Flowerbeds and flower beds in the country

The suburban area is the best place to lay out a garden. A large area of ​​​​free space, open access to sunlight and good ecology contribute to the quality growth of flowers.

Therefore, the site is a real paradise for any gardener. And one of the main goals of a summer resident can be a beautiful flower bed in the country or a whole flower garden.

A clearly defined area that is planted with flowers is called a flower bed. Most often it is in the form of a geometric figure, but this is not a prerequisite. A flower garden in a country house is a territory where ornamental plants are grown. That is, this is a broader concept, and the flower bed is simply its component, with a more pronounced fence.

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DIY flowerbed

The flower bed can be purchased ready-made or made by hand. The second option differs from the first budget. After all, independent production of a flower bed from individual parts will come out much cheaper than ordering a prefabricated version.

But this process will take longer. Creating a flower bed with your own hands can be divided into four stages:

• thinking over the future structure and plants;
• choosing a suitable location;
• fencing installation;
• planting flowers.

With the first stage, everything is clear. It is necessary to decide in advance how the flower bed will look like, as well as what flowers will be planted in it. All other stages will depend on these decisions.

Location selection

The choice of a place for a flower bed depends directly on the preferences of the flowers that will bloom in the flower bed. If you plan to plant shade-loving plants, then it is best to place the structure next to the object that will create a shadow. For example, next to a fence or a large tree. By analogy with this situation, it is worth making a choice in favor of one place or another.

For ease of care of the flower bed, it must be accessible from all sides. It is desirable that the free space between it and other objects be at least thirty centimeters in circumference so that a person can easily approach it.

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Do-it-yourself fencing for flower beds

Directly building a flower bed with your own hands begins with a fence, because it is it that serves as the basis of its design. There are a lot of options for its form, but the installation principle is the same. The main function of the fence is to contain the fertile soil inside the flower bed. The decorative task is secondary, but equally important.

According to the functional feature, the fence should completely repeat the shape of the flower bed, respectively, it should be thought out first. The next step will be the preparation of the land. For easier installation of the flower bed, it must be leveled in advance.If this is not the case, then it is worth preparing a flat area, slightly larger in area than the size of the fence. It is enough just to dig up the soil from the elevations, scatter it in the pits, and then tamp it all down.

The next step will be the direct installation of the fence and its secure fastening. The service life and the overall pretentiousness of the design will depend on the quality of the work done. If the fence is heavy enough and will be reliably restrained by its own weight, then it is enough to put it on the surface of the earth. For example, from masonry. If its structure is less reliable, then the supporting structures should be immersed in the ground and fixed there. Creating a fence for flower beds with your own hands is a very interesting experience. And with due diligence and creativity, a decent flower bed will come out in the country.

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planting

The soil for laying in a flower bed must be prepared in advance. You can remove the fertile layer from another piece of land and process it, or purchase ready-made soil. The ground inside the flower bed should not contain any weed plants, because they will crowd out the planted flowers. It must also be fenced off from the common soil of the site so that nothing from it gets inside.

Flowers in a flower bed should clearly match each other, forming a single composition. Along with this, the life cycle and the time of their flowering must coincide. A competent combination will allow the flower bed to smell fragrant and be surprisingly beautiful.

It is necessary to plant flowers in a flower bed at a certain period and correctly select combinations so that flowering begins at the same time. You also need to focus on the overall composition, the plants should look harmonious with each other.

Before planting flowers, the ground can be fertilized for faster planting. Natural ingredients are preferred, such as humus, compost or ash. But chemical fertilizers, which are sold in flower shops and agricultural departments of large stores, are also suitable.

If the flower bed is deep, then it is not necessary to occupy its entire volume with a fertile layer of soil. Alternatively, lay the bottom with ordinary earth.

Sometimes flower beds are built in the reverse order, that is, they first create an elevation from a layer of soil, and then fix it by erecting a fence. In principle, there is no difference between such methods, just for some flower beds the reverse method is more preferable.

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Possible forms for a flower bed

Flowerbeds can take almost any shape due to the versatility of building a fence. It is not necessary to make the design in the classic form of a round vase or a rectangular planting, you can decorate the garden of your summer cottage with something much more elegant.

Mesh flowerbeds

A rather original solution would be the construction of a flower bed with a fence made of construction mesh. This design is quite easy to perform and looks as non-standard as possible, and also has great variability.

Consider the option of making a round flower bed. The first step is to create a framework. For this, two grids are taken, the same in height, but differing in length. After that, they are rounded and securely fastened with metal links. It will be optimal to choose the length of the grids so that the difference in their radii (the distance between them in a straight line directed towards the center of the structure) is approximately eight centimeters.

After the frame is securely buried in the ground and filled with stones. For this purpose, you can collect small cobblestones that are scattered around the site. Also, medium-sized river stones can become an interesting filling, the main thing is that they are larger than the grid cells in size.After that, the fence will be ready and, if it is securely fastened, will last a long time. Now you can start filling the newly made flower bed with soil and planting flowers.

A complicated version of such a fence will be the manufacture of a multi-level frame. To do this, you should select two such networks that will reach the maximum size of the flower bed in height, and then convert them into stepped ones. So that they gradually increase in height from the bottom of the flower bed to the very top.

The rest of the construction of the fence is similar to the simple version, but it is worth closing the vertical gaps that have arisen so that the stones do not fall out of them. The best option for this would be to use the remaining network elements after cutting, and then weld them to the main structure, or securely fasten them with a wound rope.

The soil in such a flower bed will be laid gradually, to create the shape of a gradually rising hill.

Such a decision will highlight your site for the better. After all, a flower bed made of building mesh is distinguished by its unnaturalness and unusualness. And its multi-level version resembles a spiral staircase, and few people have ever seen such a design.

Flower bed at ground level

Instead of building a flower bed in height, you can deepen it underground. This design option will most of all resemble a flower garden, but still differ from it.

For the construction of such a flower bed, special attention should be paid to preparing the soil. To begin with, it is worth clearly delimiting the territory, and then dig out all the land from there. The depth of the hole is not important if there is fertile soil under the recess, if not, then it should be larger than the size of the root system of flowers, which will then be planted in a flower bed. Since the fertile layer is taken out, it should be carefully folded in a certain place of the site, and then treated from weeds.

After the site for the flower bed in the country has been dug out, it is necessary to level its borders, where the fence will be installed. It is not necessary to make the entire area even. Anything reliable enough can serve as a fence material. If a decorative stone or something similar is used, it is best to cement the joints. The height of the fence in such a design should correspond to the level of the ground.

The final stage will be the return to the flower bed of fertile soil, planting flowers and their ennoblement.

This design is more difficult to perform, but it has a special style and it will be interesting to look next to the lawn.

From improvised means

A flower bed made from improvised materials is the easiest to perform and the cheapest. An easy option would be to use an old tire. It is enough just to clean it, put it in the most suitable place, fill it with fertile soil, and then plant flowers in it.

A more advanced option would be to use several tires as a fence to the flower bed. To begin with, they have to be washed, then cut across in half and buried so that the inner rim touches the ground. Then she will not wake up through the tires, they will hold her back. Tires can be painted in a color that will harmoniously fit into the overall composition of plants.

Instead of tires, you can use tires, old stumps, boards and many other materials at hand.

You can also change the approach to creating flower beds with your own hands. For example, instead of a few plentiful ones, arrange a lot of small ones throughout the dacha, completely different in composition.

In addition to the listed options, there are many others, the use of which can best fit into the exterior of your suburban area.

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Flower beds in the country

A flower garden is a more general concept than a flower bed. It becomes any place for planting plants, not only flowers, but also shrubs. It also lacks a clear boundary. The combination of all these factors gives greater variety.

The main advantage of the flower garden is the possibility of breaking it everywhere. His plants can be planted anywhere, from a decrepit stump to a rocky wall. So it turns out that any composition of plants automatically becomes a flower garden.

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DIY flower garden

For a flower garden, first of all, you need to choose a planting site, as well as a composition of plants. After that, the soil should be prepared by leveling and cultivating it. The final part will be planting the plants. The general principle is completely the same as installing a flower bed, with the exception that you do not have to worry about installing a special fence.

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Varieties

There is no generally accepted classification of flower beds, but there are several names that are used most often.

Border

This flower garden is used as a decorative fence. Its width usually does not exceed sixty centimeters, and matching flowers and shrubs are used as decoration, both longitudinal and transverse symmetry are preserved.

Mixborder

In structure and size, this flower garden is similar to the "border" type. Most often it is installed at the junction of the track and walls. This flower garden lacks transverse symmetry; it seems to share this joint.

Parterre

It is also called an ornamental flower garden. Flowers on it are arranged in a certain order and form a pattern, mostly large in area. Used as decoration.

Rabatka

This is a kind of "parterre" flower garden, but with a more defined size. It is generally accepted that its width varies from half a meter to three meters, and the length exceeds the width by three times or even more. If the flower garden "rabatka" is located near the wall, then the plants are planted in ascending height. And if you can inspect it from all sides, then the tallest plants and shrubs are planted in the center, and lower ones are located from them in levels.

Rockery

This is a flower garden in which special attention is paid to additional elements. The composition is based on large stones, which can lie both evenly and structured, and in a chaotic, natural order. Together with them in the flower garden there are plants of small sizes: creeping, climbing and heather shrubs. As well as many others, suitable for the general style and the growth of which is possible in such a flower garden.

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Interesting ideas for a flower garden

The main advantage of the flower garden is its general unlimited form. With the help of improvised means, you can complement the composition. For example, in the center of the flower garden, on a small elevation, install a tire, inside which a climbing plant is planted, and wrap the tire with its stem. By analogy with this, you can come up with an infinite number of variations. Here are some rather unusual solutions.

Butterfly flower garden

For summer cottages of large sizes, a flower garden in the shape of a butterfly on the lawn may be suitable. Its general shape will be rectangular, green grass will be planted in the corners. But in the center there will be an interesting composition of the body, head and wings of a butterfly. The shape of the composition is given by the variety of colors and their common palette. Let the borders of the wings be outlined by the same plants.The rest of the terrain will be marked by a variety of motley flowers, as well as miniature shrubs.

An interesting improvement in such a flower garden will be the addition of volume to the composition in addition to the form. For example, a butterfly's head can be made taller than its body by raising the ground level in the appropriate area.

This flower garden belongs to the "parterre" type.

Miniature suspension bridge made of flowers

Due to the fact that the flower garden does not have a clear shape, you can depict anything. A rather interesting solution would be an overground structure in the form of a bridge, on which flowers will be planted.

First of all, it is necessary to manufacture and install the frame of the structure. It will be curved. The most effective option would be the construction of a wooden stepped structure, small in size and height. At its borders, bumpers should be installed that will prevent the earth from falling out.

The final step will be to fill the "bridge" with fertile soil, it is advisable to do this so that an even hill forms. After that, you can start planting plants in the ground. Small flowers are best suited for this, the root system of which will not exceed a layer of fertile soil. On the borders of the territory, you can plant plants that will close the sides.

Building such a flower garden is a very difficult task that you have to tinker with. But it will also look appropriate, a hanging bridge decorated with flowers will appear on your site. Such a flower garden will be a stunning decorative element of any cottage. Plus, it will not take up much space, and shade-loving plants can be planted under it.

It is difficult to determine the type of this flower bed.

Rose garden

The rose garden is a flower garden in all its splendor. It is made up mainly only of roses of different colors.

Flowering of these plants occurs best in the illuminated area. The place of the flower garden should have direct access to the sun's rays. It is desirable that no objects shade it. However, roses need protection from drafts. The color scheme is best to choose a contrasting one.

For an amateur gardener, a similar rose garden structure is suitable: the flower garden is located on the south side of the site, surrounded on three sides by deciduous trees that will not impose their shadow on it. As an interesting combination, you can take decorative varieties of white, red and purple flowers.

An option for decorating a rose garden is to add secondary flowers, less bright, which will complement the main ones.

Roses are very whimsical, require increased care and are highly dependent on weather conditions, but a blooming rose garden will be worth the effort. Creating such a flower garden with your own hands will favorably decorate your summer cottage against the background of others.

"The queen is adorned with retinue." In addition to roses, other types of flowers can be placed in a flower garden. Lavender, carnation and iris are most suitable for this. Their task is to complement the beauty of roses, and not set them off. Therefore, additional colors should be much less than the main ones.

The rose garden is a separate type of flower garden, which is very popular due to its external features.

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Differences between flower beds and flower beds

It has already been mentioned above that a flower bed is just a kind of flower garden. Accordingly, it cannot be said that one option for decorating a summer cottage is more acceptable than another. They are just different and suitable for different tasks.

If you are interested in decorating a certain piece of land that you want to clearly enclose, planting exclusively with flowers, then a flower bed in the country will suit you.

In the event that you want to create a composition of various plants, including small shrubs. If, in addition to the form, it is necessary to add a combination of volume, as well as additional decorations. In this case, the best decoration for you will be a full-fledged flower garden in the country.

Both options will look good on the site. The difference will be only in the complexity of execution and subsequent care. No matter what you choose, a flower bed in the country or a whole flower garden, any decoration element will add its own, unique style to the site. And the creation of various combinations will be a great way to realize creativity.

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