Even in the 18th century, Voltairianism began to flourish on the territory of European countries. This is the name of the current that supports freethinking - both religious and everyday. Naturalness, which was so valued at that time, reigned everywhere, including in parks and gardens. It was then that the landscape style appeared. In landscape design, it is customary to call it English. However, in fairness, let's say: the birthplace of this style is Germany and Holland, it's just that in England he managed to gain unprecedented popularity. Landscape style is actively used by modern gardeners. For those who decide to create a magnificent natural landscape on their site, we have prepared a new material!
What you need to know about landscape style?
Initially, this style had a huge number of opponents: it was even caustically called the lazy style. The fact is that in the 18th century people considered it a trend, which is characterized by the achievement of an excellent result without any specialefforts. However, in most British estates, this style has taken root over the years.
It is worth noting that the owners of the estates achieved the desired result with tremendous labor: they dug canals, created artificial lakes, drained swamps and swamped waterless areas. Over time, stable views appeared on how a true English park should look like. We needed a reservoir, a descent to the water and a pretty forest edge. At the same time, it was extremely important that all these components were not a reduced model. Everything had to be real. Let's say right away: you are unlikely to be able to break a magnificent English park on two or three acres. The garden plot should be large enough to accommodate a small swamp or lake, bushes, flowers and trees.
Features
At first glance, the English style may seem quite simple and quite natural. However, experienced gardeners know that it will take a lot of effort and time to get a neat design. A soft and smooth transition from the lawn to bright shrubs and tall trees, the absence of strict geometric lines, no rules and patterns - all these are features of the landscape style in landscape design. In order to recreate the amazing picture that opens in pretty English courtyards, you must follow a number of rules.
The first thing you need to know about Englishstyle, is that he does not tolerate any symmetry. Straight lines and any geometric shapes are inappropriate here, preference is given to complete freedom in planning. But what you can’t do without is architectural structures: you will need gazebos, bridges, arches that will harmoniously fit into the landscape. The plains, which alternate with hills and ravines, slopes and natural reservoirs, also look good. Please note: transitions should be as smooth as possible. Speaking about the English landscape style in landscape design, it should be noted that it is characterized by an abundance of winding paths created from materials such as wild stone and cut tree trunks. With their help, you can not only decorate the site, but also connect the garden into a whole picture. In addition, such paths will make it possible to admire the garden from different points.
The landscape style is characterized by the use of completely different trees and shrubs. It is very important! It should be noted that they should not be repeated. Not only garden flowers, but also field and even forest plants are suitable for such a garden. But what should not be is the point from which the view of the entire territory opens.
Benefits
Speaking of the advantages of landscape style in landscape design, impressive views should be noted. These gardens are so beautiful and natural, as if they were created by nature itself. They resemble wild parks that have never been touched by human hands. Another benefit is practicality. For such a garden, those flowers that grow in specific latitudes are suitable. You don't have to look for exotic plants, pick the ones that do well in your area. The advantage will be the fact that such plantings will quickly take root and will not require special care. Please note: in the landscape style, the following planting order is adopted: tall trees, shrubs, flowers, lawn. It is worth noting that the English style is ideal for decorating areas for recreation or sports games and areas for walking and relaxing.
Landscape style garden: nuances
In order to arrange a site, you will need to develop a landscape design project. It will need to indicate the location of the house and those elements that are necessary for comfort on the site. The next step is the placement of tracks. Winding paths should connect all the objects located on the site, and they should be planned as follows: if there are amenities such as a toilet or an outdoor shower in the garden, the path to them should be short so that a person who wants to get there does not have to bypass the entire garden. Don't forget curved turns, flowing lines!
When working on a landscape design project in this style, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it is characterized by the presence of free space. Do not try to use the entire territory of the site to the maximum, the garden cannot be occupied by something useful, it must be free. Do not install luxurious fountains, do not build watercascades. Use what already exists in your garden. Any irregularities and shortcomings must be used: they must certainly turn into the dignity of the garden.
Home for garden
It's good if the house isn't built yet. In this case, you can stick to Victorian or British style in its design. But what if there is already a house on the site that is completely inappropriate for the landscape style? Landscaping is an art! And a specialist in this field will definitely find a solution to such a difficult problem. Alternatively, you can give the necessary appearance to the finished buildings, for this you need branching plants that hide their facades. In addition, you can plant a green hedge, which will separate the local area from the garden area. Another option is to replace some elements of the house. True, it should be understood that this will require financial investments.
Shades and colors
According to the description of the landscape style in landscape design, tones play a special role here. Correctly chosen colors will allow you to enlarge the object or reduce it, bring some elements closer or, conversely, move them away. It is the color that allows you to place accents on certain details and hide others. To make the garden look as natural as possible, gardeners recommend planting two or three bushes of the same species, but of different varieties. For example, you can place on your site a magnificent Pulverulenta elderberry, which is characterized by the presence of spots on the leaves, and next to it plant the Marginata variety.with magnificent silver foliage. Next to them, the Aurea elder will look great, the main feature of which is the presence of bright yellow foliage. Shrubs with purple or dark green foliage will create a sense of depth of space. Please note: you can place them as far as possible from the viewer. For the foreground, it is better to choose juicy green herbs or shrubs with golden foliage.
When doing color combinations in landscape design, you should pay attention to spireas: for example, you can land a red-violet Thunberg in combination with a bright green Arguta, thus obtaining a lighting effect even on the most cloudy day. To make every corner of the garden attractive, plant coniferous trees in blue tones in the most remote places.
Choice of plants
Which plantings will harmoniously fit into the landscape style? In the landscape design of the garden, a large number of trees is appropriate. Moreover, even dried trunks entwined with ivy or wild grapes will become a wonderful accent. It is a sin not to plant willows near an artificial reservoir; poplars, maples, spruces, oaks and pines should be placed on the hillocks. Along winding paths, it is recommended to sow low-growing herbs: wild garlic, cyclamens, borage and celandine are ideal. Behind them, it is best to place herbs higher: ferns, parsnips, wormwood, basil. Individually, they are not particularly noticeable, but grouped together, they look exquisite, and they also have an incredible spicy aroma.
How to createlandscape style in your garden? For small lawns, you should choose chamomile, chicory, poppies, clover, lungwort and plantain. If there are gaps on the lawn, licorice will help to fill them. Glades will be decorated with pink, white and blue scabiosa inflorescences. Landscape designers recommend planting a carpet with a mixture of flowers and herbs - it will bloom longer, and such glades will look incredibly cute and at the same time natural.
Decoration of ponds and paths
Landscape style in landscape design provides for the mandatory presence of a reservoir. The descent can be decorated with alder, viburnum, rowan trees. Stones located near a pond or swamp can be decorated with Icelandic moss. You can not do without water lilies floating in the water, duckweed. If you want to attract birds to your plot, plant chokeberry and holly, and cedar pines and hazel will lure squirrels into your garden. For paths, metal arches and fences are completely unacceptable. It is best if they are replaced by plexus of tree branches, hops, Amur grapes.
Decorative elements
What materials will allow you to create an English-style garden? Of course, wood, gray stone and forged elements. The latter can be used everywhere: it can be gazebos, benches, bridges, graceful partitions. Both in the garden and at the entrance to the house, you can place ceramic pots with neat trees and shrubs. By the way, the British are very fond of bicycles, and therefore, on an old two-wheeled transport, you can place elegant flower boxes in whichclimbing plants should be planted. When creating a landscape garden, it is necessary to try to make sure that each element becomes part of nature, does not catch the eye, but is a single whole in the overall composition.
