100 best design ideas for a summer cottage in the photo

Landscaping of a personal plot or private courtyard is not just the ability to transform the territory around the house, it is a real art of creating beauty and harmony of your "I" with the surrounding nature. Only at first glance everything is simple - planted several fruitful trees on the site, near the entrance a couple of bushes, broke a flower bed and covered the rest of the space with a lawn. But what to do if such a scenario does not meet your aesthetic requirements. If in your dreams you saw a well-kept summer cottage or a small backyard, where you can relax in a hammock in the fresh air or dine with the whole family in a cozy gazebo, or maybe read a book near a small pond?

How to equip the territory near the country house or private home ownership, so that the owners were pleased to look at the fruits of their labors, and there was something to surprise the guests with? We hope that our selection of interesting landscape design projects created for plots of the most various sizes and shapes, territorial location and practical purpose will help you get inspired on the "garden" feats in your own plot.

We plan the design of the territory near the house

After a dusty and noisy city, it is so pleasant to plunge into an oasis of greenery and freshness, which is located in your own backyard of a private household or go to the cottage on weekends and plunge into the world of incredible proximity to nature. But in any case, it will be necessary to work hard to create not only a green, flowering space, but also a practical place to relax with the whole family and in the company of friends and acquaintances.

Before you begin planning landscaping in your territory, you will have to work on paper or in a special planner program:

indicate the exact size and shape of the plot;
mark on the plan already existing buildings (house, garage and more);
mark the buildings that you would like to build (put absolutely everything on the plan - from the doghouse to the gazebo), even if it seems that the building is small and there is always room for it, it’s better to take everything into account right away, there is always not enough space, no matter how much It was;
divide the entire site into segments - squares, in each of which one or another design element will be located (so it will be easier for you to evenly distribute all landscape elements, especially if the site is large);
mark all perennial plants that already grow on the site and plan to plant new ones (remember the distance between the trees and relative to buildings and structures);
mark on the plan the location of engineering systems (irrigation and water supply of ponds, fountains and cascades, lighting), perhaps at this stage you will need a specialist consultation.

Next, it is necessary to carry out "reconnaissance on the ground" - to find out the features of the soil and groundwater flow (if any), to identify places of stagnation of water and to conduct drainage if necessary. It is also necessary to determine the level of hilly land and find out whether you want to level the soil or leave the pristine landscape of a private territory.

Choosing a color palette for landscape design

Skillfully selected color palette of landscape design, is able to transform and make unique even the most simple and low-budget project. But for such a harmonious appearance of your summer cottage or garden, you need to take into account the color gamut of elements, which can conditionally be divided into the following groups:

Elements of the natural landscape. These are shrubs, trees and other plants, mounds and stones, ponds and paths that were created by nature itself. Everything that you decide to leave to make your landscape design more natural will affect the color palette of the territory. It is important to take into account that natural shades will change taking into account the time of year and the particular climate of the territory of your location.

Objects of architecture. This is, first of all, the main building of the house and its annexes - a garage, a porch, a terrace, a bathhouse, a greenhouse. As well as bridges, arbors, awnings and other buildings. The facade of the building and the elements of all buildings should be in a harmonious color combination. This does not mean that it is necessary to paint all the buildings in one color. Perhaps some construction on your site is destined to become an accent spot, stand out against the general background and assume the role of a focal point. But more often than not, it is the house that becomes the focal center around which the whole concept of the design of the local area is built.

Objects of social and decorative landscape. This group includes all plantings, ponds, rock gardens and flower beds that were created by the hands of the designer or the owners of the site. In this case, the possibilities of manipulating shades and halftones are endless, with the help of flowering plants you can create a unique colorful "carpet" of plantings that will change the entire warm season (usually from April to October in our country). In the end, you can use whole alleys from evergreens to ensure consistent color predominance in your garden or backyard.

Other site design elements. These include garden paths and platforms, flooring and platforms, sculptures, hammocks and swings. All these elements leave their mark in the general gamut of the territory near your country or private house. In matters of creating a certain mood of landscape design, it is the color palette that plays a key role. Using color combinations, you can mask the imperfections of the territory, visually increase the space or give it a certain shape, without resorting to drastic actions.

Recreation area with barbecue or fireplace

Most of our compatriots, who have become happy owners of a summer cottage or decided to improve the courtyard of a private household, decide, first of all, to organize a place for cooking barbecue and barbecue. For some, it’s enough to build a barbecue and put on a pair of garden chairs, for others you need a major canopy with a dining group near the street stove and a soft zone made up of garden chairs and sofas. How many owners of private houses - so many opinions. But we are sure that from the proposed options for organizing a place to relax cooking on fire, you can find an inspiring project.

Barbecue equipment can be installed under a canopy on a wooden floor. But for a brazier or a Russian stove, a separate section is needed, preferably on a site paved with stone or clinker bricks. For the convenience of the cooking process on fire, next to the barbecue grill it is better to place a couple of chairs and a small table. The choice of material for garden furniture is now great - plastic, wood, rattan, metal, and combinations thereof. Plastic furniture is the cheapest. But also practical. Wicker products made from natural rattan look very respectable and even festive, but their price is high. Based on your financial capabilities and the planned frequency of use of furniture for outdoor gatherings.

Even in a small courtyard, you can compactly, but at the same time safely place the necessary attributes for cooking on fire. It would be most logical to place a small dining group here so that you can have a meal in the fresh air, having tasted the dishes just cooked.

If we talk about an open hearth, then, as a rule, it is performed in a round shape. The logical design of the recreation area near it is again a circle. The harmonious and compact form of the recreation area not only fulfills the functionality assigned to it, but is also able to decorate any personal plot or private courtyard.

The capital structure of a garden kitchen under a canopy and a street fireplace adjoining it requires a lot of effort and financial investment. But the cost of such a project is quickly amortized, given how often everyone wants to cook and absorb food in the fresh air.

Outdoor dining

You should not miss a wonderful opportunity to dine with the whole family on the street or to have a dinner party in the open. Moreover, this does not require so much effort. Of course, it will be necessary to purchase a dining group for the street (choose light, but durable options for tables, chairs or armchairs, it is better to take folding or easy to assemble one into one if you put them vertically). It will be easier for you if your dining area is sufficiently mobile, because for the winter or just in bad weather you will need to clean the furniture under a canopy or bring it into the room.

It is better to install a table and chairs for meals in the air on a paved stone or any other tile platform. So you can provide sufficient stability for furniture and at the same time prevent metal garden furniture, for example, from deepening into the ground.

If you choose a table with a hole for installing an umbrella (there are enough such models among garden furniture), you can provide your family with the opportunity to have a meal in a hot sunny tribute on the street.

Also, an umbrella for sun protection can be installed as necessary and next to the dining street table. But remember the weighting materials for the stability of the structure during the wind.

Incredibly beautifully looks canopy, the frame of which is made of wood, and the role of awning is performed by climbing plants. Any food at such a table will be tastier from a romantic and pleasant environment created by man along with nature.

Garden paths and lawns

It is the combination of garden paths with a lawn (if there is one on your site) that forms the landscape design drawing. Paths not only provide free movement across the territory of your yard or garden, but also form certain segments of the landscape.

Some people like the clear geometry in the location of the paths, for others it is more pleasant to watch and walk along the winding stone paths that go around certain objects of landscape design of the site. Paths can be paved from various materials - paving stones, stone, clinker or ordinary brick, fine gravel and decorative pebbles. The tracks from the combined material look beautiful and practical. For example, you place large stone slabs along the path of the garden path, and cover the space around it with fine gravel.

Another way to make original, but at the same time incredibly functional paths is to fill up the space around concrete slabs with small pebbles. Against the background of a green, perfectly trimmed lawn, such paths look delightful, create an orderly and harmonious atmosphere in the adjacent territory.

Currently, you can easily purchase a ready-made lawn for your site, it will be brought in rolls and spread out in your territory with individual adjustment to the bends of its shape. But you can act "the old fashioned way" and sow the cleared place under the lawn, wait for seedlings and cut it, depending on your preferences. But in this case, it is important to say right away that no one can achieve the ideal seedling density the first time, you have to sow the grass in bald spots and track the new growth. In any case, you will need timely watering of the lawn (think over the irrigation system in advance) and its regular mowing (lawn mowers can also be rented, but the purchase of a garden unit is more rational and more profitable).

When there are no borders between the lawn and the vast plantings in the flower beds, an incredibly harmonious and natural atmosphere is created in the yard or on the site. In a festive green robe your yard will delight the eye, and give the owners the opportunity to take a break from the concrete and glass structures of the big city.

Artificial ponds as an element of landscape design

To make the atmosphere of your summer cottage or small courtyard more harmonious, use water in any of its manifestations. Pools, small ponds or just bowls of water that flows continuously are ideal for creating a soothing and relaxing environment.

Not a single oriental landscape design is complete without the use of a natural or artificial pond, and the Asians know a lot about creating a peaceful and balanced atmosphere.

What could be better than having the opportunity on a hot summer day to plunge into the cool waters of a swimming pool located in a local area? Of course, for the organization of the pool on its site it will be necessary to involve specialists and even heavy construction equipment. But all the costs (time, effort, energy and financial resources) will pay off with the incredible opportunity of owning your own mini-reservoir in the garden or in the courtyard of a private house.

A place to relax on a plot with a soft zone

Having the opportunity to relax in the lap of nature, I would like to do it with maximum comfort - in the shade of trees or an awning, on soft sofas or armchairs. You can equip such a platform both on a wooden deck or platform and on a paved stone or concrete platform.

If we talk about upholstered furniture for outdoor use, it is more practical to use rattan or any other wicker furniture with removable soft seats and backs. Typically, the upholstery textiles of such pillows can be easily cleaned with a damp sponge or the covers are removable and washable in the washing machine.

How to equip a small plot or small backyard

If you are very limited in the area of the site, it will be necessary, first of all, to prioritize and decide what is most important for you - to be able to relax in the shade of trees, have lunch with the whole family in the open air, or arrange a barbecue and barbecue area. Or maybe you need a place for a playground or the possibility of walking a pet?

No matter how you assign important outdoor recreation segments to you, you cannot do without fencing your territory. To brighten up the appearance of a boring fence, plant climbing plants or small trees near it to create a natural atmosphere. In such an environment, you can forget about the noisy city outside your backyard for at least some time.

But what if your backyard is just a piece of land that you converted to wood flooring? Or you don’t even have a back yard, but there is free space on the roof. There is a way out of any situation. The following several images of design projects for arranging such mini-segments for outdoor recreation are proof of this.