 270 kg), Striped anise (250–300 kg), Cossack Kuban (250–300 kg), Winter MOSVIR (200–300 kg), Renet golden Kursk (200 kg ), Dagestan winter (up to 180 kg), Nymph (130 kg), Firstborn Rtishcheva (130 kg), Renet Kuban (130 kg), Prikubanskoe (130 kg), Sovkhoznoe (130 kg) and Antonovka ordinary (70–120 kg, but in some years there are 500 and even 1000 kg per tree!), Renet champagne (up to 120 kg), Bratchud (up to 120 kg), Bryanskoe (up to 115 kg).

The average yield of apple trees is 30–50 kg per tree.

Pears

Autumn varieties: Bere Russian (up to 200 kg), Mramornaya (up to 130 kg), Skoroplodnaya (100–130 kg), Lyubina (120 kg), Oktyabrskaya (120 kg), Malyaevskaya late (100 kg).

Pear Marble

Winter varieties: Kieffer (up to 300 kg), Yuryevskaya (110 kg), Gimrinskaya (110, but in some years it can be 800 kg, and sometimes 3,500 kg!).

The average yield of most other pear varieties is only 30–50 kg.

Plums

Volgogradskaya (150 kg), Eurasia (50–100 kg), Mechta (70 kg), Nika (up to 70 kg), Bogatyrskaya (50–70 kg), Zhiguli (up to 70 kg), Prikubanskaya (60–70 kg), Krasnodarskaya (65 kg), Viola (up to 60 kg), Renklod Soviet (up to 60 kg), Andreevskaya (50–55 kg).

Plum Renklod Sovetsky

On average, plums produce 15–20 kg of fruit.

Cherry plum

Abundant (up to 100 kg), Pioneer (60–70 kg), Gift to St. Petersburg (up to 60 kg), Pearl (50 kg), Globe (up to 50 kg), Mara (up to 50 kg), Gek (up to 40 kg ), Traveler (up to 40 kg), Kuban Comet (35–40 kg), Tent (35 kg).

The average yield of other cherry plum varieties ranges from 10–15 kg per tree.

Cherries

Black Daibera (up to 170 kg), Bryanochka (up to 150 kg), Tyutchevka (135–140 kg), Yellow Drogana (up to 110 kg), Odrinka (up to 110 kg), Yulia (up to 110 kg), Gronkavaya (100 kg) , Rechitsa (up to 75 kg), Iput (up to 70 kg), Early pink (up to 70 kg), Pink pearl (up to 70 kg), Baby (up to 65 kg).

Most varieties intended for northern regions yield no more than 30 kg.

Apricots

Northern Triumph (up to 65 kg), Kuibyshev Jubilee (40–50 kg), Samara (40–50 kg), Northern Lights (up to 50 kg), Gritikaz (up to 45 kg), Zhemchuzhina Zhiguli (up to 45 kg), Petr Komarov (up to 45 kg), Sayan (up to 45 kg), Mountain Abakan (up to 40 kg).

Other frost-resistant apricots usually yield about 20 kg.

Gooseberry

Hinnonmaen punainen (up to 13 kg), Beryl (up to 10 kg), Ural pink (up to 9.6 kg), Bright (up to 7.8 kg), Shershnevsky (up to 7.6 kg), Vladil (up to 7.5 kg ), Spring (up to 7.5 kg), Chelyabinsk green (up to 7.1 kg), Eridan (up to 7.1 kg), Ural grapes (up to 7 kg), Cooperator (up to 6.9 kg), Red large ( up to 6.5 kg), White Nights (up to 6.2 kg), Candy (up to 6.2 kg), Harlequin (up to 6 kg), Senator (up to 6 kg).

The yield of many other varieties usually does not exceed 2–4 kg.

Black currant

Ksyusha (up to 13.8 kg), Nyura (up to 7 kg), Podarok Ilina (up to 6.6 kg), Imandra 2 (6 kg), Harmony (up to 6 kg), Kupalinka (up to 6 kg), Lama (up to 5.9 kg), Sudarushka (up to 5.9 kg), Pygmy (up to 5.7 kg), Hera (up to 5.5 kg), Natasha (up to 5.2 kg), Venus (up to 5.1 kg) , Reform (up to 5.1 kg), Amgun (4–4.5 kg), Leningrad Giant (up to 4.5 kg), Nika (up to 4.5 kg), Pamyati Shukshin (up to 4.5 kg), Rita (up to 4.5 kg), Dashkovskaya (up to 4.1 kg), Little Prince (up to 4.1 kg), In Memory of Potapenko (up to 4.1 kg), Daughter (4 kg), Moscow (4 kg), Argazinskaya (up to 4 kg), Volodinka (up to 4 kg), Odzhebin (up to 4 kg), Gift to Kuzior (up to 4 kg), Gift to October (up to 4 kg), Sweet-fruited (up to 4 kg), Overture (up to 4 kg).

The rest give, as a rule, no more than 2 kg.

Red Ribes

Ural Beauty (up to 15.5 kg), Memorable (up to 10.2 kg), Dream (up to 7 kg), Erstling aus Vierlanden (6–7 kg), Jonker van Tets (6.5 kg), Nadezhda (6, 5 kg), Lights of the Urals (6.4 kg), Serpentine (6.4 kg), Chulkovskaya (up to 6 kg), Svetlana (5.5 kg), Viksne (5 kg), Scarlet Dawn (up to 5 kg), Vika (up to 5 kg), Zero (up to 5 kg), Ilyinka (up to 5 kg), Tatyana (5 kg), Ural Souvenir (up to 5 kg).

White currant

Belyana (up to 18 kg), Yuterborg (7–8 kg), Ural White (up to 6.1 kg), White Fairy (5.2 kg), Smolyaninovskaya White (5.2 kg).

Other varieties of red and white currants usually produce about 2 kg of berries per bush.

Raspberries

Nizhny Novgorod (183 kg from one hundred square meters), Ruby Necklace (158 kg), Orange Miracle (155 kg), Elegant (140 kg), Eurasia (134 kg), Bryansk Miracle (131 kg), Firebird (131 kg), Illusion (130 kg), Vera (up to 129 kg), Golden Autumn (126 kg), Bell (up to 120 kg), Ruby (up to 120 kg), Apricot (100–120 kg), Augustine (117 kg), Indian Summer 2 (115 kg).

Raspberry remontant Firebird

The yield of other varieties is usually about 50 kg per hundred square meters.

Strawberries

First-grader (up to 240 kg per hundred square meters), Desna (up to 210 kg), Pocahontas (up to 200 kg), Talisman (up to 200 kg), Dzhemil (150–200 kg), Zarya (up to 195 kg), Rusalovka (up to 170 kg ), Junia Smiles (up to 150 kg), Festival Chamomile (up to 150 kg), Holiday (up to 150 kg), Festival (130–140 kg), Purpurova’s Daughter (120–140 kg), Beauty (up to 130 kg).

Most other varieties produce no more than about 70 kg per hundred square meters.

What should grow under fruit trees?

In an orchard, it is best to sow a lawn. It gives 6 advantages at once:

1. The quality of the soil is constantly improving - plant roots create a special soil structure: loose, porous. As a result, both moisture and air penetrate into it better.

2. Trees receive fertilizer. The grass that dies every autumn gradually decomposes, and this is additional organic matter for the tree.

3. Plants winter better. A lawn under trees and shrubs provides additional protection for the roots from frost.

4. The roots do not overheat in summer. The grass perfectly protects them from the scorching sun.

5. You won’t have to do unnecessary, and labor-intensive, work. Digging and weeding are the most unpleasant and tedious tasks.

6. There will be additional space for a recreation area. When there is green grass under the tree, you can put a bench or table there. It will be a great shady place where you can hide in the summer heat!

But if you still want to use the land to its fullest, you can plant flowers and even vegetables in the garden.

Why a fence and a fence made of corrugated sheets?

Unlike pastoral pictures of American suburbs with areas separated only by hedges or nominal wooden fences up to half a meter high, in our realities the picture is different.

ArnauFORUMHOUSE Member

So - I have an empty plot of land. Should we build something on it? Which building is the most important in Russia? Probably a fence. We all want to isolate ourselves from the dangers of the outside world. So we started with the fence.

The history of the development of the site began back in 2010 - both now and then, if you needed something “cheap and cheerful,” they chose profiled sheets. So Arnau (Alexander) was no exception, finding several advantages for himself in such a solution.

• Complete visual protection from external factors.
• Relatively low cost.
• Durability if installation technology is followed.
• Maximum assembly speed - installed literally in a day.

The main disadvantage of this type of fence is the lack of aesthetics, but there are different decoration options, which is what the craftsman has been doing all these years. Today he would choose a beautiful wooden fence that matches the style of the house, since the final cost, taking into account all the transformations, turned out to be approximately the same. But he doesn’t have any special regrets about this – at that time the choice was justified.

ArnauFORUMHOUSE Member

That's right, the corrugated sheet, plus the decor, ended up costing more. But the advantage of the profiled sheet is that I could afford it right away. And I do all the decorations year after year, gradually. And there is no need to spend a lot of money at once.

What’s interesting is that the corrugated sheet was mounted with the colored side facing the site, and the gray side facing the street. The case when you do it for yourself, and not for others.

Rules for the location of beds

To get the maximum harvest, you need to properly arrange your garden at your dacha, and for this you must adhere to the following rules:

• choose the sunniest place - all vegetable crops love warmth and the rays of daylight;
• Before sowing or planting, the soil should be leveled;
• if the soil has a slope, then plants should be planted across it (slope), thereby increasing the efficiency of irrigation;
• try to keep the beds the same length (three to four meters) and width (up to 45 centimeters).

Important! Symmetry always improves visual perception and allows for free access to the cultivated area. Do not arrange beds between fruit trees under any circumstances - the shade will not allow you to get a good harvest, and besides, the chemicals that are used to treat the fruit trees may get into the vegetables!

Landscape design project and why I had to refuse the author’s services

Arnau considers a plan to be the basis of any serious business, and creating a garden in virgin lands and landscaping the site is just that. Therefore, in the fall, he turned to a landscape designer for a project, who attracted attention with her work. The craftsman was completely satisfied with the developed master plan in the nature garden style, even if it was drawn. Visualizations were still minimally widespread at that time, and even today not everyone is willing to pay extra for the volume.

It was assumed that the same company and the same specialist would implement the plan, but it did not work out, since the designer’s dishonesty was revealed already at the first stage. At first I was shocked by the estimate - it turned out that it included huge volumes of geoplastics. But with the raising of the entire back part of the yard by 20-30 cm, Arnau decided to wait, but plant large trees and seedlings where there will be no construction work (the foundation for the house has already been poured). The estimate for this part of the project was satisfactory, and the landing itself went relatively smoothly.

But then problems began, which is why they quarreled with the designer and refused her services. Of the twelve ornamental trees, seven survived, and of the six fruit trees, only two survived. The forum member believes that the main reason for this development of the situation is the poor quality of planting material. The lack of watering could also have had an effect - they started planting at the end of March, but no one warned the owner that the trees needed to be watered abundantly immediately, and their own water from the well appeared only in mid-April. Back in May, the trees looked quite viable, but at the end of June they began to wither, and in the first season they had to uproot a couple of pines and a spruce.

Life hack - so that the roots of his neighbor’s plants do not interfere with him, and the roots of his plants do not interfere with his neighbors, the craftsman dug metal sheets to a depth of 50 cm along the perimeter of the entire plot and is very glad that he did so right away.

Aesthetic garden

Are you not a fan of unusual fruit crops? Do you want to allocate more space for vegetables and flowers? This is also not a problem - they can be planted in the garden.

What vegetables can be planted under fruit trees?

Here we will immediately make a reservation: if you have huge trees with neglected crowns, it will be difficult to grow anything under them. If they are pruned according to all the rules, then there will be enough light there to plant a whole vegetable garden.

For example, you can plant cucumbers under apple trees and let them climb up the tree. Many, by the way, are sure that green plants need a lot of light, but experienced gardeners think differently. They even have a proverb: cucumbers love shade and hedges.

Parsley, cilantro, and many types of lettuce feel great in tree trunk circles. Some gardeners plant zucchini, pumpkins and beets in the garden. And they get good harvests!

Beans grow well in the garden, but not climbing beans, since they need a lot of sun, but bush beans.

Garlic is an ideal neighbor for trees and shrubs. While it is actively growing in the spring, its large fruit-bearing neighbors shelter it from birds, which love to pull seedlings out of the ground. He himself protects the trees from pests - they cannot stand the pungent smell. Wild garlic feels good in the garden.

Hyssop, mint and lemon balm have a protective effect. These aromatic herbs are quite shade-tolerant and get along well with trees. And they bloom very beautifully!

German gardeners believe that the best plant for tree trunks is nasturtium. It has very spectacular flowers, which are also edible - they are added to salads. In addition, nasturtium helps improve the soil in the garden - its roots attract earthworms, which perfectly loosen the soil. But that’s not all: aphids do not like the smell of this flower.

As you can see, the list of crops that can be planted in the garden is quite extensive. But when planting a vegetable garden under trees, you need to take into account 4 important conditions.

1. Plant vegetables not with seedlings, but with seeds. After all, when digging a hole for a young bush, such as a cucumber or zucchini, you can damage the roots of the tree. Any wound is an open “door” for disease. You can make a hole under the seeds with a stick, because they are sown shallow, so the risk is minimal.

2. It will be possible to combat pests of trees and shrubs only in early spring, until the vegetables are planted. Otherwise, all the poison will end up on your garden plants, and with them straight to your table. Especially with green crops - cilantro, parsley and salads. If an invasion of pests or diseases occurs in the summer, only safe preparations can be used. For example, decoctions and infusions of herbs.

3. Water more often. Vegetables, although they look small against the background of trees, are serious competitors to fruit plants! In a pumpkin, for example, the roots work like powerful pumps, taking all the moisture even from great depths. So, pour water, don’t be sorry.

4. Do not plant plants very often - there should be a place in the garden where an apple can fall.

What flowers can be grown under fruit trees

There is also quite a wide range here. But experts make a reservation: it is necessary to take into account the compatibility of flowers and fruit plants.

Under the apple tree grow beautifully: crocuses and muscari, daisies and daffodils, forget-me-nots and bluebells. In addition, the following plants feel good there: bathwort and lumbago, lungwort and pansies, primroses and balsams, as well as marigolds, daylilies and periwinkles.

Under the pear tree there is a place for daisies, primroses, Carpathian bells, phlox subulates, strawberries and marigolds.

Under the plum tree it is convenient for primrose and bulbous perennials.

Under walnuts , ferns, lilies of the valley, hosta, lemon balm, and daffodils are good.

You can plant celandine under trees - this is an excellent protection against aphids and ants! In addition, you will always have medicinal herbs at hand.

What else can you grow under fruit trees?

And, of course, the best place for mushrooms is under the trees!

The most unpretentious of them are winter mushrooms. They grow with pleasure under apple trees, and under plum trees, and under cherry trees. Propagating them is very simple: you need to collect old caps from the forest, crumble them into a bucket of water, leave for 2 hours and pour them under the trees. As a rule, they produce the first harvest the very next year.

Many people do not recommend growing autumn honey mushrooms in the garden. They say they are dangerous parasites. They will settle on tree trunks and eventually destroy them. However, our personal experience shows that they do not settle on fruit crops - they grow in the soil.

Champignons grow beautifully in the garden. But it is important for them that there is a lot of organic matter in the soil. Morels and chanterelles will take root here.

By the way, the mycelium of many mushrooms penetrates the roots of trees and forms a symbiosis with them. As a result, it is easier for fruit plants to obtain their own nutrients.

How to adapt free water to your needs

In parallel with the construction of a house and a bathhouse from timber, in 2010 Arnau acquired a storage tank, digging it into the ground.

ArnauFORUMHOUSE Member

This barrel is one of the most useful ideas for the site. And today I would have dug two of these, and not just one. The essence of the idea is that this barrel is buried in the ground and drains from the roofs of the house and bathhouse are connected to it. As a result, even after a little rain I have a supply of clean and soft water. A primitive pump is installed in the barrel, which successfully pumps water. I constantly use this water to water my plants.

The system is the simplest - under each drain there is a receiving box in which garbage settles; sewer pipes run from the boxes, connected to a pipe going into the barrel. In case of heavy rainfall and overflow, discharge into a well is provided. No anchoring was done, the container was simply dug in and filled with water; in the spring it does not float up, as it is filled with autumn rains.

Creating a microclimate

Selection of plants

In a natural garden, it is very important to create comfortable conditions for the natural development of plants. To do this, choose the types:

• characteristic of the local ecosystem,
• self-seeding (can reproduce independently),
• unpretentious (do not require complex care),
• non-invasive (does not harm humans or animals),
• simple, ignoble varieties,
• beneficial for the surrounding flora and fauna (attract bees, butterflies, birds to the garden),
• natural, natural shades.

Tip: Sow seeds from wild plants you like, collected from your local forest or meadow.

Bright perennials and herbs in Naturgarden style

Examples of plants for a natural garden:

Tip: Plant more formal, noble plants near the house, and plant native ones closer in the central part and along the edges of the garden.

Composition of flower beds

One of Piet Oudolf's favorite techniques is dense interplanting of herbs with flowering perennials. He developed his own classification of plants according to the shape of the inflorescences and height, giving them his own names: “daisies”, “balls”, “veils”, etc. Representatives with the “daisy” inflorescence bear the main coloristic load.

How they made a mistake when paving

Having parted with the first designer, Arnau did not despair and at the height of the season managed to find another specialist - in general, the result of cooperation with Vladimir was satisfactory, but there were some mistakes. When preparing the base for the paths, the excavated soil was evenly distributed over the site, which is incorrect.

• Firstly, the layer of sand “buried” the fertility.
• Secondly, this sand raised the ground level on the site and above the paths.

Therefore, after a few years, the paving had to be redone - the stone was removed and sand was poured into the base. The alterations were carried out by the same team as the first time, under the leadership of a new designer, but of course the customer had to pay for everything. Rostov flagstone was chosen as the finishing layer for the paths: “available, inexpensive, in a natural style.” After a few years, it became boring, but clinker is not only nobler, but also much more expensive. The stone was laid on a layer of sand compacted with a vibrating plate, the seams were also covered with sand, without adding cement. By the way, flagstone, also known as plastic, does not slip at all after rain due to its rough surface. The thickness of the stone in pedestrian areas is 3-4 cm, in the parking lot it is 5-6 cm. No edges were made, but concrete reinforcement was placed along the edges to prevent the stone from spreading.

Types of fruiting trees and shrubs

The main place in the dacha landscape is occupied by decorative foliage plants and flowers. But if desired and in suitable natural conditions, you can plant both fruit trees and shrubs. It is recommended to plant them in groups or in a checkerboard pattern, without mixing stone fruit and pome species.

The following trees and shrubs are popular among gardeners:

• Apple tree;
• plum;
• cherry;
• pear;
• cherries:
• honeysuckle;
• barberry;
• chokeberry;
• sea ​​​​buckthorn;
• irga.

The most favorite types of garden crops are apple trees, cherries and plums. They are valued not only for their delicious fruits: trees blooming in spring decorate the garden, saturating the air with a subtle, unique aroma.

Apple blossom

In warm climate zones, many cultivate cherry, mulberry, and walnut bushes. Breeders have developed varieties that can bear fruit in more northern regions. When purchasing a plant, you should take into account its adaptability to adverse weather conditions.

Certain varieties of raspberries, gooseberries, red and black currants, adapted to the short northern summer, tolerate low temperatures well. Shrubs take root faster and easier in a new place , they look original along the fence of the site, fitting into the modern landscape. Less popular, but no less remarkable, are other fruit trees and shrubs: barberry, lemongrass, rowan, hazelnut.

One of the most common and unpretentious fruit shrubs is raspberries.

Any of the listed types of plants needs certain conditions: the amount of free space, uniformity of illumination, groundwater level, soil acidity, etc. For some representatives of the flora, the presence of several varieties of the same species is necessary for the formation of ovaries.

In addition, fruit-bearing crops are especially demanding in terms of timely fertilizing. The soil around the plants should be soft, for which it is recommended to regularly loosen it and remove weeds. To create favorable conditions for fruiting, trees and shrubs need to prune old branches. The formation of the crown allows you to give the plants the desired shape, combined with the decorative elements of the site, which is especially important in the presence of crafts, sculptures, and compositional groups. In addition, this operation saves the garden from excessive thickening.

Expert advice: how to care for fruit trees (video)

Distressed gazebo-tea house

Back in 2010, simultaneously with the bathhouse project, Arnau commissioned the architect to design a gazebo, also known as a tea house. There are no complaints about the bathhouse.

Things didn't work out with the house from the very beginning. And they had to “pull it out” from the designer, and there was no luck with the implementation.

ArnauFORUMHOUSE Member

The first contractor stole the advance payment for it, and then fed me breakfast for a year. The second one made it so that the house could fall from the slightest breath of wind. The third strengthened the house for one season, then left everything to chance. In the second season I started making a roof - from terraced hardwood boards, terrace corrugated boards! You have never seen anything worse in the area of ​​tea houses, believe me. And only Vladimir was able to finish the unfortunate tea house and cover it with larch shingles. For which I am very grateful to him.

Visualization.

During the summer of 2011, the garden did not undergo any major changes - the main efforts were devoted to the construction of a site for the tea house and a pond in front of it. The area of ​​the reservoir is about 30 m², depth is up to 1.2-1.4 m, decorative purpose. Having already covered the pond bowl with a membrane, they finally brought in a batch of shrubs and trees. This time, Arnau strictly monitored the quality of the planting material and chose it from “far from the cheapest nursery.” At the end of October, we planted everything we bought and completed the stone wall that should separate the “forest” part of the site.

At this stage, the understanding came that we would have to change the contractor again, since the current one is more likely a “foreman, not a designer,” which causes a lot of problems. Yes, the team did some things well, but for this they had to literally stand their ground. And when there was no such opportunity, the work either stalled, or the result turned out to be far from planned.

Neighbor Compatibility

It is not only individual people who cannot find a common language among themselves and accumulate grievances against each other. It must be taken into account that the same thing happens among vegetables! You should adhere to certain rules in order to correctly plan the planting of vegetable crops in the beds and not cause hostility between garden partners. So, next door you can place:

• beans that will repel beetles from eggplants and fleas from cabbage;
• peas get along well with carrots and turnips;
• onions “make friends” with lettuce, cucumber, carrots and Brussels sprouts;
• cucumbers have nothing against being next to white cabbage, corn, dill and garlic;
• parsley will give a good harvest in the company of basil, onions, cucumbers, beans, asparagus and tomatoes.

This is interesting! Most garden crops experience something like an allergy to one or another neighbor, but peppers, pumpkin, asparagus, lettuce, mustard, zucchini, leeks, squash, horseradish, have a very “flexible” character and do not have incompatible plants.

Why hire someone to arrange the site?

This question was asked to Alexander by one of the visitors to his topic, to which he received the following answer.

ArnauFORUMHOUSE Member

Why trust contractors with anything at all? Probably because you cannot have a good understanding of all possible types of human activity. Probably, in most cases, a specialist who has done his job many times and has seen many of his own mistakes will complete the task better than you with little knowledge and almost always without experience. You talk about the profession of landscape designer as something available to everyone. This is wrong. Now I feel much more confident in this area than in 2009. But I’m definitely not a specialist, but a moderately experienced amateur.

Therefore, even being disappointed in the second designer and stopping cooperation with him for some time, Alexander invited a third.

French charm

Would you like to have something similar to the design of the royal Versailles from the time of the Sun King? Then you’ll have to start arranging your site in the French style!

It should be remembered that you will have to determine the central part of the composition, from which triangular beds will extend, forming a hemisphere or semicircle. Symmetry must be observed when designing each element.

More detailed information on how to plan an exquisite vegetable garden can be easily found on the Internet. We will list those elements that will decorate a suburban area in general, and a vegetable garden in particular:

• decorative borders of paved paths;
• miniature fountain;
• curly (topiary) bush trimming;
• garden sculptures.

Important! Low-growing shrubs are suitable for such a garden. They should not “obstruct” the view, and from time to time they “demand” a fashionable “hairstyle”.

Note!

• Do-it-yourself canopy over the porch - choice of materials, types of structures + instructions for making it yourself
• Do-it-yourself bathhouse in the country: expert recommendations, choice of materials, step-by-step description + instructions for DIY construction

• How to sew outdoor curtains for a gazebo with your own hands: step-by-step instructions + 140 photos of ready-made ideas

Attempt number three, also with blots

The new specialist began work only at the beginning of July 2012, having received as an “inheritance” a yard that had already become overgrown. After clearing, we began to build a wooden path made of larch based on geotextiles and a cushion of crushed stone. By the end of the month, new plants appeared in the garden and pond, part of the path.

In mid-August, we laid out the beds and made a pebble path.

True, the stones began to fall off after the first winter, and by 2015, when their number reached 40%, new alterations and repeated expenses occurred. The mistake is that the pebbles were simply glued to the concrete base using tile adhesive. During the renovation, the stones were not only knocked off, washed and repositioned, but also filled with a special sealant and everything has been holding up for several years. By the way, the second designer-contractor repaired the path, since by this time the third had already refused to cooperate. This is the “circle” of professionals on Alexander’s site.

As of the end of September, there is clear progress.

The end of October - emphasis on the long-suffering MAFs, during the construction of which almost all contractors screwed up.

Design ideas for individual garden areas

Hearth and outdoor cooking area

The garden is a single whole, even if it is divided into many small zones. When planning its arrangement, we must not forget that all ideas must be implemented in the same style. How to design a recreation area, an outdoor living room, a fireplace, garden paths, vegetable beds, an open veranda?

How to protect the terrace from bad weather and drafts, where to plant ivy and how to beautifully decorate the fence and save money? Perfect photos of garden and plot design will help you with this!

Relaxation area and barbecue

Open gazebo

Outdoor hearth and cooking area. This is where you should start planning a recreation area and barbecue. Here the hearth is located away from the dining area so that smoke and pungent odors do not interfere with enjoying nature. A separate area for the dining area is a great idea! this is a great place to have a good time.

It is better to place an open gazebo in the farthest corner of the site, surrounded by large trees. This creates a feeling of privacy, isolation and calm. A wooden gazebo and the furniture in it give a pleasant tactile sensation that is incomparable to concrete ones. An alternative to wood on your site is wicker furniture, which looks even more aesthetically pleasing.

Rest zone

An example of a perfectly correct arrangement of a recreation area in the backyard. There are 4 mini-zones built on one site, which allow you to cook food, warm yourself by the fire, or have lunch on a sunny or cloudy day without moving long distances.

Sun loungers, hammocks, swings and cozy chairs in the shade of the orchard

Sun loungers, hammocks, swings and cozy chairs in the shade of the orchard - very organic, stylish and comfortable. A light canopy will protect from sun rays and light rain; the plank floor is comfortable to walk on, especially if there are small children at home. This area is for them a platform for passive games.

Bench and openwork tea table

A bench and an openwork tea table - such a relaxation area can be arranged near the house in the tiniest area of ​​the garden. Its big advantage is mobility. At any moment she can take another place, protected from the wind, sun and even rain.

You can think about and place pots nearby and plant new plants in them every season. Thanks to this decoration, the atmosphere here will always be different.

Modern recreation area for narrow urban areas

A modern recreation area for narrow urban areas. It is located at the very end of the site and is framed by a high vertical fence. To separate the area from the garden itself, a podium was built.

If desired, you can place flowerpots along the fence and plant climbing vines, so you can create the feeling of a cozy forest clearing.

Idea for cottages with small plots

Another modern design project. Everything here is simple, concise, functional, in a strict urban style with straight geometric shapes. Only the abundance of plants in the pots completely smoothes out the urban look. An idea for cottages with small plots in the city.

Relaxation area with benches

For a large garden with a series of walking paths, you can organize several recreation areas with benches. Here you can relax, read a book, have a conversation and simply immerse yourself in your thoughts and contemplation of beauty.

Seating area adjacent to the back entrance to the house

A recreation area adjacent to the back entrance to the house is the most popular site planning option. With just a few minutes of free time, you can jump out into the street, fall into your favorite chair and take a deep breath.

A lot can be said here about entertaining guests and playing with children! Gardeners love this layout, since the entire remaining territory is given over to all kinds of green spaces - and this is room for imagination.

Ideas for garden paths

Lawn grass

Even the toughest lawn grasses cannot remain perfectly beautiful in heavy traffic areas. Therefore, there should be garden paths, platforms, paving stones! Here the path is paved with slabs, which looks very organic with a paved area for a recreation area. An excellent and rational solution for many styles.

Smooth paths in the garden

Smooth paths in the garden are suitable for organizing a pedestrian area. It’s nice to walk along them between the flowering flower beds and admire them. Such paths can be combined, made of tiles, wood, saw cuts, pebbles and gravel.

Path against the backdrop of varied vegetation

This path creates the effect of aged paving. It looks very beautiful, especially against the backdrop of various lush vegetation.

A modern look at zoning a site using paths

A modern look at zoning a site using paths. Their purpose here is to mark the passage to the buildings. Very comfortable and beautiful.

Path and flower beds with lighting

The path and flower beds with lighting are a fabulous experience for the evening. The larger the area, the more active the lighting is planned and vice versa.

Gravel paths

Gravel paths look natural, natural and are inexpensive. They are not slippery, and walking barefoot is good for your health. They can be given any shape. It is enough to pour the material onto the soil previously limited by the lawn border. A practical option for any terrain.

Vegetable garden ideas

Vegetable beds

Beautifully decorated vegetable and berry beds have long become part of the decorative landscape. They harmoniously coexist with flower beds and even decorate certain areas of the garden. To give your garden a well-groomed appearance, you can lay lawn in rolls between the beds and fill it with gravel.

An example of how a boxwood hedge, roses on a trellis and neat beds bounded by a border are organically combined. This idea can be implemented on any personal plot, even the smallest one.

Composition of vegetables

And this composition of vegetable crops, framed by garden paths, can serve as an interesting place for a walk. Idea for a summer cottage.

Mini vegetable garden

A mini vegetable garden in the far corner of the garden is an idea for those who have very little free time. Such a garden requires almost no maintenance - just timely harvesting! Berry bushes complete the picture of a tasty corner.

Road to the recreation area

The road to the recreation area and barbecue can be decorated not only with flowers, but also with beds with medicinal herbs and vegetable crops. The two-level design looks very original. And how convenient it is to cook from fresh ingredients just picked from the garden!

The fourth season from the beginning of the development of virgin lands

In May 2013, work had not yet begun, the site looked like this.

At the beginning of July, they got around to the long-suffering tea house and the same contractor began building a firewood shed.

In August, they began installing wooden gratings along the corrugated sheet fence, and this process ended in 2021 - “because it’s expensive.”

In the garden, something began to emerge only towards the end of October - the heathers and turfs are already showing themselves as a bright spot.

Organization of watering

In addition to soil composition and good lighting, vegetable crops need moisture. Depending on the region where the summer cottage is located, care must be taken to properly organize the irrigation of the garden.

There must be a water reserve on the site - a water supply system, a well, barrels of water.

You can choose the watering method according to your taste - using a hose or a drip irrigation system.

Important! The presence of groundwater near the surface (a little more than half a meter) will require the design of a drainage system to remove excess moisture.

Season five - the house is ready, in the garden, if not the final, then the main

Compared to May 2013, in May 2014 the site looks “more cheerful”, but if you don’t take care of the reservoir and only appear intermittently, it takes on a very unpresentable appearance.

Mid June.

The mentioned attempt to crossbreed a tea house with a decking board, after which the contractor was sent from the site. But the terrace board came in handy later.

By the end of September, the house is finally under an adequate roof, and the rest of the garden areas are looking good. All the work in the house had just been completed, and Alexander had the opportunity to live in it comfortably and spend more time on the site. That is, to work closely with the garden, mainly on your own, attracting performers for some of the work.

The season closes at the end of December.

Monastery courtyard

Proponents of minimalism choose simple, clear geometric shapes to decorate their garden. For such people, a rectangular garden layout is perfect.

Straight lines combine beautifully with geometric shapes, and cobblestone paths not only attract the eye with their simple beauty, but also provide convenient access to the beds.

Note!

• Trellis for grapes? do it yourself - ready-made solutions for the garden plot. Instructions + 120 photos of options for the correct trellis

• The best ideas for a summer cottage: 110 photos of exclusive ideas and new products in landscape design at a summer cottage

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Another advantage of the ascetic design is that there is room for a small pond, miniature benches and low-growing bushes.

Six years from “was” to “became”

Arnau opened his topic with a detailed description of all the misadventures and successes in June 2015, in the first message he posted a photo of what happened and how it became.

The second photo is from June, and he started working in the garden in the spring.

ArnauFORUMHOUSE Member

The end of April 2015, I put up stone troughs, in which I later built mini rock gardens. Nowadays, saxifrage, gentian, grosgrass, pinks and other alpines grow successfully.

In mid-June, Alexander began decorating the back side of the fence with mats made of willow vines - due to the overgrown growths, it turned out not too neatly, but much better than it was. And if you consider that such decor is much cheaper than custom-made trellises, and is more appropriate in the “forest” area of ​​the garden, everything is great.

Mid-July - the beds have been developed, the pond is still in mud, stones are still flying off the pebble path, but in general, it is already a full-fledged garden and park complex.

Fruit garden with exotics

This may seem incredible, but on 2.5 acres you can grow about 100 fruit trees and shrubs!

Gardeners always lack land: they want to plant more and more of everything, but the size of the plot does not allow it. Well, what can be placed on 6-10 acres? A couple of apple and pear trees, a few currant and gooseberry bushes, a small plantation of raspberries and strawberries, leave the land for a garden, and plant flowers somewhere. Meanwhile, new products appear on sale every year. Either interesting varieties of frost-resistant hazelnuts will catch your eye, or seedlings of the incredibly popular goji berry. Blueberries would also be nice to have in the garden. Where should I plant all this? Believe me, there is room even for exotic crops! The main thing is to plan the site correctly. We were puzzled by this question, made a plan, and it turned out that just a gigantic number of varieties and species fit on 2.5 acres!

Garden with exotics

Pay attention to the plan: we placed in the garden not only classic crops, but also quite rare ones: hazelnuts, walnuts, chokeberries, thorns. They even found a place for such a curiosity as the goji berry!

The main trick

In our case, all the plants are planted not in rows, but offset. By the way, you can use this method both in the flower garden and in the vegetable garden - this way many more plants fit in!

On the plan they are all located taking into account the height: on the north side the highest, on the south the lowest. This is how they will not obscure each other. We made exceptions only for 3 crops: rowan, chokeberry (chokeberry) and hawthorn. They are not placed quite according to the rules - in the shade. And their productivity will naturally be lower. But we took this “violation” deliberately, since there are not many such berries needed. Well, you see, it’s unlikely that anyone will need 10 buckets of hawthorn. Sloes sit behind apple trees deliberately - this is the only fruit crop that can grow in the shade.

3 components of success

A garden in which trees are planted quite densely requires special care.

First, they need to be trimmed correctly. They say that a sparrow can easily fly through the crown of a well-formed apple tree. We will say more: the crown can be made so that a goose can fly there! In this case, the harvest will be no less, but such a crown provides very little shade. And neighboring crops can be planted closer.

Secondly, a compacted garden needs to be watered more often, since the roots of trees and shrubs intertwine in the soil and take water from neighbors. So don't be lazy about giving them water. Thirdly, a compacted garden needs to be better fed. Not more often, but better! At the same time as the classic one, but the dose of fertilizer should be approximately 50% higher.

When choosing varieties, pay attention to the shape of the crown and choose compact options - rollicking plants will be inappropriate here. When you start forming them, keep in mind that you will have to walk around the garden, and there are no paths as such. Therefore, do not spare the lower branches - cut them out immediately.

Ten years later – garden in spring-summer 2021

It is impossible to cover more than fifty pages of a topic within one article; for details, refer to the source. But ten years after the start of work, the site looks like this.

And this is last season.

Despite all the difficulties, mistakes and rework, Arnau achieved the desired result, but does not plan to stop there. As you know, there is no limit to perfection, and no matter how many years pass, something changes in the garden every season and will continue to change.

On the topic, we have an article about how a landscape designer equipped his site. The corresponding thread on the forum will help you avoid at least common mistakes when planning. In the video - the first experience of landscape design on your own.

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Aesthetics

As the great Faina Ravnevskaya said, “Beauty is a terrible power!” It's hard to disagree with this. We must try to “kill two birds with one stone” - get healthy and necessary products, and please the eye with the beautiful design of the site.

The right design style will help you achieve such harmony: minimalist or French.

Let's talk about the features of these stylistic trends in more detail.

A little about styles

The most common style in our country is “Naturgarden”, although many owners are not aware of it. These are those areas that have everything at once - an entrance-front area, a garden-vegetable garden, a recreation area. Moreover, the areas are small and all, or almost all, zones are visible. Natural style allows, focusing on the existing topography and soil, to create areas with any landscape. Is there a swampy lowland? Equip it slightly by adding a pond or making a swamp, leaving natural plantings and adding decorative ones, beautifying the banks. You can make a dry stream or build a natural one. Is the area flat? Organize the area like a meadow, perhaps an alpine lawn. Put up a gazebo and plant ivy.

The naturgarten style strives to make the landscape as natural as possible

For romantic natures, the same style is more suitable. It is characterized by rose-covered arbors, manicured lawns, flower beds, which are adjacent to thoughtfully overgrown secluded places.

Cozy places and arches, pergolas, flower beds, climbing roses - signs of a romantic style in the design of the site

The rustic style is easily recognizable by its characteristic “household” decorative elements. Internal fences are wattle fence or picket fence, flowers are in tubs, cans, carts. Benches and garden furniture are deliberately rough, and if they are painted, it is with a dark tinting composition, and not with covering paints.

Some examples of a rustic garden

Lawn lovers can choose the English style. Any free area is sown with lawn grass. This type of garden can be described in two words: “all in a heap.” In English gardens, everything can really be mixed: a garden/vegetable garden is a single concept, besides, flowerpots are placed everywhere, and all free spaces are occupied by grass. Another feature is ivy-covered walls, a large number of roses, figurines and funny figures placed in suitable places.

Lush vegetation interspersed with manicured lawns - signs of an English garden

A classic garden is designed strictly according to the plan. This is the option when everything is clear, boundaries, shapes, height of bushes and borders. Everything is lined up and straight. Ornate benches are installed in strictly designated areas, next to which fountains are installed, decorative flowerpots with flowers, statues and columns are installed.

Clear geometry in everything is a sign of a classic garden

Planning for the arrangement of a small suburban area

There are a variety of options for planning a summer cottage and garden, therefore, when selecting the required assortment of trees and plants, it is necessary to take into account their future productivity.

An example of planning a vegetable garden on a small plot

To decide how many trees need to be planted on a garden plot, you must first mark out the dacha plot, taking into account the existing buildings. This must be done because every object casts a shadow, so when planting bushes, trees and other crops in the shade of buildings, they will not bear fruit, but will be drawn into the area of ​​natural light. This will continue until the top of the plants is slightly higher than the barrier that limits access to natural light.

Therefore, on the developed plan it is necessary to indicate the height of each existing building and the cardinal directions. It should be noted that the shadow will most likely be located on the east and west sides, tapering somewhat to the south. It is necessary to shade the places on the diagram where the shadow is more than half of the day. These places are not suitable for planting plants.

In shady places you can lay decorative paths, arrange lawns, a pond, and make flower beds. In order for trees to provide a good harvest, the shade area must be excluded from the planting plan.

Site preparation

In order for trees to grow well, the soil must be fertilized and prepared in a special way, no matter how good it is.

Instructions for performing this work are as follows:

• First of all, the area must be fertilized with peat or manure. One and a half to two buckets of fertilizer per square meter should be applied per square meter.
• Then the area needs to be dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet. It is advisable to perform this procedure in the fall.
• If the soil is acidic, you need to scatter ground limestone on its surface and mix it with the soil.
• In the spring, the area must be dug up again and leveled with a rake.

After completing these procedures, you can begin planting.

Budget flower beds for summer residents

An inexpensive and quick way to create a flower garden at your dacha with your own hands is to use scrap materials and unnecessary items. Any stones, bricks, pebbles are suitable for decorating flowerbed borders.

They are left natural or painted in bright colors.

A budget option is to use saw cuts or stumps to create a flower bed of annual flowers with a small root system.

This is how you can decorate flower beds with tulips, pansies, and petunias. To make such a flower garden with your own hands, you need:

1. Choose a stump or cut that is not rotten or damaged by insects.
2. Use a saw or chisel to make a recess in it, leaving 5 cm around the circle untouched.
3. Coat the wood with an antiseptic compound.
4. Make drainage in the form of drilled inclined holes on the walls. Place a layer of gravel on the bottom.
5. Fill the structure with soil and plant the selected plants.

Video instruction:

Other wooden products are also suitable for decorating a flower garden - pegs, logs, sawdust, branches. For example, you can weave baskets from willow branches and use them as containers for flowers.

In much the same way as from a stump, you can create flower beds from various old things - carts, boats, cars, cages, TVs, barrels, any damaged furniture.

If the area of ​​the summer cottage is small, then small flower beds can be made from a watering can, suitcase, old bags, bottles, glass or plastic plates.

A painted car tire makes a bright flower bed, and boxes and pallets make the basis for creating a multi-tiered flower garden.

Beautiful combinations of flower beds

Beautiful flower beds are obtained by using interesting combinations in the composition not only of plant varieties, but also:

• by color - gradient, contrast, similar shades;
• in form - smooth chaotic lines, strict geometric shapes, ornaments;
• additional elements.

You can successfully play with a variety of objects, making them the central element of the flower garden, its base or border. These can be the already described budget options or, for example, a bridge, a garden fountain, a bench around which flowers are planted.

Volumetric flower beds always look beautiful. To create them, taller flowers are planted in the center, then lower ones, and ground cover varieties are planted at the edges.

Alyssum

Such a flowerbed can be made in an old tire, barrel, or box. By analogy with size, you can use another plant parameter - color: plant dark blue flowers in the center, then blue, and white at the edges.

Primrose and irises in a flowerbed

An interesting option is a stone garden . This is the name of a flower garden that is grown on stones. They are fixed with lime mortar or laid out on a designated area randomly or in accordance with a pre-planned pattern.

Plants, edible greens, and herbs are planted in the spaces between the stones. Often such compositions are complemented by shrubs and trees, especially if a rather large area is allocated for the garden.