Landscape design styles and their characteristics

On the suburban area there is a special freedom of creativity - the owner can realize any idea, to build in its own space around the house. Sometimes there are such properties, where slides, fountains, sculptures, arbors are collected, but there is no holistic picture that makes the suburban ensemble memorable. To create a truly interesting image of your garden, capable of pleasing and amazing, before drawing up a design project, building and land works, purchasing plants and garden accessories, it is necessary to study the styles of landscape design and dwell on one thing.

Historical excursion: we go down centuries

The beginnings of landscape design appeared immediately, as soon as primitive people decided on the concept of their own dwelling: the pebble paving of the site in front of the cave can be compared with the modern arrangement of the driveway to a country mansion. Gardeners and chief architects in the palaces of the ancient rulers (Assyria, Babylon, Egypt), who delighted the masters with the results of their work, could not even imagine that they were landscape designers, but laid the foundations of the science of harmonious change in the surrounding world. Hanging Gardens of Babylon - the creation of a brilliant landscape architect, was recognized by the ancients as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Park of Versailles - no less grandiose and magnificent brainchild of Andre Lenotra, closer to our time, is considered a textbook example, the top of landscape art, and the Japanese "Rock Garden "Ryoan-zi in Kyoto, whose atmosphere is painted with religious and philosophical notes, has become one of the forefathers of minimalism in design and architecture.

Vertical, horizontal, volume and four elements

All components of landscape design successfully fit into the rule "combine top, bottom and form", and also symbolically support 4 natural elements (wood, water, stone, air) while filling the landscape. An additional component that gives the ability to draw any geometric shape, to emphasize accent objects, is light.

Developing a landscape project, it is necessary to connect the vertical and horizontal planes, emphasize the required volume, create a single space where nothing will be dissonant with the general stylistic decision.

What each style defines: compare features

Any small change can become a point of reference when creating a landscape of your own hacienda. The main thing is to classify it correctly, to determine whether it belongs to a style. Love for the sandy shades of travertine can push the garden design "a la Italy", the opinion that "the rose is the most beautiful flower" prompts the use of English classics, the mandatory presence of lavender aroma is a direct reference to the sun-saturated Provence. The basic characteristics of the garden layout and filling elements will help to narrow the frame when selecting a style.

The severity and use of rectangular shapes for the breakdown of the garden differ:

1. Regular (French);
2. Japanese;
3. Mauritanian.

Smoothness, roundness of the lines is inherent:

1. English style;
2. Country music;
3. Russian modernity;
4. Chinese;
5. Ecostyle.

The splendor of flowering vegetation, the riot of colors inside the geometrically rigid layout are characteristic of the Moorish garden space, the classic English garden, on the contrary, implies a perfectly-adjusted range of colors of coldish shades, a large amount of greenery, and a general color restraint.

Historical styles - an echo of bygone eras

Any historical style of landscape design is a reflection of the corresponding time, colored by national color. Thorough copying of palace gardens today is not relevant, it requires a scope of possessions, a staff of gardeners and tireless care, but using typical techniques, placing necessary accents, selecting suitable plants (originals or local analogues) allows you to create a small-scale object that fits into the style frame. The use of characteristic types of paving, site planning, hedge trimming, arrangement of mandatory areas draws a spectacular style image.

English style: cold stiffness in landscape surroundings

The classic English-style landscape was watched by the heroine of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice on Mr. Darcy’s richest estate. The garden was regular and luxurious at the same time. The more mundane landscape patterns of this type of design are inherent in the smoothness of the outlines of man-made elements (platforms, paths, markings of planting borders, contours of reservoirs), restraint in the selection of plants, their colors. Preferred cold shades of inflorescences, a combination of pink and blue, no screaming accents. Particular attention is paid to greenery and lawn: in addition to careful year-round care (cutting, trimming, replacing extinct specimens), there is a careful screening of species by type and color of foliage. As a result, the English garden looks very well-groomed and harmonious.

In the preparation of typical English compositions of perennials, the color and size rhythm, the proportional combination of plants among themselves, the multiplicity of planting, the timing of flowering are important.

Dutch comfort: canals, mills, tulips

The image of the Dutch garden is directly correlated with the character of the inhabitants of this country and its natural conditions. Forced to win back the living space from the coming sea, the Dutch value land very much, their gardens are very small. The main features of the Dutch nature, which are reflected in the landscape:

• Practicality - the area is used to the maximum, ordinary trees are replaced by dwarf forms;
• Reasonableness - each element has its own place (carefully calculated zoning);
• Neatness - the garden is kept in perfect order;
• Joy - volumetric stains of bright colors, the use of garden figures and mini-objects;
• Pride - the most spectacular part of the garden is the stalls in front of the house, to cause admiration of passersby.

Tasteful village life

Country style (country) landscape design is characterized by some negligence, a touch of antiquity, the lack of perfectly adjusted proportions. It seems that the artist with light strokes sketched a picturesque sketch, which suddenly came to life. Wood, stone, willow vine, reed, clay - all natural materials will be used here. In the country style, the construction of wooden arbors, the creation of man-made ponds and streams, free from the rules of flower gardens, where various plants adjoin, are welcomed. The decor elements involved in creating the garden, full of rural charm are wicker fences, clay pots, flower pots, bright garden sculptures, wheels and vintage carts, climbing plants, neat framed beds - all that is so cute to the heart of a tortured city dweller and instantly forms an idyllic picture.

Chinese garden - inlaid box with a secret

The grace of lines, the richness of colors, the desire to make simple things simple without disturbing the natural harmony became special features of the Chinese style in landscape design. The space is artificially stretched due to the large length of winding footpaths, the inclusion of water compositions in the landscape (pacifying calm water bodies are replaced by cascading steps), and the separation of the garden by bright walls with cut openings ("moon gate") intriguing the visitor, inviting him on a further journey.

Landscape orientation of the garden emphasize:

1. The curved lines of the bridges, echoing the roofs of the arbors, pagodas, decorative gates;
2. A skillful combination of two opposite energies: water and stone;
3. The centering of the garden composition;
4. The use of plants with natural-rounded forms or the use of topiary.

Colonial style: organic, neatness, dignity

The colonial style combines two different cultures - introduced from the outside and aboriginal. This is a sample of mutually enriching synthesis, when the European multinationality of colonialists, the limited choice of building materials, the variety of exotic local flora resulted in an amazing symbiotic style, which is characterized by warmth, easy negligence, soft coziness. Having pushed a gate of the personal plot designed in colonial style, it would be desirable to exclaim: "Home, sweet home!". Smooth lines of bright flower beds, rounded outlines of woody compositions are repeated in the routes of garden paths made of bricks, slabs, and impregnated wood. An echo of the practical application of the first settlers of land allotments is zoning: an orchard and a garden part, which is often drawn up as a decorative garden in a regular style, stand out. The garden with sun-filled terraces is located behind the house and is protected from outside views. It is full of colors, but the low wooden fence "like a grandmother's" painted with plain white is considered to be the calling card of the colonial design.

Moorish style: the secret behind seven seals

Closed from outsiders, Moorish-style gardens fully meet the definition of "eye-catching and resting heart." Surrounded by desert and high walls, the oases are filled with bright colors with a strong smell, sparkling water of fountains and canals, rich in green foliage. Oriental luxury has to bliss, enjoy life, uninterrupted pleasures. Moorish style implies the unity of opposites: everything that the human hand has created is straightforward, strictly, has clear boundaries, everything that is presented by nature rages in its original beauty. In the garden, artificially divided into 4 squares, the paths are tiled with tiles that create intricate ornaments, and green plantings of different heights are used as screens that hide the private life of the owners. The garden is decorated with fruit trees, and the queen is a rose. The most preferred varieties have a lush multi-petal inflorescence and thick aroma, penetrating into all corners of the garden.

Lavender Provence: a touch of antiquity is required

At the word "Provence", we recall images with rows of violet flowers endlessly stretching into the distance, but the Provençal garden is a small, cozy, lovely space around the house.
Typical features of French country design:

• Aged, shabby wood for garden furniture;
• Weathered stone retaining walls and framed flower beds;
• Paved paths that creep overgrown plants;
• Mandatory curly bed with spicy herbs;
• An abundance of lavender in flowerbeds, in terracotta pots, separating the resting area with a wrought-iron bench from other areas of the garden;
• Climbing plants, braided arches and pergolas, as a way of shading from the hot sun;
• A row of fruit trees with flat crowns, formed by a special type of pruning, along the wall of the house.

Features of the layout: French regular style

The mirror image of the parts of the garden along the central axis, the clarity of the borders, the trimmed hedges of various heights, the long neat avenues, and the curly floral borders are what distinguishes the French park ensembles, the creation of which is elevated to the rank of art. The classic elements of a regular palace style are:

1. Fountains with sculptural groups;
2. Front floor in the front;
3. Reservoirs are bent-symmetrical forms in stone framing;
4. Rows of exotic shorn trees in massive tubs that are cleaned in the greenhouse for the winter;
5. Ideal extensive lawns, as a binder of the whole space;
6. Flower beds, forming a complex geometric pattern;
7. "Green" secret rooms, labyrinths, amphitheaters.

Romantic trip to Italy

Warm wind, sun, rich aromas - the distinctive features of the Mediterranean climate, which are reflected in the Italian design of gardens. The classic palace garden park is symmetrical layout, trimmed trees in flowerpots, hedges clearly demarcating the space, straight paths, elevated pond, fountains and marble sculptures. The picturesque nature, the wealth of flowering plants is balanced by a strict composition of man-made changes in the landscape. In contrast to him, it is easier to design a small garden with a touch of romance - its characteristic features add a cheerful color:

• Stone patio with furniture combining wood and forging, designed for noisy family meals;
• Bench under the pergola, entwined with roses or grapes, perfect for an afternoon rest;
• The open terrace, lined with flower pots, will give you the opportunity to admire the stars in the late evening.

Japanese Garden: Restrained Purity of Style

The main features of the landscape in the Japanese style is asceticism, compositional adjustment, restraint. Nothing should distract from the contemplation of natural harmony or immersion in their own thoughts. The obligatory combination of water, stone, living plants creates a special, miniature world where time flows very slowly, where a person is given infinity to watch the branches of willow bent over the lake or flying flower petals. In developing the design of the Japanese garden, the right stylistic decision will be:

• Asymmetric layout of the site;
• Calculation of species points: any movement in the zones of the Japanese garden should present the ideal picture to the viewer;
• Lighting recreation area stone lanterns;
• Placing beautiful groups of stones, paving the paths with individual flat stones framed by a lawn or a scattering of pebbles;
• The use of plants sung in Japanese poetry: maples, cherries and plums, chrysanthemums, willows, pines, peonies.

The Garden of Our Time: From Difficult to Simple

Modern landscape designer provided a large palette of style tools. New directions have individuality, but do not require adherence to strict standards. The absence of rigid restrictions allows you to mix options among themselves, to complement them with each other, to implement interesting ideas. For example, today fantasy is becoming one of the most popular styles. Influenced by "Traveling back and forth," "The Witcher," novels about barbarians, wizards, and dwarf treasures, customers dream of seeing the Hobbit or the Deep Forest on their site. Yes, sometimes adults also want to live in a fairy tale. The task of the specialist is to realize this desire, filling the surrounding space with mysterious corners under the canopy of woven branches, unknown paths leading to a quiet backwater, and semi-antique buildings. A cellar from Shira, a children's house - the hut of Baba Yaga, a gazebo with a stove that looks like a troll tavern will successfully mark the belonging of properties to the “kingdom of distant lands”.

Alpine meadow + Alpine hill = Alpine style

Alpine style of landscape design copies the natural beauty of the European mountain areas, so it should be used on sites with a serious bias. The use of stone of all sizes from boulders to pebbles becomes the central accent. Everything will have to be there: cobble placers, paving, slides and rockeries, "dry streams", cascading reservoirs where water is splashing along stone slopes, rocky viewing platforms. In combination with green grass lawn stone looks the most natural. A separate area of ​​the site can be given under the alpine meadow: the wind-fluttering flower forbs will overlap the aromas of spicy greens (thyme is planted between the fragments of the alpine slide, where, growing, it fills the voids along with heathers, creeping stones, silo-like floxes). The classic location of the house at the top of the plot offers a panoramic view of the kaleidoscope of colors inherent in this style.

Minimalism: Less is More

A small plot can be designed in any style, but minimalism can make it not meager, but worthy. "I cut off all unnecessary," Michelangelo replied to the question of how he creates his marble sculptures. The task of minimalism is similar - to remove the unessential, so that the true nature of the garden is revealed in restraint. A garden space format calculated with engineering precision is the main idea. Скандинавский подход к подбору оттенков (предпочтительны нейтральные, естественные тона), продуманная композиция, четко обозначенные границы - вот отличительные особенности дизайна с чувством собственного достоинства.The minimalistic forms are simple; by reducing the number of decorative accents, the space expands, the eye rests on the greenery and the mirror smooth surface of the water.

Art Nouveau Garden

The main rule of landscape design "the style of the house determines the look of the garden" in modern style becomes a dogma. The main structure is the center of the whole space. From it, the zones of the site diverge in waves, the internal features of the building are copied in external objects. Modern belongs to the landscape category of garden design: there are no right angles, clear lines. A distinctive feature is the smooth contours, the natural curves of the garden paths, vegetable compositions, water bodies. The garden breathes peace, repeatability of outlines in various elements (small architectural forms, decor objects, flower beds, lawn borders) creates an unhurried rhythm that tunes in to contemplative rest. The effect of appeasement enhances restrained colors of greenery and flower beds.

Iris is the central flower of modernity, it appears in paintings, stained glass windows, forging, parquet, wooden carving of the interior decoration of the house, and it will beautifully decorate the garden. Graceful flowers on proud peduncles - the very embodiment of style.

High tech: the future is here

Getting into the garden of high-tech people feel like a hero of a science fiction novel on a huge spaceship, where everything is provided for a long stay.
The main features of high-tech landscape design:

• The use of rectangular shapes, pronounced borders;
• Filling of open areas with mowed lawn, stone tiles, pebbles;
• Basic materials: stone, concrete, glass, plastic, treated wood;
• Discreet colors;
• The use of art objects made of metal, stone, glass, mirrors;
• Water bodies without vegetation, enclosed in a rigid framework.

Light is a powerful tool for creating a high-tech garden. Illumination places accents, depending on the work of light groups, various light patterns appear.

Ecostyle - complete unity with nature

Developing a project in ecostyle, the designer solves the problem of maximizing the natural advantages of the site and minimal intervention in the landscape. It is necessary to place all buildings in such a way as not to disturb the ecosystem in miniature. The most significant is the stage of preliminary study:

• it is necessary to draw the terrain with the marking of heights, falling shadows when the sun moves, existing large trees in order to preserve them;
• analyze the pros and cons, on the basis of them propose a plan for landscape change;
• to study the plants growing on the ground, to make up the dendroplan of the necessary green spaces.

What is the master, so is the style

In the process of choosing from the variety of artistic methods of harmonization of a country site it is difficult to make the very first decision. Here it is necessary to build on your own preferences, because a garden is a reflection of the soul of its owner. When the style is defined, the further process will go faster: you need to strictly observe the style description, follow the advice of landscape designers, competently care for the created space. Then, coinciding in appearance with the dream surrounding the country house will be a source of pride, and garden worries will bring pleasure.