In the Alessandra’s garden, a 25×15 meter rectangle, the focus is on sun exposure, existing features, and the owner’s wishes: relaxation, plant care, sun loungers, a swing, and a herb garden. The tall trees are repositioned, curved paths soften the geometry, and the cottage becomes the visual focal point. The project aims to create harmony between functionality, a rustic aesthetic, and personal well-being.
Case 3 – Alessandra’s garden
THE EXAMPLE
Today we’ll talk about the third real-world case study, Alessandra’s garden. Alessandra kindly sent us a video of herself doing a 360-degree tour of this garden, standing at the center of this 25-by-15-meter rectangular area.
The plan
The garden is rectangular and measuring 25 meters by 15, to the north is the porch of the house, to the south is a tool shed in the center and the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
As you can see, tall trees have been planted in this garden: a Paulonia (tomentosa), a Prunus, a Robinia (pseudacacia), a Feijoa (Acca sellowiana) and a False pepper (Shinus molle).
We won’t talk about planting plants because we’ll talk about them in the next videos, but they will definitely need to be moved.
As in the previous videos, let’s start from how to make the plan of the garden.
For what is needed in our video, the measurements that have been taken are fine, therefore 25 by 15, but for when the real project is done, the definitive project, the measurements must be taken with precision.
decide what to do in the garden.
Alessandra tells us that she wants to relax and devote herself to plant care, perhaps even with a small corner of aromatic herbs.
He would also like two sun loungers with a small table and maybe a rocking chair.
evaluate the areas of shadows and light.
Let’s go back to the plan and work on the direction of the sun, i.e. from east to west, Alessandra informs us that the garden is always in full sun.
This means that if you want an area for sunbathing, the location of these large plants will have to be chosen very carefully. Because as they have been positioned, the garden will be in the shade for most of the day, almost everywhere.
the views to be covered or enhanced.
Let’s go back to watching the video, paying attention to the surroundings outside the garden.
As you can see around this garden there are only wonderful, tall trees: conifers for the most part.
So we have nothing to cover and can only be happy with what we see beyond our garden.
Here, behind here there are some houses that could look into our garden and in this case maybe we should put some protective plants.
decide where to do what.
We asked Alessandra when she would like to sunbathe whether in the morning or afternoon and she said it can be either part of the day.
So the plants must be placed in a position that does not bother in one case or another. The only solution to keep them from being annoying is to keep them in the central area.
We have a view of the north porch. The gate and the path leading to the cottage. The little house is an important perspective focus that we will have to exploit. So the plants will have to be moved to a central position. The exact location will then be decided during the design phase.
The aromatic area could be to the north. In the photo you can see that the white wall surrounding the portico is a bit unadorned. I would therefore see low hedges that cover the wall and in this specific case welcome the aromatics.
The perimeter area of the garden
As regards the area surrounding the garden, semi-low shrubs can be inserted, where the houses are a little higher, but not much otherwise we cannot sunbathe: maximum 1.5 m/2 m.
Alessandra’s garden has the characteristic of being with a very geometric rectangular shape.
This shape must be rounded off, it must be rounded, therefore all the positioning of flower beds, paths, etc. must be made curvilinear to soften the so schematic design of the garden.
what can you see from inside the house.
The windows overlooking the garden do not show a specific point because moving around the window from inside the house you have a complete overview so, in this specific case, this aspect is not important in the design.
what style to give to the garden
And Alessandra informs us that she wants a rustic style for her home in harmony with the type of apartment she has overlooking the garden.
how to pave the garden.
As far as the flooring and above all the decision of the paths are concerned, we have to think that well-distributed paths will be needed to take care of the plants. So you can think of a route that starts from the central one and runs through the low flowerbeds passing in front of the house and returning towards the entrance with a wide circle.
The two areas for the sun loungers and the table will be outside the tall trees. The rocking sofa should be placed under the trees to the side of the house with the flower beds behind it. So imagine the view: the tall trees (I draw the trunks) and here behind all the flowering shrubs that accompany the view.
The routes
Once the areas for the sunbeds have been defined, the paths will pass under the trees. They will always be gneiss like the main path.
While the sunbed area should have a more structured flooring than the gneiss with grass in the middle. The choice is up to the landlord. It can be an outdoor wooden raised part that has a very warm finish effect.
Obviously we cannot reach the sunbeds from the external path because it would be too long a ride and in the end we would always pass by the grass so it is better to make a shorter one.
Finally a consideration on the house
The house needs to be made very pretty so find a way to fix the facade and maybe the trees make some shade on the roof so it doesn’t overheat too much.
Now on horseback! Work awaits us! Our new wonderful outdoor space is about to be born!
GOOD WORK and… if you have any questions, write to info@mondodelgiardino.com
Image sources: thanks to Alessandra for the photos, the video and the plan of her garden, equologia.com for the Paulownia, renneritalia.com for the Prunus, wikipedia.org for the Robinia, blackbridgenurseries.co.nz for the Feijoa (Acca sellowiana), gardening.org for the False pepper (Shinus molle), loveproperty.com for the outdoor bed, lovethispic.com for the wicker chair among the flowers, Pixabay and in particular in order of appearance Nika Akin, ErikaWittlieb, congerdesign, Engin Akyurt e JUNG HYUN HA, Lutz Peter, Manfred Antranias Zimmer, Matthias Böckel, Bernd Hildebrandt, Carola68 Die Welt ist bunt……, Manfred Antranias Zimmer, Albrecht Fietz e Anja.
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