Fences and enclosures
The first impression, as we know, is the strongest. It is not surprising that fences play an important role in the decor of a summer cottage.
True craftsmen create real works of art from available and inexpensive materials. For example, an ordinary unremarkable wooden fence can be painted with bright, simple pictures.
Create a pattern or a fun image from plastic bottle caps by first painting them in the desired color. You can secure them to the fence with nails or screws.
Pots, buckets with flowers or climbing plants attached to the fence will look no less beautiful.
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A dry old tree in the garden is always an unpleasant sight.
The first thought that arises when contemplating it is to cut it down, and quickly. But does a tree have to be flowering and fruit-bearing?
Not at all!
It can be an excellent basis for garden crafts and decorative structures. It is enough to show a little imagination, and in your garden, instead of plants disfigured by time and unfavorable factors, there will be real masterpieces, skillfully created with your own hands.
Table of contents
- The view of experienced gardeners
- Second life of an old tree: ideas for a summer house and garden
- Decorative sculpture tree
- Original flowerbed tree
- "Seat" for garden figurines
- Garden lamp
- Tree-liana: beauty and exclusivity
- Practical benefits of old wood
- Paintings on wood are masterpieces accessible to everyone
- Useful tips from experienced gardeners
The view of experienced gardeners
According to experienced owners of private estates, trees of all ages must be present in the garden. Only then can it be considered holistic and harmonious - like a patriarchal family in which representatives of many generations live.
The famous English gardener and architect of the eighteenth century, W. Kent, practiced planting dried trees in gardens. He revered them for their unique decorative qualities and believed that they “emanated” a sense of authenticity of being. According to V. Kent, dead branches with unique bends and cracked bark are not ugliness, but genuine beauty.
Another famous gardener of the eighteenth century, S. Switzer, even said that it was better to burn down your own house than to “raise your hand” on a tree of venerable age. The man was firmly convinced that landscape planning should be carried out taking into account the natural state of the area, and not be subject to human fantasies that are not always appropriate.
Second life of an old tree: ideas for a summer house and garden
An outdated plant in the skillful hands of a nature-loving gardener can easily turn into a fantastic decoration for the site. There are many options for how to update an old tree - and we will be happy to share them with you.
Decorative sculpture tree
You can make a decorative sculptural tree from a dried plant using bright paint - one or several colors. True, the “old man” should be thoroughly prepared beforehand:
- cut down unnecessary branches;
- strip the tree bark down to the trunk;
- sand the barrel;
- treat the trunk and “significant” branches with a special impregnation to protect the wood.
After these manipulations, you can safely paint the “craft” with the prepared composition and open it with varnish for exterior use. You can choose absolutely any color for an old tree: just take into account the peculiarities of the surrounding “situation” and the appropriateness of experimenting with shades.
Original flowerbed tree
If desired, an old tree can easily be turned into a flowerbed tree - just place hanging baskets with flowers planted in them on its branches. As in the case of sculptural crafts, the processing of old wood before such an important “transformation” must be done - the same trimming of branches, stripping of bark and applying impregnation are very important for a high-quality final result.
What are the advantages of such a solution for the garden? The baskets can be changed periodically - and with them the appearance of the entire tree will change.
"Seat" for garden figurines
Garden figurines look great on an old tree. By placing the figures higher, you can admire them even from afar. Very often, old trees are decorated with nests with storks, as well as seals and bear cubs. This “new life” of an old tree is a joy for the eyes and soul!
You can also use figurines of garden elves for “composition”. Little elves looking out from a hollow or crevices in a tree trunk are an incredibly fabulous sight. If you have children or grandchildren, they will definitely be delighted with such “decorations”.
Garden lamp
An old tree can be successfully used as a “base” for garden lighting. Just purchase special electric lamps and mount them on a tree - and enjoy the evenings with original and attractive “illuminations”.
In winter, the lamps can be replaced with a garland.
Tree-liana: beauty and exclusivity
You can make a dried tree into an exclusive garden decoration using this method: cut off what you think are the unnecessary branches of the “old man” and plant a climbing plant near it. Choose unpretentious small-flowered clematis - they will stretch up to 15 meters in length and cover the entire surface of the tree with beautiful flowers and foliage. Also a good option would be morning glory, ampelous nasturtium, and Echinocsitis lobe.
Practical benefits of old wood
Not only aesthetic, but also practical benefits can be obtained from old wood. Use it as a natural support for Amur grapes, climbing beans or even pumpkins. Another plant that will definitely “make friends” with a dried tree is the Far Eastern actinidia. The brightly colored leaves of flowering actinidia will give the tree incredible picturesqueness.
Paintings on wood are masterpieces accessible to everyone
If you have artistic abilities (or at least have paints and a desire for creativity), you can create an amazing design on the trunk of an old tree - a real work of art.
How to make a picture on wood: work order
- “Bare” a section of the trunk - strip the bark. It is best to do this after rain, as the bark becomes wet and separates easily. If there has been no precipitation for a long time and it is not “scheduled”, simply water the trunk generously. The most convenient tool for cleaning a trunk is a special metal scraper for wood.
- Brush the surface of the barrel with a wire brush and then sandpaper - this will turn it into a decent canvas.
- Large surface defects must be filled with wood putty. It is best to fill large depressions with polyurethane foam, and remove the excess with a knife after drying.
- Rinse the barrel to remove small particles.
- Leave the surface to dry for some time.
- Prime the trunk.
- Start drawing. You can choose almost any paint for old wood. The classic solution is oil paints.
- After completing the drawing, wait until the paints dry completely.
- Cover the “decorated” surface with varnish for external use - preferably in two layers.
What can you draw on a tree?
Anything! True, images of natural motifs will probably not be particularly relevant for the garden - they will simply merge with the surrounding environment. But animals, fairy-tale characters and all kinds of abstractions will become a worthy decoration of your possessions.
Still doubt your artistic talent? Don't give up on such a great idea. Patterns are definitely something you can do! For example, national patterns from different countries look very interesting in the garden.
Useful tips from experienced gardeners
You can always make original garden furniture from old trees - tables, benches, benches, armchairs. The easiest to make benches are logs.
And after a little processing, a dilapidated plant is a wonderful creative hanger on which you can store various gardening equipment, tools, and work clothes.
Attach eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands from available materials to the trunk of an old tree - and a mischievous living creature will appear before you, which will delight everyone passing by with its appearance.
As you can see, there are a lot of ideas for decorating an old tree in the garden - choose any one you like. Easy creativity!
Artificial reservoirs
Surely, wondering how to decorate the site of a country house, many gardeners have thought about an artificial pond.
This could be a small decorative pond in which goldfish will swim. Or a large pond for swimming, which will undoubtedly give a lot of pleasant moments to the owners of the house.
If desired, the reservoir can be made multi-level, combining it with streams and waterfalls. You can decorate a pond with natural or artificial stones, which can be placed along the borders or even at the bottom of the pond.
You should choose a sunny place for the pond, since the shadow can cause waterlogging. It is recommended to plant moisture-loving vegetation around the reservoir, for example, meadowsweet, aquilegia, and marsh forget-me-not.
Metal decor options
Surely you have old and unnecessary metal household items on your site: buckets, bathtubs and the like. You might be surprised, but they will make really interesting decorative elements for your garden, and now we’ll see how to do it.
If you have an old metal bathtub lying around, you can turn it into a magical pond. Use all your imagination and talent as a landscape designer. You can plant aquatic plants, line the pond with beautiful flowers, make mounds of pebbles, or even have small fish in it!
If you are a jack of all trades and have a knack for blacksmithing, then it will not be difficult for you to complement the atmosphere of your garden with forged figures, such as this peacock.
From ordinary tin cans and an iron funnel you can make an adorable iron man and add a little fairy tale to your garden!
Old metal barrels can also serve you. It is enough to show a little imagination and paint them in the form of various fairy-tale characters, after which they will become a decoration of your magical garden.
Flower beds
Of course, one of the most beautiful decorations for the garden are fragrant flower arrangements. Fortunately, today on the Internet you can find a huge number of wonderful photographs of the design of flower beds. The long flower beds along the paths and single-tiered flower beds not far from the garden houses look amazing.
It is better to place tubs with climbing plants above the fence, against the walls of the house or next to the gazebo, since the climbers help create shade and coolness.
Flower pots are placed in wicker baskets, buckets, clay vases, the seats of an old wooden chair, a bicycle, an armchair, and even a car. Such memorable solutions will give the site a fairy-tale and romantic feel.
Tree – “pots”
You can make a beautiful exotic plant from an ordinary garden tree. To do this, you just need to hang several pots with flowering plants on its branches. Such a tree can delight the eyes of its owners from early spring to autumn. Pots with petunias are best suited for such purposes.
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Houses for birds
Feeders and birdhouses are very beautiful and useful garden crafts. The singing of birds is fascinating and pleasing to the ear, and in addition to this, the birds eat the larvae of pests.
The classic solution is to build a birdhouse from wooden boards, but a rectangular plywood house with a entrance and a roof will look no less interesting.
Birdhouses made of cardboard, of course, are not so durable, but this material is often used by summer residents in the construction of houses for birds.
Boxes should be selected that are stronger: milk, juice or shoes. After that, a moisture-repellent coating, varnish, paint are applied to the cardboard birdhouse, and it is decorated with pine cones and branches.
Garden figurines
Garden sculptures undoubtedly give any summer cottage a special appeal and personality. In addition, garden figurines perfectly lift your spirits. And it’s easy to create such wonderful decorative elements with your own hands.
The model can be installed in the center of the garden or discreetly peek out from the thickets of the local area. For example, these could be elephants or other animals made from repainted old tires.
Or small attractive bees made from small plastic bottles, fairy-tale characters made from plaster, plastic bottles and polyurethane foam.
Wind chimes Feng Shui as an element of garden tree decor
Such a Feng Shui talisman as wind music, which is also called a windmill or wind bells, is perceived by some simply as an element of decor for garden trees or the interior of a house, and some sincerely believe that it can attract good, positive energy into the house. In any case, wind chimes will never be an unnecessary element in the garden. Moreover, you can easily make wind chimes with your own hands from almost any materials that are at hand. If you use your imagination, you can create original Feng Shui elements and decorate the trees in your garden with these fakes.
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Wind chimes made from dry leaves and various beads are perfect for decorating an autumn garden. Wind chimes made from shells will look original on garden trees and will remind you of your past holiday at sea. Chinese talismans made from cutlery, flower pots, coins and banknotes, tin cans, various beads and metal sticks look interesting. For those who are interested in Chinese philosophy, it is better to decorate a tree in the garden with classic versions of a windmill made of bells or bamboo.
Gnomes made of plaster
Characters from your favorite children's cartoons look very cute on your summer cottage. A charming, cheerful gnome hidden in the foliage of bushes will not leave anyone indifferent.
Moreover, products made from gypsum are very durable and water-resistant; you just need to strictly observe the proportions when diluting sculptural plaster with water.
To make the gypsum elastic, PVA glue is added to the solution, after which it is moved into special molds. When the plaster has completely hardened, the model is taken out of the mold and we begin to paint and decorate it.
At this stage, you may need acrylic paint, varnish, pencils, beads, shells and much more.
Crafts from plastic bottles
Plastic bottles sometimes accumulate in huge quantities at dachas, but there is no need to rush to dispose of them.
You can cut a plastic bottle, repaint its bottom in a bright color, fill it with sand, and then cover the flowerbed with an abundance of such “cups.” The shapes can be in the form of a butterfly, a heart, a flower, or whatever you want, as long as you have enough desire and imagination.
Beautiful flowers are cut out of bottles and can be attached to a fence or other garden fence. Such plastic flowers can be planted along the edges of the path, and the path itself made of plastic bottles looks no less interesting.
Palm trees from plastic containers
Among summer residents and gardeners there are many who want to find themselves on the seashore. No one has yet invented a teleport machine, but out of the blue you can create a sandy island with palm trees from plastic bottles:
- The bottom is cut off from 20-80 brown 2-liter beer bottles;
- 30-50 green 1.5-liter mineral water bottles are cut so that a garland comes out of them;
- 2-3 flexible cables or slightly curved sticks are driven into the ground;
- Beer bottles are pushed into the cables or poles until each support base is 80% full;
- The remaining bare ends are branched or supplemented with wires;
- The branch is framed by a green garland.
Note!
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The themed decor of the summer cottage welcomes the sand, on which you can arrange a rocking chair or a sunbed for sunbathing.
Garden decorations made of stone
Beautiful stone crafts always attract the eye. They are able to give the garden plot a unique zest and noble appearance. For example, you can smooth over part of a large stone with putty and draw a pet on it.
Undoubtedly, such an idea will pleasantly surprise all family members. A simple pencil is used to draw a drawing on the stone, and then decorate it with acrylic paints.
Any colorful pictures are suitable for painting: houses, ladybugs, funny faces of fairy-tale characters. You can use pebbles to lay out a mobile stone path or decorate fountains with them.
Crafts from hemp
Surely in many summer cottages there is an old dried tree or stump. This material is perfect for creating fabulous little houses.
Some gardeners-magicians even place flashlights inside their makeshift home to illuminate it. After sunset, such a craft will give the garden an incredible fairy-tale mood.
The house can be two-story, steep and dense, lined with stones, lawn and vegetation.
In addition to all of the above, a stump can become the basis for a garden table; just attach a table top to it and cover it with varnish. You can build a stand, flowerpot or flower bed from hemp. Such crafts will incredibly fabulously transform any garden plot.
Photos of garden decorations
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