An oasis of green at your home provides the perfect place to escape to and recharge your batteries. No matter where you live, whether it's a little cottage in Portland OR or a rambling mansion in Helotes TX, a garden will truly make your house a home. Even the ugliest, concrete-paved space can become a veritable Eden with the help of some creative landscape design and this will also do wonders for your property's value.
Landscape architecture is actually a more descriptive name for the art of planning the open spaces around a building. This is because it involves more than gardening. It requires the planning of every little detail, from the fences to the flower beds. The designer needs to have not only knowledge of plants but also of structural engineering, conservation, surveying and architecture.
The designer often works closely with the architect. The planned city of Brasilia, the Brazilian capital, is almost entirely the product of a collaboration between architect Oscar Niemeyer, urban planner Lucio Costa and landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. Sometimes the roles even merge into one, for example when architect Antoni Gaudi designed the Park Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and urban park in Barcelona.
For your own home, you'll more likely work on a smaller scale. Your land and your budget will determine how complicated the design will be. It's often a good idea to start with simple modifications, such as a carefully laid out path bordered by some flower beds.
Another easy way to turn a garden from something ordinary into something spectacular is with the help of a water feature. This can be in the form of a large item like a swimming pool or fish pond, or it can be a small fountain or bird bath. The sound of the gurgling water has an instant cooling and calming effect.
Even a courtyard can do with a bit of design intervention. Potted plants are an easy fix but can take up a lot of floor space. However, the walls are like empty canvases waiting for your creative touch and can become a lush jungle with the help of creepers and hanging plants. Some beams or lengths of bamboo overhead provide even more space from which to let plants grow.
The natural environment around your property will help you decide how best to create your garden. For example, maybe there are some large trees already and you can easily incorporate these. Even big rocks don't necessarily have to be removed but can become a feature. Work with the natural topography and also think about the climate to ensure that your garden will be sustainable.
To begin planning the garden of your dreams, it's a good idea to browse through landscaping magazines. They will give you ideas and even advice. A professional landscape designer will be well worth the expense too since he or she may come up with solutions you would never have thought of.
Landscape architecture is actually a more descriptive name for the art of planning the open spaces around a building. This is because it involves more than gardening. It requires the planning of every little detail, from the fences to the flower beds. The designer needs to have not only knowledge of plants but also of structural engineering, conservation, surveying and architecture.
The designer often works closely with the architect. The planned city of Brasilia, the Brazilian capital, is almost entirely the product of a collaboration between architect Oscar Niemeyer, urban planner Lucio Costa and landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. Sometimes the roles even merge into one, for example when architect Antoni Gaudi designed the Park Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and urban park in Barcelona.
For your own home, you'll more likely work on a smaller scale. Your land and your budget will determine how complicated the design will be. It's often a good idea to start with simple modifications, such as a carefully laid out path bordered by some flower beds.
Another easy way to turn a garden from something ordinary into something spectacular is with the help of a water feature. This can be in the form of a large item like a swimming pool or fish pond, or it can be a small fountain or bird bath. The sound of the gurgling water has an instant cooling and calming effect.
Even a courtyard can do with a bit of design intervention. Potted plants are an easy fix but can take up a lot of floor space. However, the walls are like empty canvases waiting for your creative touch and can become a lush jungle with the help of creepers and hanging plants. Some beams or lengths of bamboo overhead provide even more space from which to let plants grow.
The natural environment around your property will help you decide how best to create your garden. For example, maybe there are some large trees already and you can easily incorporate these. Even big rocks don't necessarily have to be removed but can become a feature. Work with the natural topography and also think about the climate to ensure that your garden will be sustainable.
To begin planning the garden of your dreams, it's a good idea to browse through landscaping magazines. They will give you ideas and even advice. A professional landscape designer will be well worth the expense too since he or she may come up with solutions you would never have thought of.
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