Pergolas

Pergolas are also a very important element of a garden. They not only decorate and create mood, but also provide a place for pleasant pastime. In addition to styles, pergolas differ in their functional purpose. For example, a pergola can be made in the depth of the garden for reading. "In general, a pergola should correspond to interests or needs, bring joy," believes Olga Duplikhina.

Pergolas are especially pleasing on hot days. According to Grosheva, a beautiful summer pergola without special financial investments can be made from plants. For this, varieties of dwarf, weeping, low-growing plants are planted along the borders of the chosen shape. Over time, their crown forms a "canopy" - wooden or metal frames can be used to support it. "Climbing roses or wild grapes look very effective as roofs or walls," the expert notes.
Pergolas that are organized around a tree or "fit into" several plantings also look unusual, says Klets.

Benches and Sewing Machines

Another very important element of a country plot is benches. Of course, not everyone is able to make them by themselves - it is easier for most gardeners to buy them. But with a strong desire, benches can be made by yourself. "For example, you can make them from logs of similar diameter. You can put a polished and varnished board on top, but it will be more spectacular to align the surfaces of the logs to one height and cover the cuts with varnish," advises Olga Duplikhina.

You can show your individuality when using less standard elements of landscape design. For example, different figurines and sculptures, unusual furniture, and handcrafted items.

Sculptures made of concrete are specifically sold for gardens and country houses in any garden center. However, such decor is stylistically quite peculiar. For fans of exclusivity, according to Grosheva, there are other options: "Pour concrete into old round lampshades and break them when the concrete sets. This way you will get decorative balls that can be used for almost any design purposes - decorate the entrance to a room, scatter them around the area, place them along paths, etc."

Another way to stand out is to "bring back to life" old things in a new way. Here, anything can be used - from rather banal car tires to grandmother's sewing machines. "Old bicycles, cart wheels, gramophones, jugs, or shoes," suggests Belukova.

Here Will Be a Pond!

Ponds, fountains, streams, and even rivers are also a great way to decorate a plot and give it individuality. One of the simplest ways to organize a "garden" pond is to use an ordinary bathtub or an old barrel, dug into the ground and filled with water.

A garden "river" can also be organized with minimal effort. "In a suitable place on the plot, it is necessary to dig a channel with a slight slope, and arrange small pits at the beginning and end of it. In the lower pit, place a circulation pump, and run a hose underground to the upper pit - this will create a "source". The channel can be covered with a dense film and laid with pebbles and stones. Using the same principle, you can organize a "waterfall" on an alpine slide," shares his experience Evgeny Klets.

To make improvised reservoirs look more natural, they can be decorated with appropriate aquatic plants. For example, hybrid water lilies, common or marsh marigolds, water hawthorn, reeds, bulrush, and others. All these plants give the pond a "Russian" appearance. But the pond can also be made more exotic. "You can create a 'mini-Miami' in the dacha. There are many options for such decoration. As usual, the main thing is the overall style and design. For example, you can create a tropical atmosphere by adding vertical greening - it will give you the feeling that you are somewhere on the seaside. Or organize a safari style, for which large cacti, agaves, succulents, planted in pots (preferably made of modern materials such as composite ceramics and polystone) are suitable," advises Christina Dikova, the director of FLORISTA.