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Summer is just around the corner, the holiday season begins. And many summer residents are beginning to prepare for the new season. Buy something more, plant it, paint it, make repairs at the dacha. But what should those who have just purchased a summer cottage do? Of course, work on its arrangement.
Cleaning and planningThe dacha should be clean, cozy and, most importantly, comfortable. You need to start arranging the site, of course, with cleaning. The area must be cleared of leaves, tree branches and various household debris. Stones and construction debris should also be removed.
Next, you can plan how to equip your dacha. In this case you may need services landscape designer . If you do not have the finances to pay for the work of a designer or want to arrange your own dacha, then you will have to study this area a little.
It all begins from planning and drafting. You must first figure out what to leave in place and what to redo. It is advisable not to touch the trees; you can only increase their number by planting new ones. This is justified by the fact that it is plants and trees that create a unique country atmosphere.
In most cases, a summer cottage consists of the following elements:
Next, you should move on to fencing the area, since no owner would want strangers to move freely in his possessions.
Fencing is best done made of brick or metal mesh . These materials are of quite high quality; their manufacturers guarantee a long service life.
But there is also more cheap options . For example, fences. This option has its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
Flaws:
Paths are a very important element of the interior of a dacha. They come in the following types:
Each of these types is unique in its own way. Concrete paths are distinguished by their simplicity and cheapness, so you can make them yourself. Concrete consists of water, cement and additional components that can be found at any building materials store. As for the tools for creating a design, we will need roofing felt.
Stone paths are quite expensive, but that's explained original appearance. If you have a supply of natural stone, you can use it and purchase the missing stone. It doesn't have to be identical.
The bricks are laid out by hand and joined together with cement mortar. If you want to do everything efficiently, you will have to work hard for a long time.
A distinctive feature of stone and concrete paths is that they are characterized by long service life and can easily withstand loads of up to 500 kilograms.
It is advisable to arrange a place for relaxation in the garden or on the lawn. You can put several benches and a table. For barbecue lovers, we can recommend the grill, but due to the technology fire safety it needs to be placed away from the recreation area. Installing a barbecue near a neighbor's property is also prohibited. Don't forget about gazebos and canopies. They can be placed closer to the center.
Nowadays they have become very fashionable Garden swing. They are usually designed for 2-4 seats. Another interesting option site arrangement is swing sofas, which are perfect for receiving guests and relaxing for retirees. They are designed for 3-4 people, do not sway too much, which makes it possible to ride and talk at the same time.
There are more for children a budget option – swing made of plastic. Such swings are quite stable and are not inferior to others. expensive options. Stability is ensured by metal frame. Quite often they are sold complete with a slide for kids.
The most conservative and simple swing is the hammock. Hammocks come in two types:
They are very strong and can withstand weight up to 150 kilograms. When arranging playgrounds for children, you need to focus on safety. They should be located closer to the gazebo or house to make it convenient to keep an eye on children. The playground should be light and cool. To do this, you can install awnings there. Slides, swings, horizontal bars quality and safety must be selected. In addition, do not forget that the playground must be kept clean. Swimming pool, if there is one at the dacha, needs to be fenced with mesh, because it is considered an unsafe place for children.
Arranging a recreation area at your dacha is an opportunity to show your imagination. You can even install benches made with your own hands.
Now it's time to start landscaping your dacha. Lawns and flower beds should look harmonious and blend with the home, creating a natural area. You need to pay attention to the composition of the soil. If it is dry and hard, it needs treat with fertilizers.
Shrubs and lawns- This business card everyone garden plot. In order not to waste time growing a lawn, you can buy it and simply spread it. If you want to grow a lawn yourself, you can purchase special seeds. But for this, the soil will have to be well treated with fertilizers.
When purchasing ready-made lawns, you should pay attention to their color, drought resistance and freshness. They should be shade-tolerant and resistant to trampling. If you have little experience in such matters, you can contact your neighbors or a specialist at the store where you buy this lawn.
Country shrubs can be planted near fences and paths and do not forget to care for them. Such shrubs are beautiful, but rather difficult to care for. If you care for them properly, they will bear fruit.
If we talk about flower beds, they delight the eye with their presence. You can choose different color combinations: tulips, periwinkles, Adonis amur. And do not forget that they need to be watered on time, since flowers growing in flower beds do not tolerate the sun and heat very well. But it shouldn't be too dark.
You can do it yourself using cellophane and a balloon.
If we talk about which landscape style to choose, it primarily depends on your age and hobbies. In addition, your ideas should match your budget.
For people who have retired, practicality is important. They will most likely grow vegetables, berries and fruits on the ground. Therefore, almost all summer they will be at the dacha.
But for young people, beauty and romance are important. They will not have time to care for the lawn and flower beds, since they will only appear at the dacha to relax.
Taking these features into account, the dacha plot should be developed. At the same time, we must not forget that the personal plot is the face of the dacha.
Most often, plots are designed in the following styles.
The lighting system should be perceived not only as an economic one, but also as a decorative element. Lamps play an important role as they not only provide light but also decorate the interior or exterior.
Lighting must cover the house, garage, gazebo, recreation area and paths. In addition, you can create decorative lighting. These are classic lamps near the paths and in the center of the gazebo.
In order for the system to work properly and without interruptions, you need to constantly adjust the central panel. In a personal plot it would be reasonable install automatic LEDs. They are characterized by a long service life and ease of use. The garden plot should be well lit.
Many people consider the veranda an essential part of their dachas. As a rule, the idea of building this element arises after purchasing the site.
This is a classic venue unforgettable holiday. Ideal option it will be if you arrange it on the veranda fireplace or stove– it will not only look beautiful, but will also allow you to spend your leisure time there in the winter.
To prevent the veranda from being filled with various unpleasant odors, definitely necessary install a quality hood. You can also install a sofa or rocking chair there. You can place a medium-sized oval table on the veranda.
To enjoy nature in winter, you can decorate the veranda with indoor flowers. All of the above features may seem complicated to you at first, but if you delve into the details, you will understand that there is nothing complicated.
It is important to understand that if you equip your dacha with your own hands, then you will be much more comfortable spending time there. In addition, you will not have to spend money on paying for the services of a landscape designer.
Nowadays, the dacha remains the only salvation from city life. Here fresh air And Live nature, This perfect place to calm your nerves and relax. And you don’t need any sanatoriums, because you yourself participated in creating the ideal vacation spot.
Gone are the days when everyone at their dacha plot was busy with beds and fruit trees, but didn’t think about decor. Once upon a time the best decoration The courtyard had unpretentious flowers along the fence or a small flower bed. Today the dacha is becoming a place countryside holiday, and many owners hire a landscape design specialist. But if your hands are in place and you have a few worthwhile ideas, you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Original design summer cottage They are made with their own hands from scrap materials, which are abundant in every garage, on mezzanines, balconies or in storage rooms.
Decorating a cottage with your own hands
Mill at the dacha made of stones
Decorating a flower bed with wood
The main advantage of homemade country decor is that it is possible to attach everything that was a pity to throw away. Every thrifty homeowner has long-term deposits of all sorts of goods stored in the garage and on the balcony, mezzanine and pantry, which will soon become an adornment of the landscape.
You can adapt many items that have served their main life to your dacha design with your own hands:
First of all, you need to evaluate the “reserves” in order to distribute them for the arrangement of the dacha as needed. Some of the materials will be used to make fully functional devices.
In any yard, a “Moidodyr” (washbasin) in the barbecue or grill area and a sofa swing in the shade of the garden under a tarpaulin canopy will be useful. From other old things, make flower stands and flowerpots, all kinds of original ones garden decorations with your own hands.
Boar's head from a pile of earth at the dacha
Decorating a flower bed with flowers
Will need detailed plan site for proper zoning and marking. Even in a small yard country house or in country garden needs to be distributed functional areas, which will differentiate:
A well-maintained estate does not require redevelopment; all you need is creative design ideas for your dacha. On the new site, places for a comfortable pastime are determined:
By working on your own country house design, you have the opportunity to realize long-standing dreams and plans of the whole family. Free areas can be covered with small stones, lawn grass, low-growing border plants and flowers can be sown, as in the photo.
Do-it-yourself gazebo in the country
Flowerbed at the dacha
DIY border at the dacha
Discussions about whether paths are needed in a dacha last until the first rainstorm. In some regions, the soil is so viscous that you can’t pull your feet out of the mud - it sticks to your shoes in a heavy lump. The only way out is to provide aesthetically pleasing paved passages between summer cottages.
Paths made of different materials will help you decorate your dacha with your own hands:
The country alley leading to the garden will be functional and attractive in itself when it has original borders or rows of annual flowers on the sides. But the original idea of laying it will make it a real decoration of the garden with your own hands from scrap materials.
Decorating a summer cottage with plants
Flower beds at the dacha
A paved path can be below ground level or slightly elevated, and have a flat or slightly convex surface. Alleys will last for many years if done according to all the rules.
You need a shallow trench, which is marked and the boundaries are fixed using a rope between driven pegs. This is the only way to make the path the same width.
The bottom of the trench is compacted with gravel and sand, regardless of the type of paving material.
Next, you need to organize formwork for concrete with filler or sides for large blocks. Low log pegs and rows of glass or plastic bottles of the same size dug upside down are suitable as decorative borders.
Sandbox with flowers
Flowers in pots at the dacha
Flowerbed made of stones at the dacha
Between the formwork, a compacted trench is filled with a concrete base for recessed finishing materials. Between the pieces of mosaic path tiles, you need to carefully fill the seams.
Alleys made of bricks, blocks and solid tiles (without connection cement mixture) sprinkle sand along the seams.
When laying tiles or bricks on sand, use a rubber or wooden hammer for adjustment and leveling.
The horizontal is adjusted using the building level.
If the site is located in a lowland, be sure to organize drainage, otherwise the alleles may turn into gutters. The situation will be saved by a shallow drainage ditch parallel to the garden path, paved with ceramic fragments or filled with cement.
Design ideas for a dacha will be realized in the best possible way if all stages of the construction of the path and its decoration are done slowly and efficiently, following the laying technology. The easiest way is to use ready-made lattice templates for homemade cement walkways with filler, as in the photo. The template is step by step moved into the prepared trench with a bed of sand and gravel, filled with base material.
Forms for paving slabs and “Eurofence” different sizes and forms are available for sale. You can organize an entire production for your summer cottage or start your own business.
Gardening the border at the dacha
DIY border at the dacha
Using the technology described in the previous section, decorative sides are made to strengthen the levels of a sloping summer cottage and the walls of a cascading flower bed. The picket fence method is also suitable as a decorative fence.
The edge of the low side can also be used as paths between flower beds and sandboxes. Children love to run along the rows of buried stumps.
Hedges - great way save on zoning your summer cottage with your own hands. Shrubs for pruning, ordinary or standard roses in the form of a tree are suitable. Low-growing border roses are planted between them, creating a two-row flower wall.
The simplest side is made from plastic bottles. Containers of the same color are filled with sand, gravel or soil. Bottles are dug halfway into a small trench and covered with earth or stone chips. They may be empty, but they last longer when filled with something.
Attention! Plastic bottles cannot be filled with water - lenses form under the sun's rays, which burn nearby plants. There might even be a fire.
DIY flowerbed
Castle made of stones in the country
Do-it-yourself barbecue made of stones in the country
Climbing roses and other climbing flowers are a great way to decorate your homemade summerhouse or arches from scrap materials. A metal rod, corner or channel, which can be assembled into a structure, is suitable as a base. welding machine or bolt it together.
Ready-made supports for arches must be securely fixed in the ground. Dug holes with columns underneath country decor with their own hands they compact it well with crushed stone and sand, after which they cement it and fill it with stone chips. Depending on the climatic conditions of the region, grapes or fragrant flowers may spread along the top of such a gallery.
In hot climates it is better to make an indoor gallery. Remnants of light-transmitting ones will also work. roofing materials. Canopies along decorative paths can only be on the south side, but at an angle to provide more shade. A wire trellis is stretched between the posts where the plants will climb. Most economical way– grow cucumbers, decorative beans or pumpkins along the arch.
Flower lovers can different methods decorate the cottage with your own hands from scrap materials. They make vertical flower beds in holes from wide plastic pipes, wooden or openwork metal shelves for pots, as in the photo.
Flowerbed made of stones at the dacha
Decorating a cottage with your own hands
Garden design do-it-yourself from scrap materials is mainly associated with the following materials:
Some homemade garden sculptures are so good that they can compete with real masterpieces. For example, foam frogs or plaster swans.
But most role models are made from car tires- cut and turned. Acrylic paints will transform any material to make characters recognizable for country house design with your own hands. Depending on the skill and style of garden and patio design, you can choose any idea. This is what swans and parrots look like made from rubber, palm trees made from plastic bottles.
Decorating a flowerbed with snails with your own hands
Decorating a cottage with improvised materials
Table and chairs made of hemp in the country
Mini-flower beds with succulents and cacti (other small plants) inside large shells look original. No less interesting to many will be the idea of using shoes as flower pots or old hats on the wall.
Small containers are suitable for succulents and indoor plants, exhibited for the summer under open air. But before you decorate the dacha with your own hands, keep in mind that you will have to bring them into the house during rain, hail and gusty winds. It is better to make original shapes and flowerpots stationary, and insert flower pots for the season or upon arrival at the dacha on weekends.
Traditionally, broken vehicles are used as original DIY garden decorations. Trolleys and bicycles, large car body parts are suitable for a small flower garden. Musical instruments fit too. Creative idea– a piano with flowers and a waterfall.
A mini-pond is an excellent solution for decorating a summer house with your own hands. A small tank can be equipped using available materials:
The bottom of a homemade pond is made in a small pit, with a compacted cushion of gravel and sand. The top is lined with tarpaulin and thick film in 2-3 layers, the edges are secured with stones in the form of sides. All that remains is to fill with water and decorate with the raised plants.
Advice. To maintain eco-balance, you need to monitor the condition of the water, which is periodically drained or circulated. A fountain requires a pump and a filter. To complete the “lake” design, add homemade frogs, swan or crocodile.
Flowerbeds at the dacha with flowers
DIY flower bed at the dacha
So that children don’t get bored at the dacha, and they don’t waste time while working in the garden and beds, there is a solution - a children’s playground with a sandbox and funny homemade figures.
An important condition is that the place for children’s games should be clearly visible from different angles of the summer cottage in order to observe what is happening.
The sides of the sandbox can be easily built using available materials:
With any type of sandbox, children need a place to sit and lay out the molds. A country children's corner can be fenced off from neighbors with a fence in the shape of pencils or decorated with other homemade decor - paints to the rescue!
If you have enough space, you can build a more interesting sandbox on the site - in the form of a ship, car or mansion. Somewhere nearby you can build a tree house with rope ladders and a slide for descending into a sandbox or a tent city made from old blankets. Stretch ropes between the trees, give them clothespins and fabric, they will happily build houses for themselves.
Fantasy craftsmen limitless - from plastic bottles, awning materials and wood waste They make garden furniture on the verge of masterpieces. After pruning the garden and removing dead wood, there is a lot of material left that is easy to use to make:
For comfort, soft seats are made, and natural-shaped material is used on the sidewalls and frame of the products. It is very convenient to use ready-made pallets or pallets as the basis for a sofa or a corner under a canopy. Poufs and banquettes, tables and armchairs are made from plastic bottles. If you have time and experience, make an entire sofa for your dacha out of plastic bottles, but you will need many containers of the same shape and volume. A cover or cover for a homemade sofa is sewn from old curtains.
More original ideas They will prompt you with a photo from our gallery.
Arranging a summer cottage with your own hands is a process that can confidently be called continuous. Every year, when we come out of town, we find many objects that deserve our close attention: here we need to fix a rickety fence, here we need to lay a path, and here it would be nice to arrange a flower bed.
And although an entire encyclopedia may not be enough to describe every detail of this process, below we will try to collect a number of the most useful recommendations. By following them, you can streamline your work and significantly increase its efficiency. So there will still be time for relaxation!
Before arranging a summer cottage, you need to conditionally divide its area into functional zones. Of course, it is advisable to do this at the design stage, but to restore order in a dacha that is actively in use, this will also not be amiss.
Experts identify three main zones:
When we arrange a summer cottage with our own hands, we should visually separate these zones from each other, arranging them so that they do not intersect. In this case, our stay outside the city will be much more comfortable, since we can easily switch from one type of activity to another, and at the same time we will not interfere with each other.
We will try to limit ourselves to only the most important ones, and will start with those that relate directly to the area near the house:
Note!
An important element of the entrance area is the drainage ditch, which ensures the removal of rainwater.
If you don’t know where to start planning a recreational site, then we recommend that you think about creating:
Note!
Lawn grasses are resistant to trampling, but they must be mowed regularly.
When deciding how to arrange a small summer cottage, many of us pay special attention to the part where we can grow vegetables and fruits.
This approach can be considered quite rational, however, here too it is worth adhering to a number of recommendations:
Note!
This doesn't concern shade-loving plants: for them, a site is usually allocated either next to the garden, or even under the canopy of trees.
Options for arranging a summer cottage, as well as recommendations for performing certain works, can be listed endlessly. The main thing here is to understand what exactly we want from our dacha, plan the work and begin the systematic implementation of our project. This may take more than one year, but if we are guided by tips similar to those presented in the video in this article, then we will definitely succeed.
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Since Soviet times It has become a tradition that for many of us, the best and, most importantly, free place to relax is a dacha plot outside the city, where vegetables are necessarily and traditionally grown, berry bushes And fruit trees.
At the dacha, the owners tried to organize a secluded place where they could relax after the labors of the righteous. But the size of the plot in those days for most gardeners did not exceed the notorious six acres, and finding a place for a gazebo, and especially for a lawn, was not an easy task.
Modern gardens are significantly different from their “communist ancestors.” The garden was no longer just a place where berries and vegetables were grown. Its current purpose is to be a place of relaxation that combines beauty and comfort, but let's not forget about the benefits.
There are different styles of gardens: English, oriental, Mediterranean, rustic, alpine, natural. This is not the entire list, but only the main directions of landscape design, which are taken as ideas when creating projects. Often, gardeners and designers use elements of several styles on a site, so it is almost impossible to determine the specific style of any garden. 
Oriental style garden
Natural style garden
However, there are elements that are found in almost all gardens, regardless of style: flower beds, garden furniture, paths. Other elements are less common on sites: ponds, fountains and bridges, streams, arches and pergolas. 
In any case, whatever direction you choose to create your garden and whatever elements it includes, there are general rules, which should be followed when arranging your site.
Firstly, the garden must necessarily combine horizontal and vertical elements. Vertical strokes make the garden more harmonious and prevent it from becoming flattened. Therefore, feel free to use hedges, screens, trellises, and arches in your design.
Secondly, the more natural there is in the garden finishing materials, the more natural the look of the garden will be. Metal, brick, decorative tiles they look very beautiful, but they will never make you feel a real unity with nature, because they are obviously of artificial origin and the man-made nature of the garden, and this should be taken into account by lovers of gardens in a natural style. Use stones, driftwood, wooden materials- and your garden will look like a corner of untouched nature. 
Third, if the garden area is sufficient, it is better to divide it into functional zones: recreation area, vegetable garden, flower garden, children's corner, utility area, etc. This division is necessary in order to streamline the structure of the garden, that is, so that each zone looks independent. To delimit zones, you can plant low shrubs, put up low graceful fences, lay paths, install a pergola. 
Garden areas
The location of these very zones needs to be carefully considered. Agree, the beds will look ridiculous in the most visible place. With a caveat, if it's not decorative vegetable garden. Beautiful design elements - flower beds, artificial ponds, come to the fore. Various buildings, sheds, and utility areas are usually located on the periphery, away from view.
Not even the most perfect garden can change its appearance if the owners find the time and money to design paths in it. Garden paths can also be made from scrap materials - they are much more beautiful than just well-trodden paths: they are both cleaner and neater. And then, it wonderfully organizes the space, dividing the garden into zones and separating them from each other. How we will pave the paths depends on the thickness of your wallet. You can opt for special tiles or paving stones, or funny step by step path. These tiles are durable, strong, and frost-resistant. When laying paving stones, the main thing is to create correct basis: the path must consist of successively laid layers (crushed stone, sand, a laying layer of dry mixture with cement, and only then the tile itself). 
On walking paths you can save money by laying the slabs in a loose order and filling the space between them lawn grass or bulk materials like gravel, pebbles or crumbs.
For creating country paths used the same way a natural stone, gravel, concrete paths are cast. 
If a paved path seems like an expensive pleasure, place various wood coverings- for example, tree cuts. For strength, they are treated with waste oil or hot bitumen. The rounds are laid in a certain order or randomly, leaving gaps between them. Over time, they will be overgrown with grass; another option is to fill gravel between the sawn timber. 
Grass sodding will also provide good result, especially since “wild” paths are in fashion today. But such a path requires careful care, a well-selected grass mixture, and regular mowing. 
Sawdust path
Crushed tree bark or rotted large sawdust are also excellent materials for paths. They prevent the growth of weeds well, and in the shade they prevent the soil from becoming covered with moss.
An excellent choice for those who value beauty and reliability would be wood-look paving slabs, which will add nobility and sophistication to your site.
And, as a final touch, planting the paths with low-growing perennials. If your plot is small and you manage any piece of land like a boss, plant paths curly parsley, strawberries, red leaf salad.
Not all gardening communities have a policy of separating themselves from their neighbors, but if you decide to isolate yourself and put a fence around your garden plot, you have a difficult choice ahead of you. Materials on modern market big choice, you can choose one that will harmonize with both the style of the house and the style of the garden. The most affordable and environmentally friendly material - tree. You can use it to make either a simple picket fence or intricate shapes. And in combination with other materials - metal, for example, this cheap fence for a summer residence can fit into any style of site. The main disadvantage of a wooden fence is its poor resistance to rot, so it requires regular maintenance. If you have painted the fence, you will continue to have to paint it periodically. Maybe, best choice for processing a wooden fence there will be a complex product for bio- and fire protection “Pinotex”.
Looks impressive at the dacha - concrete fence
, which is a structure of pillars and decorative sections of various colors and textures. They can imitate brickwork, natural stone, and can be smooth or carved. It is also possible to combine concrete with other materials - forging, for example. 
Metal fences- the most durable, and if you are not afraid of prying eyes, you can install metal fence, supplementing it with elements of artistic forging. This type of fence is durable and beautiful, but not cheap.
IN Lately has become a popular material for fences corrugated sheet. It consists of painted galvanized steel sheets. Its advantages: low cost, variety of shapes, ease of installation of the fence and lack of maintenance. But such a fence does not fit well into the garden design, cannot be decorated, and creates a shadow.
Chain-link fence- the most budget option for fencing a summer cottage in a gardening partnership. Such fences are popular due to their low cost, durability, ease of installation and ability to transmit sunlight. Appearance Such a fence is rustic, but it is easy to decorate with climbing plants. 
A vine planted near a mesh fence may completely cover it in a few years, and it will be difficult to guess what material is underneath it. An option for such a fence is a plastic mesh for fencing, which can also be easily decorated with vines.
Another type of fence for a dacha, which is new for Russia - their PVC fences. They are not susceptible to environmental influences, do not deform, do not burn, and have a service life of 50 years. Plastic fences They have a variety of shapes and colors, are easy to clean with water (this is all care), do not rot, are not subject to corrosion, and their cost is quite reasonable.
Owners purchasing land for a dacha face a lot of tasks, the main one of which is landscaping the dacha plot. Simply building a house or temporary shelter on it is not enough, because a dacha is traditionally considered best place for relaxation (active or not) in nature, and it should be comfortable. There are no trifles in the process of arranging a personal garden, and in order for your dacha to become truly comfortable and beautiful, you need to pay attention to everything: from fencing and paths to lawns and flower beds.
Landscaping a dacha should begin with cleaning the area. The yard should be cleared of last year's leaves, various debris, stumps should be uprooted, large stones and other similar objects should be removed.
Then you can move directly to landscaping. To arrange a personal plot with your own hands in as soon as possible and at the same time achieve harmonious combination all elements of landscape design, it is necessary to act consistently. Drawing up a plan for upcoming work will help you with this.
Given the importance of planning, the first priority is to draw up a work plan. To do this, you will need to make a drawing with existing buildings and trees marked on it, as well as the boundaries of the site.
Then you need to decide if you want to remove anything. If there are already fruit trees on the territory, then it is better to preserve them, since growing new ones will take a lot of time.
The spaces remaining free can be filled with garden paths, flower beds, gazebos and everything else you would like to see in your dacha. Usually on a summer cottage they place:
It is important to correctly identify functional areas These zones can be called basic, although optional. Still, a lot depends on the size of the plot and the personal preferences of the owners. For some, a vegetable garden is more important, while others just want to enjoy their holiday surrounded by neat lawns.
Whatever you prefer, the fact that the dacha should be well-groomed is beyond doubt. An important role in this is played by the arrangement of a decent fence for the site.
Which fencing is better to choose for your dacha? The most reliable and presentable will be a fence made of stone or brick, as well as a forged one. However, these options are quite expensive and, if you do not plan to spend a lot, you can get by with a wooden picket fence or.
True, in the case of a fence, the reliability of protecting your site from unwanted intrusions is highly questionable. Therefore, it is recommended to additionally strengthen such a fence with chain-link mesh.
Reliable fence from corrugated sheets and brickwork The mesh itself, fixed between the supports, can also serve as a fence, and to make it look more attractive and hide the area from prying eyes, you can plant shrubs, climbing plants or flowers along it. Hawthorn, barberry, thuja, juniper, lilac will look appropriate near the fence, and among the climbers - maiden grapes, sweet peas and others.
– a mandatory attribute of any site. To make your movement around the dacha more convenient and its overall appearance harmonious, you should take care of arranging paths that unite all functional areas. It is better if they are all made in the same style.
The easiest way is to make sandy paths. To do this, you will need to mark their contours with a rope, remove soil about 20 cm deep from the surface of the future path, fill it, water it and compact the gravel. Then there is another layer of gravel, finer, and, finally, a layer of sand, preferably with stone chips. Today such a mixture can be easily purchased in a store; its shades come in a variety of colors, so the path will not only be practical, but also beautiful.
The laid sandy path is carefully compacted and framed with a border made of brick or concrete. The recommended height of such a fence is 5 cm above the level of the path. Flowers or shrubs are usually planted on the sides. They visually highlight the path and at the same time strengthen the soil near it.
Sand path 
Laying concrete path with your own hands You can also make paths from concrete. This material is more durable, moreover, if you use ready-made concrete blocks, later it will be possible to change the direction of the paths simply by rearranging the slabs.
However, the fill concrete mortar gives more opportunities to create unusual shapes and smooth curves. This will take some effort, but the result is worth it. The base of the path is prepared in the same way as sand and formwork is installed on the sides (it is recommended to soak it in water in advance so that the solution does not stick).
Note! Laying reinforcing mesh under concrete greatly reduces the risk of cracking garden paths and increases their service life.
Then you should prepare a solution in the proportion of 1 part cement, 2 sand and 4 gravel, place it in the prepared form and level it. After the concrete has set a little, you can apply patterns imitating stone to its surface.
concrete path In addition to sand and concrete, stones or stones can also be used for paths. brickwork. The base for them is prepared similarly to the previous options, but installation is much more labor-intensive. In order for the stones to fit well, they will need to be trimmed and laid out on cement mortar manually, which, as you understand, is a very painstaking task.
The improvement of a summer cottage can hardly be called complete without the presence of comfortable conditions for relaxation and a place specially designed for this.
It is best to arrange this area in the garden or lawn. It can consist of several benches and a table (the simplest option), or of a gazebo, a full-fledged dining area, a barbecue and other attributes necessary for cultural recreation.
If you plan to place a barbecue or grill on the site, pay attention to its distance from housing and wooden buildings. For fire safety reasons, it should not be too close to them, but placed close to to the neighboring plot also undesirable.
Cozy gazebo with barbecue A significant role for a comfortable pastime at the dacha is played by all kinds of canopies and gazebos, which will protect you from the bright sun in the summer, and also will not allow the sudden onset of rain to spoil your vacation. In addition, a gazebo entwined with grapes or flowers will undoubtedly decorate garden territory. It is usually located in the center of the garden, by the pool (if one is planned) or the playground.
Provide a place for children to play Those who have small children or grandchildren should arrange a safe play area for them in their dacha. It is recommended to place it closer to the house or in another clearly visible place in order to be able to keep an eye on children. If there is a swimming pool on the site or, then the playground should not be too close to it, and the reservoir itself, as potentially dangerous place, must be fenced with a dense fence.
The area for the playing area should be level, without sharp slopes. You should not choose a place that is too shaded, but too much sun will not do any good. To provide moderate shade, it is better to pull out an awning or install an awning.
As for horizontal bars, slides, swings and other play equipment, the main requirement here is safety. It is necessary to make sure that everything is securely fastened, and also remove stones, sharp pegs and other objects from the site that could cause injury.
After the site is demarcated into main zones, it’s time to revive and decorate it with green spaces. To make your lawns and flower beds pleasing to the eye, you must follow all the rules for landscaping a summer cottage.
First of all, you should evaluate the climate, the location of the dacha, as well as the composition of the soil. It is possible that for some plants to grow, it will be necessary to additionally fertilize the soil, and some may not take root at all if climatic conditions too harsh.
Deciding on specific types plantings, also take into account the degree of shading. After all, it is known that not all plants tolerate constant shade or sunshine well. The humidity of the soil is also of considerable importance - its level should be sufficient, but not excessive. It is very difficult to grow anything in a wetland, and in this case you will need to first drain the soil and select moisture-resistant plants.
Shrubs and lawns, famous for their unpretentiousness, are excellent green spaces for a summer residence. A well-groomed lawn always looks win-win, both on its own and as a background for other elements of landscape design. You can buy already grown lawn in rolls, which greatly simplifies the gardening process, or, if you wish, you can sow and grow it yourself.
Lawns and shrubs at a summer cottage If you decide to purchase ready-made lawns, be sure to pay attention to the type of grass. Since, depending on it, they can be shade-tolerant, drought-resistant, trampling-resistant, athletic, etc. To decide which type suits you best, it makes sense to consult with the owners of nearby plots who already have practical experience in this matter.
Choice ornamental shrubs, usually planted along fences, paths or in combination with, is also wide. The most popular are forsythia, Japanese rhododendron, dwarf spruce, jasmine, weigela and, of course, lilac. As a rule, such shrubs are unpretentious in care, and with the right place for planting and periodic trimming of excess branches they will delight you for many years.
The finishing touch that adds a bright touch to general appearance summer cottage, there will be flower beds. Almost any place can be allocated for them, since there are enough varieties of flowers, among which there are some that are resistant to heat, moisture, and shade. To make the flowerbed look well-groomed, you should fence it with a small fence made of vines or surround it with stones, and correct selection and the arrangement of plants with different flowering periods will allow you to enjoy their beauty all summer long.
The flowerbed will add bright colors As you can see, it is quite possible to decorate and improve the dacha with your own hands, although it will require considerable effort and a serious approach to the matter. But the result of such efforts will undoubtedly please you. And, to get inspired to implement your dacha landscaping project, we bring to your attention beautiful personal plots, photos of which are given below. 
