The best thing you can do for yourselfof the plot, an amateur landscape designer is to restrain impulses and not to show activity at first. This is akin to the call of Hippocrates to doctors "Do no harm!" These words are in the ears of all enthusiasts. It is very easy to embody numerous ones on paper and in the imagination. At the same time, many beginners naively believe that for success in landscape design it is enough to feel desire. This is a misconception. And the misconception is even more dangerous because the consequences will have to be corrected. And this is an excessive waste of nerves, time, money. The plot continues to remain "untidy", although in the head everything turned out so beautifully and successfully. There is no need to arrange revolutions in landscaping/design of your garden and believe that you can do without "school". There are nuggets who act at random, intuitively - "I feel it!" And they succeed. This happens in any business, but what grounds do you have to consider yourself such an exception? Let's act according to the rules, because thousands of enthusiasts have stumbled on this path before you, thinking like you. Let's look at the ten most common mistakes of beginners who are impatient to get everything at once and as quickly as possible. Get it, but not faster than the grass, bushes and trees grow. And not everything at once, but only what is planned and carefully executed. What happens on the site not according to plan almost always makes it worse.
Error 1
Planting of the plot, especially on close onesdistances from the house, large-sized trees (this is what experts call trees and large semi-tree shrubs) without taking into account their growth. At the time of planting, everything looks great “by eye”, but in a year the overgrown trees or shrubs will block the entire view. Firstly, removing a large plant is a labor-intensive task, and you may need equipment that will distort the area. Secondly, the plant is simply a pity. In the foreground, either low shrubs that respond well to trimming or small trees, such as Japanese maple (and similar dwarf forms), which will never interfere with your view, should be planted. Moreover, you should not arrange something like a hedge in the foreground or middle ground. Such plantings are good along the perimeter, to separate from neighbors, camouflage a fence or outbuildings. Before planting anything, especially near the house, it is necessary to assess the consequences. Remember: everything starts, if not with a full-fledged project, then at least with minimal planning. The costs of the project and planning will pay off many times over. Independent design - if you are a confident computer user - is possible using specialized programs. One of the best is "Our Garden. Crystal".
Our opinion: - Software package "Our Garden.Crystal" most fully meets all the requirements of both amateurs and professionals. Intuitively understandable work, obvious tips, good quality graphics. In addition, this is a real encyclopedia of plants with their requirements and characteristics. An additional advantage: this is a domestic program, so it was originally created for the Russian consumer.
Error 2
Neglect of ornamental ground covers.If you miss even one season and do not arrange a grass lawn or other similar ones, the area will be overgrown with weeds. The fight against them is extremely labor-intensive, takes a lot of effort and money. If you start the process, you will have to fight for a very long time and the enemy will not give up so easily. In addition, the ground covers themselves can become a problem. Naturally, we are not talking about a classic lawn. But ivy or rhizomes will soon strive to get the entire area of the site. Examples of such aggressors in our conditions can be wild violet, purslane, ground ivy, creeping wheatgrass, deadnettle and so on. And getting rid of them will be problematic. The only way is to either dig everything up completely and deeply, picking out the smallest cuttings and stumps of rhizomes and stems, or use targeted herbicides. The latter, despite the definition of "targeted action", will not spare the soil microflora, which is not good. Many groundcovers feel great in the shade, which is why they are planted there. To ensure that they do not go beyond the designated area, it is necessary to dig in a particularly high lawn strip around the perimeter of their territory (an obstacle to the growth of rhizomes) and at least once a week monitor the perimeter by trimming shoots that are trying to break out "to freedom". Therefore, even before starting work, plan to get rid of all the weeds. By any means. The more thoroughly you do this, the easier it will be in the future. One of the best options is a small motor cultivator. Even couch grass will not withstand weekly (or more often) mechanical digging and cutting of rhizomes.
Error 3
Using inappropriate types of mulch.For example, small stones that sooner or later "sink" into the soil. You can pick them out of there for a long time and without much success. It is a mistake to use very light mulch (sawdust, shavings, pine needles), which is carried by the wind throughout the entire area, clogging lawns, flower beds and the entire territory. In addition, such mulch should be removed or buried (plowed in) the following year if it does not have time to completely rot. Colored artificial types of mulch have become popular now. With their help, you can create colorful compositions. It's a matter of taste, but such mulching, according to professionals, does not contribute to the natural decorativeness of the site. The ideal type of mulch is crushed tree bark, especially coniferous. In addition to excellent work in containing weed growth, preserving moisture and protecting roots from hypothermia during frosts and from overheating in the heat, such mulch is weakly susceptible to rotting and does not lose its decorative effect for a couple of seasons. And it is not carried away by the wind, as it is heavy. It does not need to be removed, it is enough to add new portions in small quantities at the beginning of the season. As it is processed by soil microorganisms, crushed bark increases soil fertility and improves its structure. The only drawback is some acidification of the fertile layer, which is easily compensated.
Error 4
The most difficult thing in landscape designdesign is the ability to imagine what will happen in a year, two, three. Plants grow and develop, the picture gradually changes. At the same time, it should remain beautiful with minimal "editing" with scissors, pruning shears, saw, during transplants. Being at different ends of the site, you should see different attractive views of it, different from each other. A species park or garden is called so because they open up many different views, different microlandscapes. This rule should also work on a small garden plot - taking into account the scale. The site should be beautiful at any time of the year, even in winter. This does not mean that you need to plant only conifers, no. Many plants have beautiful colored branches, their "skeleton" without leaves is attractive in its own way, especially illuminated by the dawn or sunset sun. And no one has canceled giving the territory an artificial relief. If you have a lot of flowers, then they should bloom all season, replacing each other. Here you can’t get by without a basic understanding of biology.
Error 5
Incorrect and incorrectly timed pruningshrubs and trees. The most important thing here is to do pruning not during the spring sap flow. The optimal time is late autumn, when plants are preparing for winter. And the wounds will heal over the winter, and pests and diseases will not be able to affect the pruned plant. Correct pruning improves the shape and splendor of the crown, makes it denser and more elegant. This happens because the shoot deprived of the apical bud is forced to wake up the lateral buds, and instead of one shortened one, at least two new ones appear. But you should not be too zealous left and right, because there are plants that do not tolerate crown shaping well. But there are others for which pruning is almost useful. It is from such trees and bushes that masters of topiary art make their living sculptures. Today, in any garden center in Russia you can buy a decoratively shaped tree, which is planted on the site and then corrected 1-2 times per season according to the existing shape.
Error 6
Not being able to grow your own lawn is no gooddifferent from the pretty pictures on the Internet. This is actually not a simple matter, but if you follow all the recommendations, you will get a lawn. First, you need to check what the soil is like in the place of the planned grass carpet. Today, in any city and at any serious garden center (and in specialized laboratories), you can order such an analysis with prompt results. And, depending on the recommendations, proceed further. Preparing the base for a lawn includes planning, loosening, fertilizing the area. The most important thing is to achieve the same high quality of soil over the area. And then, without further ado, buy a roll lawn and lay it like a carpet. With proper care - watering, mowing, ventilation and fertilizing - there should be no problems. And in no case should there be any flooding or waterlogging! Like the overwhelming majority of plants, lawn grasses tolerate a temporary lack of moisture better than its excess. But you can try to grow a real lawn from sown seeds. You should buy grass mixtures zoned for domestic climatic conditions, this will increase the chances of success. And carefully and timely carry out mowing, which strengthens the lawn and increases its density and decorativeness.
Error 7
Excessively dense planting of ornamental plantsplants, especially along paths. Firstly, it prevents the plants themselves from growing naturally. Secondly, growing annuals and perennials can block the "transport network" with branches and stems during the season, and serious pruning will be required, which will inevitably lead to a loss of decorativeness. In addition, difficulty in moving along paths will not allow you to easily care for the site, including in winter. Paths cleared of snow greatly enhance the aesthetic appearance of even a winter garden. Sometimes, during wet snowfalls, there is an urgent need to forcibly free bushes and trees from snow caps, which can break them. Accessibility of approach to plants in such situations is critically important. is in itself a decoration of the site.
Our opinion:— This mistake — the desire to plant the plot with everything possible — is the most typical. But by the end of the first season, it becomes clear that this is not the way to do it. As a result, the most beloved, most convenient and expressive flowers remain on the plot. But the regret about the impossibility of planting everything you want remains.
Error 8
Planting beautiful but extremely"dirty" large-sized trees. We are talking about abundantly fruiting ornamental trees that are difficult to clean up and that spoil other plants with their litter. In the southern regions, the "dirtiest" tree is considered to be female specimens of Ginkgo biloba. But they are very decorative! Less exotic trees include cherry plum. In our conditions, such "dirty trees" can be self-sown cherries and fruit cherries of new selections, which are distinguished by their small size, mulberry trees, lindens and some exotic conifers, such as the white eastern pine. This tree is famous for its large and abundant cones, as well as the ability to produce a large amount of resin, which pollutes surrounding plants, paths, soil. And the tool, when cleaning work begins. Naturally, in the fall, deciduous trees lose their leaves, many conifers are also distinguished by a massive seasonal fall of old needles, in place of which new ones grow. Cleaning up plant debris and annuals that have faded and are dying off for the winter is an inevitable “evil” that is impossible to get rid of.
Error 9
Reassessing your capabilities as a landscapedesigner. As in any creative work, special skills are needed here, which can be learned, but it is better to have them from the beginning. If a person enjoys messing around on the ground, gardening and he succeeds in it - green light! If such work is perceived as a heavy duty, then it is better to invite specialists. In any business, the work of a professional is ultimately cheaper than amateur creativity. Not to mention the results. Only by trying to independently create and maintain beauty on your territory, you can understand how troublesome and labor-intensive this activity is. And how many specific knowledge and skills it requires.
Error 10
Error while selecting a site.First of all, the location of the site relative to busy highways and noisy neighbors. Completely unsuitable for landscaping work are seriously swampy or flooded areas with a high level of groundwater. Shaded areas, for example, on the northern slope of a hill. In this case, you will be extremely constrained in the choice of plants that will feel comfortable in conditions of insufficient sun. Sloping areas. Here, the opinions of professionals are divided. On the one hand, a classic lawn on a slope is not always realistic. On the other hand, it is on a slope that you can organize a very beautiful and expressive landscape garden. And for some reason, they are not gaining sufficient popularity in our country. But the costs of its implementation can seriously hit the family budget. However, such areas can be purchased at a much lower price. Therefore, if a plot on a slope is given away "for free" and there is a lot of sun on it, it is worth thinking about it.
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