Architectural forms for the garden. Small architectural forms with their own hands. Living stone: sculpture and figures

Composers write a symphony with notes, and landscape designers with all available means. Today, the editors of Homius propose to study small architectural forms, their types and applications. This will help to understand what and how can be changed on the site or park area for the better - to create your own unique garden, your own wonderful symphony of beauty.

For convenience, we will use the abbreviation MAF: there are many varieties of such decoration of the park area, each worthy of special attention.

MAF creates a mood, enlivens the flower-green space, brings a special atmosphere to the design - this is the main purpose of various pergolas, ponds and other objects of architectural architecture.

Functionally, small architectural forms are divided into those that delimit the territory, equip places of rest and create amenities. In general, all architecture can be divided into decorative MAFs and utilitarian ones.

Decorative products are represented by alpine slides, rockeries, flowerpots, pergolas, sculptures, reservoirs. This is what gives immediate aesthetic pleasure and is directly related to the use of greenery and plants or compositions with them.

Utilitarian works of architectural direction for gardens are represented by fences, ladders, bridges, pools, drinking fountains, landscape gardening furniture, gazebos. This is all that people use in recreational areas in the park.

Types of decorative MAFs and how to include them in the garden

Let's take a closer look at the wonderful creations of human hands: you can do a lot with your own hands, buy something from experts in their field. By learning more about each form, it will be easier to navigate in this direction and make the right choice.

Living stone: sculpture and figures

Sculpture enlivens any garden corner. The advantage of the sculptural direction is that products can be entered anywhere: there are different variants decorations, from small figurines to majestic and monumental statues.

Used as material for products different types stone, solid wood, plaster or concrete pouring. If you have the desire and opportunities, it will not be difficult to turn the garden into ancient ruins, with elements of columns and thematic statues.

For plot small size use figures of gnomes, birds, animals. For a larger garden, you can put a miniature castle, statues.

Decorative ponds, cascades and waterfalls as a paradise for an aesthete

Water, with its function and significance as the source of life, fills the garden with murmur, the play of light on the water surface, creates a microcosm around itself. This is an oasis, but not in the desert, but in a corner of paradise.

Homemade ponds are inhabited at will by fish, sometimes natural inhabitants like frogs come to live in them. The provided circulation of water will prevent its stagnation, leaving the surface clean and transparent.

For the operation of such a waterfall, a whole system is installed, consisting of a pump, cable and hoses.

The pump drives water, it breaks off a makeshift rock. Another question is how to decorate the space around. It can be just stones laid out in the form of a rock, a plant or a sculpture.

Reservoirs do not require special care, but the water will periodically have to be replaced, simultaneously cleaning the pond capacity.

Vases, trellises and lattices

Flowers can grow well in conditions open ground, but the garden wins when there is a place for several flowerpots in it. You can find both expensive and budget options with different depths and decor. This is a great way to make an original accent on the site, if you choose the right containers and plants in them.

Trellis is not familiar to everyone, although many have seen this metal or wooden support for ampelous plants. The trellis looks like a lattice. The meaning of this device is for the curly greens to twist the entire lattice, turning it into decorative wall. Often the trellis itself remains an architectural solution for aesthetics in the garden.

Pergolas, arches and bosquets

It is unlikely that a pergola in a garden will have any function other than decorative. The material for the product is plastic or wood. Pergola creates an emphasis on any element of the garden and serves as a support for many plants, making the rest area more expressive.

In the cold season, the structure is rarely used as a planning resting place, remaining only a decorative part of the landscape.

Advice! Climbing roses look great around the pergola. They will serve as an additional shading element and a great addition.

The arch is, albeit decorative, but quite a solid support for plants. These are products made of brick, wood, stone, plastic. The arch is set up as a symbolic passage, planting climbing plants like clematis or climbing roses.

Bosquets appear to be green rooms on the lot. To create a bosquet for yourself, you need to be able to cut trees and shrubs suitable for this purpose in order to form improvised walls.

Special decoration: alpine slides and rockeries

A rock garden can look like a rocky cliff, mountain slope or gorge. It all depends on the style of the garden, the possibilities of the owners and their ideas of beauty.

In addition to the arrangement of the slide from different rocks and soil, the choice and arrangement of plants in shape and height plays an important role.

Most plants should be dwarf, as a growing juniper is able to hide all the stones under its spreading crown in a couple of years.

Rockery is not a flowering, but a stone garden. If in rock gardens stones are the background for flowers, then in rockeries everything is exactly the opposite.

To create rockeries use any stones, boulders, pebbles, flat sandstone, rocks. Without proper drainage, a rocky garden cannot be complete.

Types of utilitarian MAFs and their functions in a garden or park

A garden plot should not just be beautiful. This is a place of rest and pastime. Utility MAFs combine both aesthetics and functionality.

Stairs and bridges

Stairs are used for comfortable movement from one area of the site to another. Not all areas are flat. If the garden is on a slope, then a ladder will become a necessary element.

Bridges are thrown over reservoirs, through dry or stone streams. This decorative piece becomes functional when a pond separates a site and needs to be crossed.

Log structures are durable and beautiful, while forged elements add elegance to products. It is especially beautiful when the organization of lighting in the form of a suitable lantern is provided on the bridge. In this case, the evening reflection in the water will become magical.

How to add a fence to a garden

The fence is used as a regulation of the movement of people in the garden and as a landmark. The fence will protect green plantings, reservoirs from their accidental damage.

Pools and ponds

The practical use of a reservoir in the form of a pool or pond does not raise questions. But if it is possible to make this part of the site attractive, then why not? Sometimes it is enough to surround the reservoir with beautiful plants or stones.

Drinking fountains: special sophistication

A drinking fountain is quite rare in private estates, but in a park area it is not a luxury, but a necessity.

Play area and its aesthetics

In the game area you can place tables for checkers, chess and other board games by installing garden furniture in the allotted place. You don't have to go that far by simply installing the right size stumps. Perhaps the stump will look beautiful, but whether it is comfortable to sit on it is another question.

A children's corner can also be entered into garden realities by modifying the main design idea.

Advice! The play area will look more advantageous if you install lights in it.

Rest in beautiful gazebos and pavilions

The gazebo can be a solid structure with a solid foundation, or it can be a light pavilion. There are plenty of materials for manufacturing, as well as options for the execution of such structures. The role is played by the shape of the gazebo, the slope of its roof, the openness of the walls, the material, the style.

Pavilions and gazebos can either hide in the depths of the garden or be located in its most picturesque places. It would be better if the view from the gazebo is no less beautiful than its very location.

Garden furniture in the light of lanterns

Light plastic chairs are not included in the concept of MAF, but solid benches, tables and chairs, which are located on the site for most of the year, are included. This is an important object on the site, allowing you to relax, unwind and admire the beauties of the backyard territory.

Cozyly placed benches add value to the seating area. If the view from the bench is picturesque, then this place will become a favorite among all visitors to the garden.

Garden furniture needs street lighting if the owners of the territory like to sit on fresh air long evenings.

Devices for shopping services in parks

LFAs in parks are represented by a place where trading services are carried out: these are structures without a foundation, like kiosks, booths, pavilions. IN different countries approach to appearance such structures are different.

The material of manufacture can be any, but the ideal harmonious balance of style, form and functionality is held in high esteem.

To give a unique look to a backyard or garden plot, it is not enough to plant it with green spaces and build a high fence. The end result will be pleasing to the eye only if you decorate the site with special decorative elements, which in landscape design are usually called small architectural forms (abbreviated as LAF).

Decorating a garden plot

Regardless of whether it will be a summer cottage for performing numerous chores or it will turn out to be a garden area for relaxing, the house adjoining area always needs to be improved. An excellent option for giving the site an unusual and attractive look is the construction of a variety of architectural structures.

MAF are special designs different forms and sizes, the main task of which is to decorate and complement the territory of the site. Architectural elements, in addition to the aesthetic function, are also capable of performing a practical one, thanks to which it is possible to delimit the territory or some individual structures without much effort.

The main advantage of the MAF is that people with completely different incomes can afford to decorate the site. After all, architectural elements are selected and built not only taking into account the landscape and the size of the territory, but also the financial capabilities of the owner of the site. Now you can not only order from specialists, but also independently make small architectural forms with your own hands. In this case, the final result will depend not only on the available material at hand, but also on the imagination of the owner of the garden plot.

Functional purpose

The versatility of decorative elements erected in the adjoining areas allows you to create a unique and unique look for any territory. This is due to the fact that LAFs are called upon to perform several main tasks, which are as follows:

Currently, there are many different design designs that help solve issues with decorating sites. The main thing to remember is that the choice of architectural elements for summer cottages and gardens largely depends on the size of the site, the general style of the territory, the needs of the owner and other similar factors.

Materials for manufacturing

Manufacturing of landscape forms can be carried out from completely various materials. Moreover, the most memorable and unusual will be precisely those elements of decor that are made from the most junk materials. The main thing is that the architectural elements being built are in harmony with the overall design concept of the site and are comfortable during use.

The most commonly used materials:

Choose the right one garden decor element or cottages is very difficult, as they differ not only in their shapes and sizes, but also in their intended purpose. After all, it is very important in the process of improving the site to comply with the concept of territory design and adhere to general rules placement of MAF.

Rules for placement on the territory

Regardless of which decorative element is planned to be placed, it is always necessary to take into account a few basic nuances that will allow you to maintain a harmonious look of the entire site. Namely:

All decorative elements that will be erected on the territory of the site must harmoniously fit in and in no case violate the overall perception of the garden as a whole. Therefore, this process is best left to professionals, especially in that case if it is planned to build voluminous and large-sized objects on the site. For example, gazebos, ponds or attics.

The main varieties of architectural forms

There are many different landscape elements for decorating a garden, differing from each other in the material of manufacture, shapes, dimensions and color palette. However, the most popular today are the following types of MAF:

Decor elements for decorating playgrounds, which will be especially useful where there are children. This includes children's swings, horizontal bars, wall bars, sandboxes, ladders, a mini-pool, benches and other similar architectural structures. Before the construction of the MAF, it should be remembered that such a complex needs to be built on a large territory, and it will require considerable financial costs.
Arches will look very elegant on the garden plot, which most often serve as an excellent support for various climbing plants. In addition, the design is great for delimiting the territory on the border of functional areas, for example, at the entrance to a green garden. And if you build several arches at once along the path, you can get an unusual tunnel that will shelter you from the hot sun in the summer heat. Arches can be made from decorative stone or concrete, metal or wood - it all depends on the budget of the site owner.
Pergolas are considered the simplest in terms of construction - decorative forms made from materials such as wood, metal or plastic. A pergola is an ordinary canopy on high pillars, consisting of several arched structures that are connected to each other by means of lintels. As a rule, climbing plants are planted next to this form, which can turn the structure into an amazing green corridor. In addition to the fact that the pergola serves as an excellent decoration for any garden, and also allows you to hide from the scorching sun and strong wind.
An excellent addition to any landscape design can be a bridge. This part of the decor can be made of stone, concrete or metal. It is installed near artificial reservoirs or streams and is placed in landscape style areas.
Last time fashion trend was the placement at the country or garden plots sculptures. These decorative elements can be in the form of completely different figures: mermaids, fairy-tale characters, forest nymphs, gnomes, and so on. They can be of uncomplicated shapes and sizes. Main rule which should always be adhered to in the case of placing sculptures on the site - they should not violate the general style of the garden. After all, not every sculpture can harmoniously fit into the interior of a personal plot. The material for the manufacture of these architectural forms can be different, ranging from gypsum or clay, and ending with ordinary plastic. Some craftsmen make sculptures from completely non-standard materials: old tires, bottles, driftwood, and so on.
Fences and fences are landscape elements designed to delimit or shelter an area. They can have non-standard sizes and dimensions and be made of iron, wood, plastic or stone. Small fences can be installed as a separation of the structural elements of the site, for example, flower beds, flower beds or other functional areas.
Properly placed flowerpots will help to ennoble the site and give it attractiveness. Moreover, any design of non-standard shapes and sizes can serve as a flowerpot: logs, barrels, tires and much more. Large flowerpots of regular shapes are usually made from heavier materials: metal, concrete or natural stone. It all depends only on the imagination and financial capabilities of the owner of the site.
Garden furniture, which is installed on permanent place on a certain part of the garden, serves as a great addition to any territory. It can be benches, benches, chairs, tables. Placed near recreation areas - swimming pool, waterfall, flower garden and so on.
Pavilions are considered large-sized landscape forms designed for a comfortable pastime on outdoors. The sizes and shapes of arbors can be varied. Most often they are installed right in the center of the site and serve for joint family recreation. They can be open and closed. Made from natural stone, metal or concrete. To give the gazebo an unusual look, it is enough to plant climbing plants along it, which, as they grow, will wrap around this unique architectural element of decor.
If the size of the site allows and there is a large hill, then it is possible to build a belvedere on it - a special observation deck. It can have a different shape: round, hexagonal, square. High columns or an ordinary parapet can be used as a fence. The expediency of placing a belvedere depends on the parameters of the territory, since it is not customary to install belvederes in areas where there is no hill.

Site lighting

decorative lanterns will help to decorate the site, and not only at night, but also during the day. When choosing the shape and size of the lantern, the parameters of the illuminated area should be taken into account. Lanterns can be of several types: placed on pedestals or on legs and installed on the ground. For each separate zone where it is planned to install lanterns, its own lighting is provided, so it is important not to make a mistake when choosing the type of lanterns.

In addition to the above, there are many other types of architectural elements suitable for placement in garden plots.

Any landscape form are able to give the site uniqueness and comfort, as a result of which you will always want to spend as much free time as possible in this place. When choosing a decorative element, it is very important to take into account the terrain and the size of the territory, and also not to overdo it with the construction of various architectural structures. Therefore, it is best to entrust this process to a professional who specializes in landscape design.

Small architectural forms for dachas and playgrounds are the final chord of the symphony of landscape design, to see this, just look at the photo. Even if you have a small backyard with unsightly buildings, you can always use the right design solutions turn the area into a luxurious, if not fabulous, place to relax in the lap of nature.

Types of small architectural forms

Architectural structures of this kind have long been perceived as classics, because, due to their availability, they are resorted to almost everywhere: as soon as you find yourself in a park area or in a country garden, you catch your eye:

Country plot with a gazebo and a pond

unusual sculptures;
mesmerizing fountains;
openwork arbors in which you want to hide from the external fuss, holding your breath;
magnificent arches strewn with flowering plants;
forged bridges;
refined rotundas;
decorative flowerpots;
colorful terraces;
tapestries for flowering plants;
decorative lights;
other architectural masterpieces and compositional solutions.

Decorative composition with a waterfall

Today, all these masterpieces can be found in some parks and on the territory of private households in our country.

Against a backdrop of rich decor country houses It may seem that such elements of landscape design are very expensive, but this is not so! Absolutely any owner of a personal plot has access to such beauty, because you can not install expensive fountains, majestic amphitheaters or unusual labyrinths, but use a budget, but very original gazebo, decorating it with picturesque curly flowers, elegantly “throw” a bridge over a well-maintained artificial pond, and finally, use an amazing arch in the exterior.

Attention! Remember, site styling is possible even on a limited budget, because the main thing is your desire, imagination and, of course, diligence!

Setting up a seating area in the garden

If we talk about the tasks that are embedded in such solutions, then there are several of them:

Decorative. It is created by picturesque fences, amazing gazebos and sculptures, the magic of fountains and the water surface of the pools.
Leisure and sports. This task can be realized with the help of sports grounds, courts and swings, playgrounds and sandboxes.
Mass use. Having built extraordinary benches and benches, installing garden lamps and sculptural masterpieces, you can radically transform a park area or an unsightly household plot.

We improve the territory of the garden

The choice of this or that architectural element depends on the scale and style of the territory, the initial design, the time that you can freely spend on the arrangement, financial capabilities, flight of fancy and other factors.

gazebos

Arbor on suburban area

Most often, you can see light structures of a simple, less often capital type, built with a base. For their manufacture, materials can be used that are different in origin, texture and quality: natural wood and stone, brick and metal. An arbor looks impressive from a combination of seemingly incongruous materials at first glance, especially when surrounded by picturesque flower beds. The shape of the gazebo, according to the ideas of the architects, can vary from classical to round and even hexagonal.

Made in the same stylistic direction with the territory of the garden, a colorful gazebo, in addition to its decorative function, can become an island of salvation from the sun and heat, fuss and city noise. This is a great place for solitude and just enjoying the natural colors.

Rotundas and gazebos

These architectural forms are almost never found in a simple summer cottage where we grow flowers and grow berries. Rotundas, like gazebos, carry a certain style and functional purpose, which is more inherent in design and imposing spaces. Covered buildings, decorated with stucco and stately columns, are considered an excellent place for tea drinking and quiet pleasant conversations.

Rotunda

Belvedere

These solutions come from Europe, where they were placed mainly on a hill. Belvederes are equipped with amazing support columns and a well-maintained observation deck. They are constructed from natural stone, wood, concrete and metal, and their style can be classical, Greek, modern and so on.

Gazebo

Architectural solutions in the classic version, they are perfectly located in the open space, on the hills, not far from the reservoir and even in the border area of the summer cottage. Today, one can often find transformed gazebos of incredible beauty, where architectural elements from different styles simultaneously predominate.

Pergolas

Very popular buildings made of plastic, wooden beams and others building materials, with powerful pillars and through roof. Pergolas serve more as a decorative element of the exterior than a practical function. With their help, you can focus on the bright elements of the garden and emphasize the special beauty of a particular style. A beautiful, massive and rich-looking pergola will become for the owner of the plot not only a pleasant addition, but also a favorite place for warm meetings with friends, joint tea parties in the warm season.

pergola

arches

This type of architectural structures refers to supports. Arches are most often created for "living walls" and for growing climbing vegetation. Often there are arched structures made of wood, brick and natural stone in gardens, park areas and arboretums. Braided with luxurious greenery, majestic arches dilute landscape design territory, regardless of its area and dimensions of the architectural structure.

Arch with flowers

bridges

Logged and paved, wooden and forged, curved and even, equipped with elegant railings and without them, hovering over the water, and vice versa, heavier - all this is said about the bridges that “throw” over well-maintained reservoirs, streams and ponds. An amazing addition to any square, park or garden, artificial forest, giving the territory an element of naturalness and magic. Each of us, if you have not yet admired the water surface, being on decorative bridge, then he probably dreamed about it.

Bridge over an artificial reservoir

Attention! Often the bridges are complemented by forged benches, park lamps, which in the evening very effectively reflect the picturesque beauty of the area and highlight the small architectural forms inscribed in it.

garden sculptures

These elements symbolize majesty and tact, indicate the good taste of their owner. Classical and modern sculptural works are most often present in museum and historical squares and parks. Carved from natural stone or created from concrete, they can have a variety of shapes and sizes - monumental columns, huge lions and gentle angels. If a professional is engaged in the placement and selection of sculptures, then you can be sure that he will be able to achieve incredible success in landscaping the recreation area.

garden sculpture

Such majestic sculptures cannot be found on personal plots. Stylized gypsum figurines of gnomes and fairy-tale heroes, miniature copies of historical buildings and castles with decorative lighting are popular. Such solutions look amazingly beautiful against the backdrop of a bright lawn, under the shade of well-groomed trees or dense vegetation.

If we interpret the well-known proverb “A man is not full of bread alone” in relation to landscape design, it turns out that “The landscape is not decorated with greenery alone.” Indeed, although the main elements of the ennobled adjoining territory plants remain - flowers, trees, shrubs, lawns - to make the territory not only beautiful and green, but also functional, it will not work without the use of so-called small architectural forms.

What is it - small architectural forms (SAF), where are they used, how do they differ from ordinary buildings and structures?

Small architectural forms are an integral part of almost any landscape design.

Definition and characteristics

Small architectural forms have been used in landscape design for a very long time, from the very beginning of the appearance of gardens behind the fortress walls of ancient settlements and the emergence of large cities as such.

Small architectural forms are structures that serve to decorative design and fulfillment of the functional load in landscape design. That is, such small buildings, structures and individual structures, in addition to attractive external parameters, can also have practicality, in addition to aesthetic, they often also have a functional purpose. The LFA as a whole includes any architectural elements that complement certain buildings and their environment.

By appointment, small architectural forms are usually divided into:

universal, mass use. These include urns, flower vases, street lights, garden benches and so on;
decorative MAF. All kinds of statues, sculptures, fountains, pavilions lined with mosaic sides of the pool, an elegant bridge thrown over an artificial stream - all these elements serve more simply to decorate landscape design;
game and sports small architectural forms. Swings, a sandbox, a slide, a Swedish wall - all this is also a MAF, and very functional, allowing you to equip both children's and sports grounds on the territory.

Children's playground at their summer cottage - a prime example use of small architectural forms for playing purposes

Small architectural objects can be made from the most different materials: metal, wood, natural or artificial stone, brick or concrete. One of the main differences between such objects and ordinary buildings and structures is the lack of a capital foundation.

The size of the MAF can be very different - it all depends on the size of the site itself and on the wishes and needs of the owner. So, the fountain on the site can be quite large, or it can be a tiny garden fountain.

In general, each type of small architectural forms deserves detailed description and a separate article, we will try to at least briefly list the main types of small architectural forms that are most often used in the design of the local area.

Pavilions, pavilions and rotundas

Of all the LFAs, gazebos and pavilions can be called one of the largest and most significant objects. They often occupy a central place on the site, becoming a favorite place for hosts to relax, receive guests, family dinners and gala dinners.

Today there is a huge selection of gazebos in the most different styles: from simple square open structures, to closed, fully glazed pavilions, which can be used not only in summer, but also in the cold season.

A small, fully glazed pavilion, it is better to make windows in such a structure
fully open to enjoy the fresh air and scent of flowers in summer

Hexagonal, open, openwork gazebos are one of the most popular options today.

Pergolas are built from a variety of materials, one of the most common is wood, forged metal structures are popular, as well as reliable stone structures. In any case, it is worth remembering that the gazebo will stand in an open space, its roof must withstand the weight of snow and climbing plants, which often decorate such structures, and all parts of the summer house must be resistant to external influences, moisture and temperature changes.

The gazebo, in addition to its main function - a place of rest, can also serve as a support
for climbing plants, such as grapes. Even the most simple design,
decorated with plants, looks very beautiful

Another variety of fairly large, noticeable small architectural forms that can be erected on the adjacent plot and serve as a place for a pleasant pastime is the rotunda. It differs from the gazebo in that it always has a round shape, a colonnade and a dome, and is built of stone or concrete. The rotunda will not look appropriate in every garden, its best neighbor will become a mansion classical style, and next to wooden cottage it will look at least strange.

A light rotunda with an unusual openwork roof, such buildings are more often associated
with large parks and palaces, in a small summer cottage surrounded by garden beds will look out of place

Trellis, arches and pergolas

These types of small architectural forms refer to structures that are built specifically to support plants and look too simple and boring without their green neighbors. A trellis in landscape design is not a mirror with a pedestal at all, but a light garden and park lattice used as a support for climbing plants.

A trellis is always a lightweight structure, usually made of wood or metal,
can be made in the form of one or more screens, as well as in the form of an arch

A plant arch is often used to decorate paths.

Pergola - a more solid construction, usually made of metal or made of reliable wooden beam, which also serves as a support for plants, unlike a trellis or arch, always has a roof. In general, everyone who has at least once seen a typical courtyard entwined with grapes is familiar with a pergola - just such a design serves as a support for the vine.

Pergolas are also usually placed above the walkway to create a cozy shaded area. If the pergola is large enough, it can hide the entire yard, under it there can be a seating area with garden furniture. This design can replace the gazebo - the roof, hidden under green plants, will protect from rain.

Pergola, not yet covered with grapes or creepers, over a cozy courtyard with garden furniture

garden bridges

An elegant, most often small structure made of wood or metal, with a railing, can be installed both above a reservoir - a pond or stream, created artificially or already existing on the site, or simply on the path.

The bridges installed over the reservoir perform their main function - they allow you to cross to the other side, but the bridges built on the usual walking path are buildings with a purely decorative purpose.

A small bridge with a wooden base and graceful wrought iron railings over an artificial stream

Such a simple bridge, created entirely of wood, will fit into almost any landscape design.

B-B-Q

A place for a picnic can be arranged even in the tiniest summer cottage, an indispensable attribute of such a corner will be a barbecue - an oven that necessarily has a metal grate installed over an open fire, which serves to cook food in the fresh air. Of course, you can choose the simplest barbecue model - metal, light, mobile, not taking up much space. However, most often the owners of fairly large plots prefer to build a real oven from brick or other refractory material. Often a barbecue is adjacent to a separate building for storing firewood and various kitchen utensils.

A simple metal, portable barbecue is also able to handle
with the preparation of a variety of dishes, but outwardly loses a lot
stationary stoves made of brick or stone

It should be borne in mind that, since small architectural forms are not only functionality, but also beauty, then an ordinary iron box, which sometimes serves as an owner instead of a stylish forged portable barbecue, still cannot be considered a MAF - it does not carry any aesthetic load, although the skewers cook well.

Beautifully designed and well-organized barbecue area
can be a highlight of landscape design

garden furniture

This type of small architectural forms is so diverse that to list all types garden furniture can be long. The most economical option is ordinary chairs and round table made of plastic, which are so often used in inexpensive summer cafes. A more attractive, but also expensive option is garden furniture made from rattan, bamboo, other natural woods, usually teak or larch - they are considered the most resistant to moisture and sun.

The original bench around the tree is an excellent decoration of the territory and a shady place to relax

The most common types of garden furniture include all kinds of benches, which can be located along the paths, by the pool, in the gazebo. Usually their neighbors are tables, large or modest in size, as well as chairs, armchairs and deck chairs.

By the way, garden furniture also often includes various umbrellas and awnings, under which you can hide from the sun, often garden furniture is included immediately in the kit - a table, chairs and an umbrella.

Such a deliberately rough furniture set made of solid logs is a real Hand-made

One of the most expensive options is a whole set of wicker furniture,
such a kit can be winter time use for furnishing a cottage

Wrought iron garden furniture is very durable, but usually still has wooden seats -
otherwise it will not be very comfortable to sit on such chairs and benches

fences

Small architectural forms include all kinds of fences - both a massive, solid fence that hides the territory from prying eyes, and light fences that separate the garden from the garden, the path from the flower bed, the courtyard from the barbecue area, and so on.

Of course, internal fences are rarely solid - there is nothing to hide here, they simply serve to visually separate individual zones of the local area, so they are most often constructed of wood or metal in the form of openwork, fairly light structures no more than a meter high.

A simple wooden fence for a flower bed

But the outer fence is usually massive, high and solid - a real fortress wall, behind which the owners can hide from neighbors, a busy highway and other external irritants.

A high stone fence will turn the site into a real fortress

Often hedges act as internal fences, and if on a stone
or metal fence let the vine go, then in a continuous hedge
over time, the outer fence will also turn

Street lights

The lighting system of the adjoining area is an important part of landscape design, which allows you to create an amazingly beautiful landscape in the evening and at night, to relax in the yard not only during the day, but also after sunset.

Each separate area of the site requires its own lighting, a lantern will appear in the gazebo above the table, possibly with a textile lampshade, a bright lamp will take its place at the barbecue, ground lighting will appear along the paths, and so on.

Most often in landscape design, forged street lights are used - reliable, beautiful, fitting into any style.

Street lights can be of almost any shape and size, located not only
on a free-standing pole, but also on the wall of the house, just on the grass of the lawn, under the roof of a gazebo or pergola

Decorative MAF - flowerpots, sculptures, decorations

Decorative small architectural forms do not have any practical function, but almost no landscape design project can do without them.

Such decorative elements are very diverse, for example, flowerpots can be of any shape, size, made of ceramics, metal, plastic, concrete, stone. Some flowerpots combine elements of sculpture and look like a real work of art.

Classic flower vases look like massive antique vases

Sculptural forms for garden and summer cottages are also distinguished by an enviable variety - here are bright gnomes who came to us from America and Europe, and classic antique “girls with jugs” and “boys with pipes”, and completely abstract figures that give the site originality and special style.

The original ceramic sculptures from Francis Dorathy look unusual, bright flowers and seeds

Such gnomes in bright caps first became popular in Europe and America,
and now they are conquering Russian open spaces

By the way, garden sculptures can be made not only from ceramics or stone, in the form of a sculpture you can cut a hedge, build very original figures from metal barrels and other materials. Forged sculptures are very popular, featuring a variety of shapes and allowing you to embody any image.

brightly colored metal barrels became at the same time flowerpots
and an excellent element of the decor of the site

Literally anything can be turned into an element of landscape design and an unusual decoration - old stump with a metal bowl painted “under a fly agaric” put on it, it will make the green lawn brighter, the old cart can turn into an unusual flowerpot - in this case, everything depends only on the imagination of the land owner or landscape designer.

Game and sports MAF

Playground on the site - The best way provide the child with a place to play and relax in the fresh air. Let such a place for games not be too big, an ordinary sandbox and a swing will already give the baby the opportunity to have fun while the parents are busy with their own business.

By the way, not only children are very fond of swings in the form of a wide bench under an awning - adults can also spend time with pleasure on such a cozy, gently swaying bench. They can be made of metal or wood, hung on chains or strong ropes, on special supports or on the branches of a sprawling tree. The easiest option that anyone can build for their child is wooden plank, fixed on ropes on a branch.

Simple, "rustic" rope swing

And the most expensive version of gaming MAFs is entire gaming complexes or wood, metal or plastic, with houses, slides, stairs, and so on. But for such an acquisition, firstly, a fairly large personal plot is needed, and secondly, wide financial opportunities.

As you can see, small architectural forms are an element without which landscape design is simply impossible to imagine, because an ordinary garden, even with lush tropical plants, cannot become a diverse recreation area, a place where the whole family will enjoy spending time.

Of course, all MAFs that will be located on the site should be combined with each other, creating a single picture of a well-groomed, beautiful territory. Buying a garden sculpture that you like "just because" because you liked it, the owner of the territory runs the risk of turning his site into a collection of disparate, stylistically unrelated objects.

When choosing small architectural forms, you should adhere to the chosen direction, guided not only by your own taste, but also by expediency, practical functions one element or another.

Anna Sedykh, rmnt.ru

In the evenings, by the light of lanterns, it is good to gather in a friendly company at a table in a cozy gazebo.

All this would not have been possible without small architectural forms. It is these elements that create comfort in the yard and delight the eye.

Small architectural forms (for short they are called MAF) are well-known structures and decorative elements that create the general mood of the space and at the same time perform useful functions. The design of small architectural forms is widely used in the design of garden plots.

Benches, flowerpots, fountains, bridges, lanterns and gazebos are all elements of small architectural forms. Small architectural forms complement the design of the landscape, enlivening it and setting the necessary accents.

With their help, it is easy to navigate what this or that functional area is intended for: you can sit on a bench, hide from the scorching rays of the sun in the gazebo, cross the space along the bridge. Lanterns illuminate the garden, and you can plant your favorite plants in flowerpots. These forms are practical and emphasize the individuality of the site.

In landscape design, all small architectural forms should combine visual appeal and comfort of use.

Designers vigilantly ensure that the forms they choose fit together and harmonize with the surrounding area. Then the personal plot will turn out to be well-groomed, functional and will look impressive.

For greater originality, decorators use in design projects not only typical MAFs bought in hardware stores, but also those that are made by themselves.

Special respect is given to the ability of craftsmen to turn even junk material into a masterpiece. Such design elements are more memorable.

The world of small architectural forms is truly diverse, as evidenced by the abundance of photos on the Internet. Specially developed classifications help to navigate in this world.

A decorative windmill surrounded by flowers is an excellent decoration of the site

MAF classification

Small architectural forms differ in their purpose and are divided into three types:

universal(for widespread daily use) - flowerpots, lanterns, benches, trash cans etc.;
decorative(to decorate the environment) - statues and sculptures of various shapes, fountains, gazebos, mosaic bases of the pool, bridges and artificial streams;
leisure(for children's and sports games) - sandboxes, swings, slides, wall bars.

There is another way to separate the MAF for its intended purpose, according to this method, two groups are obtained:

small architectural forms designed to evoke visual and aesthetic pleasure, please the eye and create a cozy atmosphere;
applied architectural forms responsible for comfortable living and recreation conditions.

Among the small architectural forms of the second group, there are several subspecies:

LAFs that delimit the space visually divide the site into several parts: they separate the recreation area from the work area, hide inventory and tools behind a partition or canopy. These include: fences, stairs, bridges, retaining walls, arches, fountains and flowerpots.
MAF, equipping recreation areas: gazebos, garden furniture, benches, swings, barbecues and barbecues, children's and sports grounds.
LFAs responsible for the convenience of the territory for people: lanterns and lamps, urns, drinking fountains.

Small architectural forms are also distinguished by the use of vegetation:

MAF using plants (vases, pergolas, bosquets);
MAF without plants.

Read about how to build a playground yourself.

Learn to strengthen the soil and decorate the site with.

Another large group of MAFs is distinguished based on the material of manufacture of a particular form:

concrete;
metal alloys;
ornamental stone;
natural materials (wood, vine).

Sometimes several materials are used (for example, a wrought iron gazebo finished with natural stone).

Types of MAF

arches

These rounded ceilings are installed to divide the area into several zones. An arch is a kind of gate through which you can go from one area to another.

Bosquet is a territory with decoratively trimmed trees and bushes that have clear geometric shapes.

bridges

Such small architectural forms are appropriate over water bodies. However, sometimes they are also installed above the so-called dry streams made of decorative stones.

Bridges are built of stone, poured out of metal or sawn out of wood coated with varnish or special water-repellent impregnation.

The bridge is a monumental structure, which is thoroughly installed for a long time. It is necessary to properly fit it into the environment.

One of the great additions to landscape design is bridges in the garden.

stairs

If you want to emphasize the natural landscape on your site with all the natural irregularities, then for a comfortable transition from level to level, you can lay out single steps or entire stairs.

Stairs are made of brick, stone, paving slabs poured out of concrete.

When installing stairs, you must consider whether it will be in harmony with the track. Everything should be made from similar materials.

Sometimes railings are installed to stairs in open space, for example, cast from metal. And you can plant low-growing plants along the edges of the stairs. They will make such a ladder part of the surrounding landscape.

Staircase in the garden perfect solution connect two sections of different heights

Fountains

The special pride of any owner of the site will be his own. It can be built in the middle of an already planned pond, or you can think of a separate drainage system even when creating a design project. Then the waterfall will turn out to be an autonomous reservoir.

The bed of the fountain, organized in the pond, is made of a flexible permeable material, such as a rubber film. A free-standing waterfall can be made of stone with concrete waterproofing.

The fountain can be decorated with various water overflow effects and lighting

retaining walls

With a complex relief of the site, slopes and slopes require additional strengthening. For this they raise. They are made of stone, brick, logs or concrete.

Building a wall that protects the slope from slipping and weathering is a very time-consuming task and will require the help of professional workers.

Depending on preferences retaining wall can be built from wood, wild stone, brick or concrete

gazebos

Pergolas are needed so that you can hide in the garden from the weather. The roof of such an impromptu house shelters from rain and snow, and the walls protect from gusts of wind. At the same time, you are in the fresh air, inhale the aromas of the plants growing around and hear the birds singing.

Good places to place a gazebo are a quiet corner of the garden or the bank of a pond, depending on your goals.

Read about the use of stones in landscape design.

If you are going to be in the gazebo, secluded with a book, it is better to place it away from home. If you plan to gather in it with a noisy company and fry kebabs, then it is best to build a gazebo closer to home.

Arbors are wooden or metal, with or without walls, but always with a roof. Arbors shrouded in greenery look spectacular.

Gazebo - a piece of paradise in the garden

Sculptures and figures

Garden sculptures do not carry a functional load, but they are the highlight of the architectural ensemble. They are installed in places that are easily accessible to the eye: tall sculptures - in the lowlands, smaller ones (figures) - on the hills.

Sculptures will add zest to your garden, making it more alive.

Sculptures made of marble, gypsum and ornamental stones are invariably popular. The most popular figures are garden gnomes.

Funny figures will delight the owners with their appearance and give the site individuality.

Vases

Decorative flowerpots are designed to emphasize the beauty of flowers. They come in all sorts of shapes and colors. The main thing is to choose a flowerpot so that it is combined with the plants that will bloom in it.

Flowerpots are portable and stationary, depending on your preferences, varieties of flowers and climate. Sometimes, in case of bad weather, it is convenient to bring flowerpots with flowers into the house. And sometimes it is more reliable that the flowerpot is dug into the soil.

Flowerpots are often made independently, for example, or plastic bottles.

Choose the shape and material of flowerpots in accordance with the general style of the garden

benches

The most common example of garden furniture is. But such a bench is needed not only to sit on it, but also for decorative purposes.

The bench is a key node of the site - many paths converge near the bench, stairs or a bridge can lead to it. Benches are placed in the gazebo or near the house.

They are made from a variety of materials: wood, metal and stone. There are also multi-colored benches made of plastic.

Benches make the garden cozy and relaxing

Lanterns

Even the most thoughtful landscape design will lose if it's bad. It is important to choose this accessory wisely.

The key point when choosing a flashlight is the type of its power supply: electricity or solar panels. You need to think in advance which type of food is preferable for you.

Lanterns are installed along the paths, near the hammock and swing, at the gate and in front of the house.

Properly selected ones will help you relax longer in your favorite area, enjoying its beauty even in the dark.

There are countless options to make the landscape design of your site unique. To do this, it is enough to choose the right small architectural forms.

Before you install them on your site, you should make sure that all accessories are combined with each other and fit your landscape. Do not lose sight of the material from which they are made. Then you will be satisfied with the work done and love to relax in your garden even more.

Aug 5, 2015 Elena Timoshchuk