We choose elements of small garden architectureWe are building a house
What will you learn from the article?Read more The gazebo can have different forms and shapes. Wooden constructions predominate, which are natural and cozy, but require regular care. (photo by Cedral)
Arranging the space around a residential building is not an easy matter. To make it orderly, color and architecturally consistent, it is best to start with the design. Ideally, if we entrust this task to an experienced landscape architect who will plan the layout of small architecture elements and match them with the greenery surrounding the house. Usually large structures, such as a gazebo or a brick grill, are built at the beginning. Next, communication routes should be laid out and the distribution of plants planned.
At the stage of designing, it is also good to define the zones where we will be most often. We should plan which place we will allocate for meetings with family and friends, which for relaxation, and which for sports activities. Individual parts of the complex can be separated with various types of walls, partitions in the form of massive pots or natural plant barriers.
Wooden garden house (photo by Altax)Small architecture and construction law
Most of the small architecture objects located in the garden do not require any notifications or permits. The exceptions are the gazebo and the pond. A gazebo with a built-up area exceeding 35 m2 and a pond larger than 50 m2 requires building permits, which requires the preparation of a construction project.
In the case of a pond, a water law notification or permit may also be required. Much depends on the depth of the reservoir and what water it will be supplied with. For detailed information on this subject, it is worth contacting the representative office of PGW Wody Polskie in a given area.
What gazebo to choose and where to place it?
Let's start by indicating the optimal place for the gazebo. If we do not want to build it right away, it is worth hardening the square on the plan of a circle, square, rectangle or hexagon (depending on what shape the building is planned), on which we will place it in the future. This type of structure should be located behind the house, preferably in the corner of the plot, surrounded by trees or shrubs.
The gazebo can be open (openwork) or closed - then it will have doors and windows. Built-up is more expensive to make, but it is pleasant to sit in it even on colder days. The floor can be made of paving stones, stone, but also a concrete screed or boards attached to the joists (based on hardened ground or concrete footings).
A wooden garden gazebo can be an alternative to a terrace. Its advantage is that it can be planned anywhere in the garden. (photo by Werth-Holz)Of course, you can design a gazebo yourself and have it made, or order a ready-made one. The sale includes metal structures (open or glazed) and wooden structures, mostly made of pine wood. The prices of the first ones start from about PLN 1,500, and the wooden ones - from about PLN 3,000. They are at least twice as expensive.
If you decide to build your own gazebo, you need to start by buying the right, impregnated wood. In the version with a wooden floor, a load-bearing structure based on a leveled, paved surface is first made, then walls are erected in which windows can be embedded. The roof can be flat, but also double or multi-pitched, covered with shingles, tiles, roofing felt, thatch or mineral slate. Wooden gazebos need to be treated from time to time. what? This will be discussed later.
Types of garden furniture
The basic element of equipment not only for gazebos, but also for every home garden is outdoor furniture. Start by choosing a table and at least six chairs. They can be made of various materials.
Wooden furniture is elegant, pleasant to the touch, ecological and goes well with greenery. They are usually made of hard wood species, which are also resistant to the adverse effects of changing weather conditions. Domestic beech, alder, oak, hornbeam, as well as selected exotic species, such as wenge, teak or badi, which are very resistant to biological erosion, are very popular among producers. Unfortunately, wooden furniture has the disadvantage that it needs to be regularly impregnated, oiled or repainted.
How to finish garden furniture from pallets? Rob in Wood - a master of rebellious carpentry was given a task: to build wooden seats from wooden pellets.Another group of furniture is furniture made of metal, i.e. cast iron, steel or aluminum, which is light and at the same time very durable. It is what is currently the most popular. It is often used to construct the frames of tables and chairs. It also blends well with other materials. Furniture made of metal is very difficult to damage, and properly protected, it is resistant to adverse weather conditions. They look great especially in modern gardens. Their biggest disadvantage, however, is a large mass, which makes it difficult to carry (this applies to aluminum to a lesser extent).
Aluminum products are light and effective due to the intense colors. (photo by Hagea)A dozen or so years ago, furniture made of plastic was cheap and easy to use, but had a reputation for being kitschy. Now, both the materials from which they are made, the design and the workmanship have changed. Such furniture is available in many possible forms and colors. They are still reasonably priced, light, durable, and the only treatment that should be done with them is regular washing - preferably with water and detergent.
Furniture made of technorattan, i.e. a recyclable polyethylene fiber, replaced traditional rattan furniture a few years ago, as it is much more durable. As rattan is not a cheap material, recently you can also buy furniture made of polypropylene imitating it, which is equally resistant to UV radiation, water and temperature differences. Traditional rattan furniture, just like wicker or bamboo, although still available, has become much less common than it used to be. Of course, the creativity of designers knows no bounds and they often combine different materials to achieve an even better visual effect.
Rattan furniture is comfortable and practical. They do not require impregnation, unlike natural materials. (photo by Castorama)Garden furniture is usually placed on a terrace or in a specially separated and hardened zone of the garden. In winter, it is best to hide them under the roof. (photo Polbruk)When buying a table, it is worth checking whether it is extendable (possibly extended), whether it has adjustable legs, how much it weighs, whether it is stable. Chairs should not only be comfortable, but also stackable (slid one into the other) or unfold. This will make it easier to store them.
The table and chairs should match the character of the house and garden. Wooden furniture can be painted a different color every year. (photo Altax)
However, garden furniture is not just a table and chairs. There are also various types of leisure sets on sale, which consist of seats, couches or pouffes with lots of pillows and low coffee tables placed in a secluded place on the terrace or garden. Currently, minimalist sets with simple geometric shapes and subdued colors are in fashion. It is worth buying covers for garden furniture to protect them from rain and dust.
GuideDo you value our advice? You can receive the latest every Thursday! On a covered terrace at home, you can install a traditional hammock or a hammock chair, for which it is worth buying pillows. (photo by Malabelle)What, apart from the gazebo and garden furniture, do we count as small garden architecture?
The gazebo and furniture are undoubtedly the basic elements of garden architecture. However, the space around the house can also be enriched with many other structures and equipment that will serve leisure and recreation in the open air, increase the functionality of the assumption or simply play the role of decoration. It is worth considering whether we want a spacious garden dominated by greenery, or whether we want it to be divided into zones and developed to the smallest detail. If we have children, we should also consider their needs and expectations.
There are many elements that can be found in the immediate vicinity of the house. The most important ones are a brick grill or a separate place for a bonfire, a sauna, a tool shed (often a woodshed), a pond, various types of statues, figurines, pots , dividing space walls, pergolas, trellises, bridges, toys for children, benches, lanterns, lamps.
Surely, before we decide to assemble or purchase individual elements, it is worth making at least a general design of the garden arrangement. If only for the simple reason that it has a certain size and too many pieces of equipment or buildings simply will not fit in it.
Garden divided into leisure zones
A home garden should be a place where we will relax. However, in order for this to be possible, we should have a certain intimacy there. That is why it is worth planting this space with thujas and thinking about hedges or other fast-growing plants that will at least partially separate us from the busy road, neighbors, but also provide some shade.
The place in the gazebo area is usually used for social gatherings. You can separate them from the rest with a natural barrier made of plants with hanging shoots. They are supported by pergolas, trusses and trellises. The first ones are usually made of wood, have openwork walls and are connected at the top with an arch. A trellis is a type of wall consisting of metal or wooden posts and bolts. Overgrown with vines, it creates a kind of curtain. The truss, on the other hand, is an ordinary frame filled with a trellis, which is most often placed next to the wall (it can be a great support for climbing roses). All constructions allow you to create natural partitions and nooks, adding charm and mystery to the garden.
Flowers are another elements of small architecture that allow you to model the space around the house. They will separate, for example, a backyard terrace from the rest of the garden, and placed at the gate or entrance to the building, they often have a decorative function. Flowers in pots can be replaced depending on the season. You can also plant typical summer plants in them, which are dug up for the winter or moved to the conservatory.
Garden pots have different sizes, shapes, colors and are made of various materials: wood, metal, concrete, ceramics, plastic. They should be resistant to external factors. Let's rather choose massive models, preferably in the shape of a cube, because tall and narrow at the bottom can fall over and crack. Pots should have a simple design and subdued colors (e.g. shades of gray) so that they do not compete with the greenery surrounding the house, but blend in well with it.
Plants planted in palisades can be an effective complement to garden landscaping (photo by Joniec)Dividing the garden into zones can also be helped by various types of walls, which not only look attractive, but also enable planting plants at different levels (thanks to which lower plants are more visible). They can be used, for example, to separate a square where we can place children's toys. Walls can be made of field stones, clinker bricks, granite, sandstone, prefabricated elements. If they are up to 60 cm tall, they do not need a foundation. An alternative to them are gabions. Plants are planted in them between steel eyelets, which gives the effect of a green wall.
Terrace and its roofing
The link between the house and the garden is the terrace. It can be made in different ways. The most popular are earth and wooden terraces hardened with cubes or slabs, mounted on joists fixed to the ground. After building the terrace, it is worth thinking about its roofing. This will not only increase the comfort of the household members and extend its durability, but also make it less dirty. There are at least a few options. First of all, the roofing can be seasonal or permanent.
Seasonal roofing is usually various types of folding awnings that protect the terrace from the sun, rain, hail or small twigs falling from the trees. The fabric mounted on an aluminum frame can be made of impregnated acrylic material or polyester. It is mostly hydrophobic and does not absorb dirt.
The terrace can also have a permanent roof - located under the ceiling of the building, elongated roof eaves or arcades. Alternatively, you can build a structure of wood, steel or aluminum to protect it, with a solid or transparent roof made of tempered glass, acrylic, PVC, polyester or polycarbonate.
Which roofing will be the best? Although each material has its advantages and disadvantages, more and more investors are reaching for polycarbonate sheets. They can have different thicknesses and are available in several colors. They are characterized by high resistance to both mechanical damage and extreme weather conditions, including hail, thanks to which they can serve us without any problems for years.
Where to mount the grill?
Near the gazebo, but also the backyard terrace, you can build a concrete, made of blocks or brick grill, which can be combined with a smokehouse. It is not only practical, but often also has a decorative function. Especially if it will be made of clinker or stones. Concrete grills are usually about 2 m high and are placed on a rectangular plan. They come in different colors, they can also have a different size of the hearth, above which, on several levels, there is from one to even several grates. Under the hearth there is usually a place for fuel. The prices of the simplest prefabricated grills start from PLN 500.
Of course, a massive brick grill can be successfully replaced with a mobile version for charcoal, gas or electricity, hidden in the garage for the winter. Another idea is a separate place for a bonfire. The space around the hearth is usually lined with field stones or hardened with paving stones. Next to it, you can place benches or make a semi-circular stone wall, on which you can sit comfortably.
A brick grill is not only practical, but can also be a decoration. Usually it is placed in the vicinity of a gazebo or terrace. (photo by Jadar)Where is the best place to place a garden sauna?
An extremely interesting construction, which will work especially well in winter, is a free-standing sauna in the shape of a small house or a barrel. Sometimes ready-made modules are quite large, have a changing room and a separate space for socializing. The sauna is placed on an even, preferably paved surface. Therefore, it is good to choose a place for it and prepare it well in advance.
As with the gazebo, the sauna is best placed at the back of the garden, close to the fence, surrounded by tall plants. The point is that it should not be the central element. Inside, there may be an electric stove (then you need a three-phase electrical system) or a wood-burning stove. Most often, after ordering a specific sauna model, a qualified team is able to assemble it within a few days. Next to it, you can install a garden shower, set a tub for cold water or the so-called bath barrel. Unfortunately, outdoor saunas are not cheap. Their prices start from several thousand zlotys.
House for tools - is it worth having?
A useful structure that will relieve the garage a bit is a woodshed or a tool shed. In such a place, you can not only store wood for the fireplace or charcoal for the grill, but also garden furniture, a lawnmower, a wheelbarrow or garden tools. The simplest houses can be purchased at DIY stores. Their prices start from around PLN 1,000.
The woodshed will be useful not only for wood for the fireplace but also for garden equipment and tools. (photo by OBI)Charming pond or fountain
A well-kept pond, pond, pond or even a fountain will add charm and mystery to any garden. However, it must be remembered that a water reservoir requires not only space, but also professional workmanship, and then regular care treatments. If we have small children at home, it is worth considering whether it will not cause us more trouble than pleasure. The most beautiful are the eyes of irregular shapes, embedded in greenery, with water plants and edges finished with natural stone.
If you decide to have a pond in your garden, remember that it requires not only professional performance, but also regular care. (photo by Lafarge)As for the basin, you can line it with a special PVC foil or synthetic rubber, stones (e.g. large pebbles), or use ready-made molds made of polyester resins with the addition of fiberglass. The last method is probably the most convenient, although you have to take into account that the mesh will be rather small. In smaller gardens, a fountain will be a good idea.
The models available for sale come in a variety of shapes, forms and materials. Some have mini waterfalls, others resemble geysers. There can also be cascade or chalice fountains - it all depends on the nozzles that throw water. The prices of the simplest ones start from a few hundred zlotys. It is worth highlighting the fountain, which will give it a unique charm. You can also put a bench next to it.
Garden fountain (photo fountainsdekoracyjne.pl)We arrange a play area for children
In every garden it is worth to separate a place where we can put toys. They can be separated from the rest of the layout with plants, walls, pots or other elements of small architecture. Toys can be wooden, plastic or metal. Most often, however, they are a combination of all three materials. Let us remember that wooden elements, although they match greenery and are pleasant to the touch, should be impregnated from time to time. Before buying, let's check if the toys have all the necessary approvals.
The basic constructions include a swing, a sandpit (it is worth choosing a closed model, equipped with a canopy to protect children from the sun), a slide, a trampoline and a house. There are also various types of combine harvesters on sale, combining the functions of a slide, a mini rope park or a swing. In the summer, we can also set up a swimming pool for children on the grass, a tent, or set up football goals.
A house with a slide is an essential element of every garden where small children play. (photo by Leroy Merlin)When deciding on specific solutions, remember that the toys should be consistent with the character of the garden, both in terms of form and color. The most neutral colors are brown, green and all shades of gray.
Wooden houses will guarantee our children a large dose of great fun in a cheerful, friendly environment. (photo 4IQ)Wood exposed to weather conditions requires regular renewal. (photo on the left: Osmo, photo on the right: JAF)How to take care of elements of small architecture?
In fact, elements made of wood require regular care. As they are outside, they are particularly exposed to the adverse effects of UV rays, water, frost, sun, parasites and fungi. Although the wood is painted or impregnated already at the production stage, it is always worth reviewing it before the start of the summer season and, if necessary, slightly renovating it. This applies not only to garden furniture, but also to wooden gates and fences, toys, gazebos, terraces, woodsheds and saunas.
The easiest way to protect and refresh wood is to cover it with a layer of varnish, varnish stain, oil or paint. First, you need to wash the individual equipment or elements with a pressure washer and dry them. If they were painted some time ago, you should start by removing peeling layers of old paint or varnish. The paint can be removed with a heat gun and spatula, and the varnish or varnish stain can be simply sanded with sandpaper.
After filling any gaps with putty, the refreshed surface must be sanded again and cleaned of dust. If the cleaned wood shows no traces of technical impregnation, then it is good to apply a layer of a colorless water or solvent impregnation that inhibits the growth of fungi, and then, for example, a layer of varnish stain.
Before storing garden furniture for the winter, it is good to tighten all loose screws so that the wood does not warp. Furniture should be stored in dry, cool, airy rooms. Do not cover them tightly with foil, because it contributes to the development of fungi.
Tomasz Wojciukfot. opening: Libet
