How to create a backyard retreat

The size of the area of land on which stands a backyard, depends on the design of the site, where you could relax after a day of work. A small area of the yard is arranged for recreation small gazebo, pergola, benches, hammock. You can put an umbrella under a small table with chairs or wicker chairs. The remaining space is better equipped with children’s swings and a miniature flowerbed.

Spacious areas are suitable for the organization of the whole complex. It would be appropriate to create a reservoir (pond or pool).

Not bad combine next to a barbecue, gazebo, sheds and flower corner. Always a little to the side – playground. A good addition are the objects of small architectural forms: decorative paths, paths with lights, fountains, grottos (even small), garden statues, stone bridges over the creek and other elements.

Zoning comfortable corners of the territory of a backyard also depends on the layout of the site. Such a place can be in the yard, between the garden and the house, or in the garden. Corner of the territory or a place behind the house can be occupied by a barbecue, and a swing chair or a hammock to stand among the garden trees a little away. The best solutions are in the yard and between the garden and the house. This gives the opportunity to protect the recreation area from both sides.

Note! An unfortunate place for a recreation area is a front garden. It is in close proximity to the roadway, a noisy street. But if there is no other option, then the front garden should be fenced with a hedge or a blind high fence.

5 basic rules of arrangement of the recreation area on the territory of the plot of a detached house:

• Be sure to place such an area on the leeward side – this will avoid discomfort due to drafts.
• Distance from the roadway and other noisy places – a guarantee of a quiet corner.
• Protection from the territory of neighbors will eliminate the temptation for prying eyes and help to create a comfortable, trusting environment.
• Isolation from dust with greenery is additional comfort and coziness.
• A covered area will allow for recreation in rainy weather.

The area should not be located too far from the house. Otherwise it will be inconvenient to carry dishes and other utensils for a picnic, catering. Paths and paths leading to the place of rest should be free, approaches – convenient, without clutter or mazes.

Recreation area on the plot of the backyard: from the simplest options to complex designs

All the elements can be arranged in one place, or you can “scatter” away from each other. The area can be divided into a barbecue, a table or picnic mat, a place for relaxation. Choose a simple design of the recreation area on the home plot or settle on more complex projects – it all depends on the destination. Small plots don’t necessarily have to have only one bench. Here, too, there can be everything you need, just everything is grouped compactly.

For a place of solitude is enough of a simplified version: a tea table, wicker chairs, garden swings or ordinary hammock. For the reception area for guests, friends or children’s games will need a much more extensive project. You need to properly place the gaming, dining part, secure and make comfortable place for a live fire (campfire, mini-boiler or barbecue), install good lighting for relaxation in the evening.

Just a lawn and chair-bags

Parterre lawns are not intended for direct use – people do not walk on them, but only enjoy their beauty. But after all, it is also a rest for the soul and psyche of a person who is tired of the bustle of the city.

Moorland lawns are a typical flower meadow. These lawns are not mowed, but planted perennial grasses with different periods of flowering and approximately the same height of the stems. On such a meadow you can not only lay a mat, but also put a deck chair to sunbathe.

The modern style of decorating recreation areas is a mix of natural landscape and furniture of the latest generation. Thus, it is now fashionable to use special soft seats at picnics – poufs, armchairs. Armchairs-bags – frameless upholstered furniture for dacha and garden. They can be in the form of a drop, pear, hemisphere.

In addition to them can be used wicker frame-stands.

With pallet outdoor furniture

Furniture from pallets for the garden is made in the form of tables, frames for upholstered seats or garden dressers, folding shelf-stacks for storing various utensils. Tables-transformers freely converted into a chair or a drawer for tools, crockery, textiles. 

A side note! If there is a desire to make furniture from pallets with their own hands, then you can find europallets in large furniture manufacturing companies, supermarkets, various storage facilities.

Organization of the barbecue area

Features of the organization of the area for the barbecue, barbecue:

• distance from the plants, wooden structures to the fire point – 3-4 m;
• free access to the source of water;
• the obligatory presence of a foundation under the “fire”;
• the shelter is necessary for a stationary barbecue;
• next to the grill it is necessary to think over shelves or a box with compartments where you can store towels, dishes and appliances for cooking meat.

The grill can be stationary or portable. The foundation for the fire point in the barbecue area is made with the digging of a hole at least 25-30 cm deep. The pit is filled with sand, then crushed stone, slag. Then on the formwork with rebar is poured concrete. You will get something similar to a “well”. Its outer walls can be decorated with wild stone or decorative brick. 

Leisure area under a canopy

A patio is a specially designated place in the yard under the open sky or under a canopy. Everything that fills its space strongly resembles a living room, but only placed outdoors. Functionally, such a site should be perceived as a comfortably furnished patio. Awnings are equipped with only one part of it – most often the dining area. Sun loungers or a playground remain free.

Features of patios:

• The shape of the horizontal plane can be different – from strict geometric shapes to fancy and fancy;
• Playground is poured concrete and paved with garden (or paving) tiles or stone;
• fences are lattice miniature fences or two-level elevations, rollovers, cascading curbs;
• Classic set of furniture – table, chairs (chairs), chest of drawers for storing utensils, deckchairs (garden swings), lighting fixtures;
• imitation of the walls of a covered area with curtains or climbing plants;
• Excellent for hosting guests, arrangement of parties, celebrating family events.

Notice. Many people prefer the sinuous shapes and curves of the patio area than simple squares, rectangles or circles.

The gazebo is installed in the comfort zone of the outdoor, semi-enclosed or enclosed type. Standard forms of the structure are square, hexagonal, circle. Less common are rectangular and triangular in the horizontal perimeter of the gazebo.

Characteristic details for the construction of a gazebo:

• is installed on the foundation;
• perimeter fenced parapet (height up to 80 cm);
• the roof is required;
• pillars support the roof;
• has one, two or three entrances.

Gazebos can have a simple design and can be a real work of art. They are made of wooden beams, bricks, stone, concrete and even marble. The latter two options are not only suitable for city parks. They are also appropriate for private areas with a large area.

A seating area can be made adjacent to the house. These are terraces, which are made of wood or complete its pillars of brick. The floor can be earthen, made of boards or poured concrete, finished with stone or slabs.

Advantages of terraces:

• proximity to the kitchen – no need to carry dishes and different things for a picnic;
• protection against drafts (if you choose the right place);
• accessibility of electricity, water supply (to regularly water the flowers in hanging pots, for example);
• can serve as a dining room and even a living room in the warm season.

A side note! If you want to use the terrace in the winter or fall, all the openings are equipped with removable glass or other materials. Glass is considered the most practical. It opens access to aesthetic enjoyment of the beauty of autumn nature or a winter snowy fairy tale.

Plants and trees in the seating area: what is worth planting and what should be discarded

Garden green rooms – not only an attribute of landscape design, but also a great way to zone the area for recreation at the cottage or at a backyard. Here are suitable plants that are used for the arrangement of garden topiaries (frame figures covered with vegetation). Also will be appropriate wicker and vines-like species of plants. Such “rooms” are made by installing a frame, on which the plants will be woven, or – hedges and trees.

Features of parterre lawn in use:

• requires careful care – mowing, watering;
• some areas have to be partly replaced from time to time;
• near the contact with the curbs and garden paths need especially often to remove the grass;
• not always arranged by sowing seeds (laying rolls of plates is allowed).

It is desirable to fence such lawns with low curbs or miniature decorative fences (made of wooden battens or forged metal). Under the roll lawn requires a special preparation of soil and lay out strictly according to the instructions.

Moorish lawn is very easy in the maintenance – it only needs watering when it is very hot. Mowing is not required constantly – it is enough to mow the faded grass.

Types of plants in seeds:

• field cornflower (blue);
• marigold (“marigolds”);
• adonis summer;
• poppy;
• gypsophila (Kachim);
• escholtia;
• bellflower medium;
• double-flowered cosmos;
• large-flowered flax;
• onion anzur;
• nemesia;
• meadow chamomile;
• echinacea.

Not all of the above flowers are perennial. But they sift their seeds well, so that the meadow does not have to be reseeded in the spring. And the flowering cycles of all these grasses are different. Such a lawn is an ideal place for homesteads with bees (they will collect motley grass honey).

It is not worth planting fruit trees, berry bushes or beds in the recreation area. Fruit falling from the trees will contaminate the resting area, stain furniture, and attract wasps and flies. Berry bushes are inconvenient because they are bulky (they are often propped up) unless they are placed along the edge of the seating area. Any beds bring chaos to the exterior because it is more of a gardener’s work area. It is inappropriate to combine it with a seating area.

Rest zone on the territory near the backyard is arranged according to the rules of shading, noise reduction, protection from dust and draughts. Furniture is selected only garden furniture. It should be mobile (so it can be easily transferred or moved), environmentally friendly, convenient to use. Lighting is better to choose a wireless. The optimal option – solar-powered lanterns. Greening should protect from the sun, noise and wind.