After acquiring the long-awaited plot of 600 square meters, it is necessary to begin its arrangement. In order to use the resulting area more efficiently, you should first plan the location of all important objects. The intricacies of performing such a task will be discussed in this article.
Prerequisites
Preliminary planning may seem at first glance to be a waste of time and effort.
But then it’s worth thinking about the difficulties that you will definitely have in case of chaotic development:
- Violation of GOSTs, which may entail the payment of considerable fines.
- Irrational use of usable space. For example, an unsuccessful location of a large residential building may exclude the possibility of further construction of a bathhouse or utility block.
- Undesirable neighborhood. under the bedroom windows is unlikely to come in handy.
This is only a part of the possible problems, so it is better to pay some attention to planning work than to suffer later due to the lack of a development plan.
Drawing up a drawing
You can easily draw the necessary drawing yourself. Even if you do not have high artistic abilities, the main thing is to observe the correct scaling of 1:500, accuracy and certain rules specified in SNiP 2.07.01-89 and SNiP 2.01.02-85. Let's look at the official recommendations in more detail:
Requirements of building codes and regulations for planning a summer cottage
- All buildings should not be located closer than five meters to the red line of the street.
- A residential building must be at least three meters away from the neighboring property.
Advice: if the free space allows you to move the house to the side on your site and place it exactly at the same distance of three meters from your neighbor, then it is recommended to take advantage of this opportunity.
Then you will get a fairly spacious courtyard.
- Buildings for utility purposes can be located closer to neighboring land, at a distance of one meter.
- There must be at least six meters of free land between your house and your neighbors’ bathhouse, shed or garage.
- If there is a pen with livestock or poultry on a neighbor’s property, then increase the intermediate distance to fifteen meters.
- Residential buildings should be 6-15 meters apart from each other, depending on the fire resistance of the material used in their construction.
Advice: if the situation requires residential buildings to be placed close to each other, then use aerated blocks, ceramic bricks or other materials that have increased fire resistance to build their walls.
This will not only save you from fines, but will also prevent the possibility of a fire starting and spreading.
Orientation by cardinal directions
Residential premises should receive their normal amount of sunlight during the day:
According to the table above, it is recommended that the sanitary unit, wardrobe, and storage room be located in the northern part of the building.
Tip: do not forget to take care of the panoramic view that opens from them when designing the location of windows. It will be inconvenient if the view from the living room rests on a blank high fence.
Zoning
The above recommendations apply to a greater extent to the location of the residential building itself. But that's only part of the story. On six acres you can place many more important objects, plant a garden and start a vegetable garden. All this must have its strictly defined and rational places.
Let's consider how to plan a 6-acre dacha plot most optimally:
- A garage or carport should not be placed deep into the site, since then the entrance to it will take up too much usable space.
- In relation to the sun, the following placement of functional areas is recommended:
- Barbecue or grill require a separate approach. Here it is important to take into account the most frequent wind direction and install the structure in such a way as to prevent the spread of smoke throughout the entire area. (See also article.)
- Presence of slope on your land, of course, an unpleasant fact, since the accumulation of melt water and other precipitation in the lowlands will flood the garden. The instructions for eliminating this effect are to divide the area into terraces and create a drainage system. Each terrace becomes an independent zone. It is convenient to combine them with the help of paths, and strengthen them with rubble stone.
The plan for a 6-acre dacha, which includes the creation of terraces, will prevent flooding of low-lying areas
Have you become the owner of a desired plot of 6 acres for establishing a vegetable garden, planting garden shrubs and trees, and possibly building a country house, but you don’t know how to plan it correctly?
Then we are in a hurry to help you! How many square meters are there in 6 acres?
This is a small piece of land measuring 20x30 or 15x40 meters (600 m2), and I want to place so many things there. Planning a plot of 6 acres is not an easy task, and therefore requires careful preparation.
First you need to decide what you want to see on your site. After all, we are all different, and our needs are also different.
Some people want to build a comfortable residential building for relaxation in their free time from work, and simply sow the remaining territory with lawn grass, arrange a recreation area, a bathhouse, and a barbecue; others give preference to various plantings and cultivation of organic vegetables and fruits; for others, both the first and the second are important.
Let's start planning
For clarity, it is better to draw a plan diagram on a scale, where, according to current standards, we will locate all the necessary buildings and plan the various zones. You can make the drawing yourself on a scale of 1:500 (1 cm - 5 m).
When completing the documents, you obviously received a land deed, which indicates the dimensions of your plot. Transfer the dimensions onto a piece of paper.
Need to know
According to SNiP 2.07.01-89* “Urban planning. Planning and development of urban and rural settlements", as well as SNiP 2.01.02-85 “Fire safety standards”:
- - a residential building and other buildings cannot be located closer than 5 m from the red line of the street (unless otherwise provided by the detailed planning plan for the territory);
- - the distance from the house to the boundaries of neighboring plots must be at least 3 meters;
- - distances from outbuildings to the boundaries of neighboring plots - at least a meter;
- - the distance from the windows of the house to outbuildings (barn, bathhouse, garage) located on the neighboring site must be at least 6 m;
- — the distance from outbuildings housing poultry and livestock to the windows of a residential building is at least 15 meters;
- - distances between residential buildings, depending on the degree of fire resistance - from 6 to 15 meters.
If the width of your plot, subject to all standards, allows you to move the house in one direction or another, then to save usable space it is better to do this. By retreating the required 3 m from the neighboring plot and observing the fire gap, you will leave a free area between the house and the fence of the neighboring plot on the other side for the construction of various areas, lawns, gardens or vegetable gardens.
You should also pay attention to the orientation of the site to the cardinal points.
Residential premises must be continuously insulated for at least 2-2.5 hours a day:
- - living room in a one-room apartment (house);
- - at least one living room in a 2- and 3-room apartment (house);
- - two living rooms in a house with more than 3 rooms.
Based on this norm, it is better to locate the kitchen, bathroom, wardrobe, and pantry on the north, north-west and north-east sides.
And, of course, an important point in the location of the house is the view from the windows. Determine the most interesting viewpoints, and when designing a house, take them into account when determining the location of window openings, terraces and verandas.
Territory zoning
Correctly positioning a house on a plot of 6 acres is half the battle. It is necessary to consider the location of associated outbuildings and various areas (garden, vegetable garden, recreation area, barbecue, etc.).
Equipping a garden plot of 6 acres, You should not locate a garage or carport in the depths of the site, since the passage to them will take up a significant part of the usable area of the territory.
The garden should not shade the vegetable garden, so as not to interfere with the normal growth of plants, which means that it cannot be located in the southern part of the site. For the same reason, the garden should not be planted in the shadow of a house or other buildings. The recreation area may not be located in the most illuminated place, since relaxing on a hot sunny day is pleasant in a shaded area.
Having a barbecue or fire pit, take an interest in the prevailing wind direction in your region, and locate this area on the windward side, so the smoke from the fire will not spread throughout the entire area.
If the site has a significant slope, then melt and rainwater will accumulate in the lowest place; this is the worst place to plant a vegetable garden. But you can plan a plot of 6 acres in the form of terraces and additionally provide a drainage system.
Each terrace will become an independent zone, and they can be combined with a system of paths and steps. Terraces can be strengthened with retaining walls made of rubble, monolithic concrete or concrete blocks.
Starting landscape design of a plot of 6 acres, you should know a few simple rules.
The entire small area is visible, and the clear boundaries defined by the fence make the area tight. To soften the contours of the fence, decorate it with vegetation (vines, flowers), or make a mesh fence so that the eye is directed beyond the territory.
If this is not acceptable to you, then paint the blank fence in neutral shades or combine it from different materials to avoid monotony. Visually this will expand the space.
To prevent the entire area from being visible at once, install several pergolas covered with vines. Thus, the gaze, lingering on an oncoming object, will move more slowly across the rest of the territory.
Avoid row plantings. It is better to distribute garden trees throughout the territory.
A free area, sown with lawn and framed with ornamental plants, will also expand the space. This zone can occupy a small area near the house and be a viewing point of the site, or be located in the central part of the garden.
Clear, regular lines of paths for a small area are not desirable, it is better to make paths in the form of curved and smooth lines, forcing the gaze to slowly follow an arcuate path.
By the way, instead of regular planting, arrange the beds in the form of a circle, semicircle or any free shape.
This is not only unusual and beautiful, but also practical, especially in a small area. Such plantings of parsley, dill, carrots and other vegetables will look like a flower bed.
When planning zones on your site, determine priorities. It is impossible to arrange a large number of zones in a small area without creating crowding. If a residential building occupies a significant part of the site, then the remaining territory should be harmoniously combined with it.
The general plan diagram shows the layout of the site with a house and a two-car garage.
In the far right corner there is a bathhouse and a recreation area with a pond and a gazebo. Below the recreation area is framed by a small round-shaped vegetable garden, which does not disturb the overall composition. We are also planning to plant decorative flowering trees here.
On the side of the main façade we are creating a front area with a flower garden and lawn where thujas are supposed to be planted. In the upper left part of the site is a place for planting fruit trees. On the back side of the house there is a paved area where you can take out garden furniture and an umbrella in the warm season.
In this diagram we see an area stretched upward. There is a house in the left foreground. In front of the house is an open area with a lawn and decorative landscaping (shrubs, trees, flowers).
A winding path is decorated with pergolas and leads us through a mini-garden to outbuildings and a vegetable garden. On the left behind the house you can plant raspberries, blackberries, and between the fence and the garden - shrubs (currants, gooseberries, etc.).
As you can see, any, even the smallest, area can be arranged in such a way that staying at the dacha will be enjoyable. We wish the same for you.
The legendary six hundred square meters to this day never cease to excite the imagination of their owners and still remain the subject of dreams for many of our fellow citizens, whom fate has not rewarded with their own land. It so happened that for a long time six hundred square meters was the dream of every citizen of the once great country, which was then called the USSR.
Six acres was akin to a flight into space, and the happy owners of a small piece of land tried to use it as efficiently as possible. A small house was always built here, looking more like a utility room.
A barbecue was placed in the place of honor. Fruit trees were planted, and of course, beds were laid out, which occupied a significant part of the site. And along the fence, raspberries were grown, which also served decorative functions. Potatoes were always planted, which at all times were abundant in vegetable stores and in most cases it was much cheaper to buy than to grow in your own garden plot. But they still imprisoned her!
Wealthy citizens who were lucky enough to buy their own car built garages on the same six hundred square meters. One thing was constant. Everyone was allocated the same amount of land, regardless of wealth and position in society. This is how the concept of equality of everyone and in everything was realized. Therefore, over time, six hundred square meters became a household name.
Six acres forever!
Yes, indeed, most of us received this small plot for free, as a gift from the defunct state. Six acres are passed down from generation to generation, carefully preserving everything that the ancestors built on it. Because we no longer have to hope for such gifts for a long time.
And our six acres are still the subject of special care for every family member. Therefore, the layout of our six hundred square meters is still as relevant as before. There is no limit to perfection here and constant restructuring is only beneficial.
We strive to implement all the newest things on our own small plot of land. Fortunately, technological progress allows us to do this endlessly.
How to plan a plot of land
It is known that planning six acres is more difficult than a large plot of land. Limited sizes make adjustments to our fantasies. And yet there are optimal options for planning a plot of 6 acres. First of all, it is necessary to allocate space for the most important elements, which, in our opinion, must be present in the garden plot.
First of all, this is a residential building. In second place is the recreation area. Then additional outbuildings, and, of course, space for a car. Now this is not a luxury, but a necessary means of transportation for every family.
Beds for vegetables and herbs still do not go out of fashion, and, of course, an orchard, even if it consists of two or three trees.
The recreation area is most often used as a children's playground, and the most inventive summer residents manage to install a small pool on six drains. The barbecue and gazebo were, are and will always be on every suburban area!
And if there is even a small body of water nearby, prepare a place for a boat. Don't forget to allocate space for an ATV. Nowadays it’s fashionable to go into the forest in this amazing car, not only to pick mushrooms, but sometimes just for a ride.
How to transform the landscape
However, areas with minimal diversity of buildings are becoming increasingly common. Here everything is limited to a residential building and a parking lot. And the rest of the space turns into a recreation area, where the rules of modern landscape design prevail.
It is better to entrust the landscape design of the site to specialists, but many prefer to do this difficult work themselves. As a rule, this requires great physical effort.
I remember how I myself tried to remove several small trees from my own six acres, not even suspecting that the hardest thing was not to cut down the tree, but in the future to get rid of numerous stumps. Here you need to know well the differences in the root systems of birch, aspen or spruce, so as not to literally overstrain yourself during a seemingly simple task.
Leveling the area is just the beginning of hard and painstaking work that you can do with your own hands for years. Here it is better to turn to specialists. If the site has a slope, then it is easier to decorate it with landscape design elements.
The view of such elements will be better than on a flat area. Such elements can be ordinary stones; they are perfect for any landscape.
Technical progress at the service of summer residents
We no longer wonder why we take photos of a 6-acre plot so often. How could it be otherwise, since each of us always has a camera with “neverending film” in our pocket. Many people prefer to do video filming, including using a framecopter, in order to plan the site more accurately and more functionally.
But just recently, such an idea was from the realm of unrealistic fantasy. Aerial photography, as it is correctly called, is very helpful in planning a garden plot.
Now this service is quite accessible to each of us.
What you need to pay special attention to
We strive for an autonomous life, to be as independent as possible from anyone or anything. We are trying to dig a well on the same six acres. We are trying to drill a well to the depth where there is drinking water. We stock up on a small power plant of our own in case of power outages.
We still try to grow potatoes for the same reasons. The desire for independence, like many other things, has no limits or restrictions. Therefore, on our six hundred square meters we try to accommodate everything imaginable, and sometimes the most unthinkable. For example, a small pen for livestock, which is bred not only for decorative purposes.
Well, it’s not a bad idea to cook an omelet in the morning from homemade, still warm eggs. But still, we should not forget that a summer cottage plot, even the smallest one of only six acres, is intended primarily for recreation. Although, as someone once wisely noted, rest is also work.
Almost every city family has a dacha, so small dacha plots are the most popular in our country. If you are just going to purchase it or want to change its appearance, then we recommend reading this material, in which we will tell you and also show on diagrams how you can plan a plot of 6 acres with your own hands.
Start of planning
In our material we will look at the layout of a standard summer cottage plot of 6 acres measuring 30 m x 20 m. This rectangular shape is most often found in practice.
We will draw the diagrams in the Garden Planner program, as the most convenient and simplest among programs for plot planning, a full list of which you can find in our previous material at the link.
We will also be guided by existing standards for the location of a house on a site, which we also discussed in the previous article.
Let's consider the option of a site that is adjacent to a forest on one side, bordered by a driveway on the other side, and adjacent sites on both sides.
Shape and size of our plot
Also on our site we want to place:
Bathhouse / gazebo;
Parking space/garage;
Well/borehole;
Fruit trees;
Recreation area;
This is not the entire list of desired objects, but unfortunately, on a small plot of 6 acres you have to sacrifice something.
Location of site objects
There are several ways in which you can start planning a site with your own hands:
Based on the location of objects;
Based on the location of communications.
In the first case, we focus on the house and outbuildings. In the second case - on communications, or rather on the best location of water. Since on a plot of 6 acres the choice of location for a well or borehole is small, we will consider the layout of the dacha plot according to the first type - based on the location of the objects.
House for a standard plot of 6 acres
If you have not yet started designing a house, then it’s time to discuss the optimal size of a house for such a plot of land.
It is believed that the area of the house should not exceed 10% of the area of the plot.
In our case, it turns out that the area of the first floor can be about 60 square meters, that is, a house 6 m x 10 m, or, for example, 7 m x 8 m. These rules are conditional, so we will take as an example a small country house 8 m x 8 m.
We decided on the size of the house. We select an object in the program and apply it to the area:
In the previous article, we looked at several types of site layout depending on the planting of the house: central, deep and front. But before moving on to the type of landing, let us remember that according to SNiP we need:
Therefore, first we suggest you draw a “zone of possible location of the house”, which will take into account all the nuances. In our example, we will assume that all the houses: the neighboring ones and ours will be made of wood, but the neighbors built them at a distance of 10 m from the fence. Therefore, we can only arrange the house as follows:
Of course, in this case the choice is small and involves only the front layout option. The site may not be closely adjacent to the forest, and the neighboring houses may be made of stone. But the principle should be like this. In any case, before starting construction of a house, ask the chairman of the SNT or the administration where you will be allowed to build.
Bathhouse or gazebo
In our case, a garden plot of 6 acres, the construction of a bathhouse is not possible, since the distance from the house must be at least 8 m, but the presence of a forest does not allow us to build this object at a distance of less than 15 m. Therefore, we will consider the construction of a gazebo with a barbecue.
In this case, we need to retreat 3 m from the fence (we are considering a permanent structure):
Communications
The next important step is to choose a location for a well or borehole and a septic tank. As we have already mentioned, the location of a well or borehole may depend on the location of the water. But it is also worth considering the following rules and sanitary standards:
The distance from the well to the foundation of the house should be at least 3-5 m.
Maximum distance from sources of “contamination” (compost pits, toilets, garages, etc...), including neighboring areas.
We take into account the convenience of further installation of the water supply system.
To determine the location of the septic tank, first of all, its type should be taken into account. The basic location rules are the following distances:
In any case, when choosing a location for a septic tank, we try to coordinate with our neighbors and make our site as environmentally friendly as possible. But we also do not forget that in order to pump out storage septic tanks, it will be necessary to ensure that the access of the sewer truck is accessible.
In our case, of course, it is difficult to comply with all the rules for the location of the septic tank and well, so we chose the most environmentally friendly option (i.e., the septic tank and well located as far as possible from each other).
Parking space and garage
First of all, a place for a car in a dacha should be planned so that there is a minimum distance from the roadway gate to it. First of all, avoid driving all the way to the parking lot. In this example of a country house layout, we will consider the placement of a garage for 1 car + additional space for parking guest cars in front of the garage. According to sanitary standards (SNiP 2.07.01-89) it is necessary that:
In our layout it will look something like this:
Garden
Even the most ossified city dwellers, when purchasing a plot, sooner or later are inclined to decide to make “a couple of beds.” In our case, we will consider a vegetable garden of four beds measuring 1 m x 4 m and a polycarbonate greenhouse measuring 3 m x 4 m. According to the standards, the distance from the greenhouse to the fence is recommended to be maintained at least 1 m. As for the location on the site, you should be guided by the cardinal directions, and also a shadow from neighboring buildings.
Also, do not forget that it is better to plan your garden as far as possible from sources of pollution (garage, septic tank, compost, toilet, etc...)
Paths
After we have decided on the location of the main buildings of the summer cottage, we need to plan the paths. It all depends on your imagination and the location of garden objects.
Rest zone
The layout of the recreation area largely depends on your method of relaxation, as well as on the remaining free space. On a plot of 6 acres it is difficult to provide a football field or even a volleyball court. Therefore, we limited ourselves to:
The place for the barbecue was located near the gazebo and at a decent distance from the house due to fire safety regulations.
Children's playground with sandbox, trampoline and swings.
And several sun loungers on the central area with a lawn.
Garden and flowers
In many ways, planning trees, flowers and shrubs on sites depends on the requirements of the plants themselves for a certain solar regime. Therefore, it is necessary to take these factors into account in each case individually. In addition to this, it is necessary to comply with certain standards regarding location to the boundaries of the neighboring plot:
In our case, we will fence the house from the roadway with conifers. We will plant fruit trees on the south side, as well as on the west. In the northern part of the site, where there will be shade from the house half the day, we will plant shrubs that can grow in the shade (for example, not blueberries). We will plant flower beds along the house.
Principles of site planning
So, a plot of 6 acres is planned. We have shown only one of the many planning methods. But the most important thing is to master the principles of dacha design:
Make a list of desired objects on the site.
Select the order of objects by importance: house, additional buildings, communications, garden objects, etc...
Take into account the landscape, the location of neighboring plots and objects on them, as well as adjacent territories.
Follow fire safety rules and building codes.
You can download our diagram of a plot of 6 acres for the Garden Planner 3 program from the link.
A serious question about how to plan a plot of 6 acres arises not only among beginning gardeners, but also among those owners of haciendas who have decided to completely change the appearance of their property. This is explained simply - if you are lucky enough to have a place where you can escape from the noisy and stuffy city at least for the weekend, it is not at all necessary to use it exclusively for growing organic vegetables, berries and fruits. It would be a good idea to arrange one or even several areas for complete relaxation.
Landscape design is the whole art of designing certain areas of the territory. There are several schemes that professional designers prefer to work with. When planning independently, you can also use one of the ready-made designs, taking it entirely as a basis, or use only individual elements from it that are suitable for a specific site.
Whatever plan is chosen, the most important criterion for the residents of the house will be maximum ease of use of all the facilities provided for comfortable rest and work.
Typical site planning projects
Landscape designers have developed six basic schemes for planning a suburban area, which professionals usually rely on when carrying out work, certainly enriching these templates with their own ideas.
- Rectangular layout
This type of territory planning can be called the most popular, since basically all summer cottages have a rectangular or square shape. And it should be noted that they are also the most comfortable for arrangement.
It is convenient to draw a diagram of the distribution of objects on a sheet of paper lined in a square (or on “graph paper”), and when drawing it, it is necessary to set in advance and maintain a certain scale, for example, 1:100.
Defining different zones in a territory with right angles is much easier to do than creating complex, intricate diagrams that add chaos to the overall appearance of the site. It is easier to make a rectangular plot more open by placing on it various residential and outbuildings, ponds, beds, alpine hills, fruit trees and shrubs in the correct order. In addition, with this approach it is easier to plan the various communications necessary to ensure a comfortable stay on the site.
- Diagonal layout
Diagonal planning can be done on a rectangular, square, or irregularly shaped area. The defining elements of such zoning are the paths dividing the site, which are laid diagonally, from corner to corner. Sometimes designers, when drawing up a diagram, prefer to completely move away from horizontal and vertical lines, even planning to place the house diagonally on the site.
The main “reference lines” are diagonally drawn tracks This method of placing objects will visually expand the space and make the area more spacious. In addition, there is the possibility of original distribution of zones. With this approach, many more of them can be identified, since the constructed paths will connect the corners of the territory, which quite often remain completely unused.
Diagonal planning is usually used if it is planned to complete the entire design of the site in a certain style.
- Irregular planning
Irregular planning involves different ways of organizing zones. Elements of rectangular, diagonal and curved layout can be used here, but they must be mutually placed so that they are in harmony with each other.
On the presented plan, which was drawn up for a specific site, you can clearly see all the zones of the territory planned by the designer:
1 – Entry zone, naturally located in the front part of the site, facing the road. Here a covered parking lot can be arranged for a car or a full-fledged garage can be built.
2 – The entrance area is a continuation of the entrance area. A path leading to the house is arranged on it, and it is most often decorated with flower beds.
3 – The recreation area is almost always located in the depths of the site, but not far from the residential building. In this area they organize a children's playground, a swimming pool, a gazebo, and install swings or garden benches for relaxation. Fruit or ornamental trees can also be planted here.
4 – The utility zone is most often located in the far corner of the site. The necessary outbuildings are being erected there, and a sanitary area is being installed - a summer shower and toilet.
5 – The vegetable garden in this diagram is located in the corner part of the territory. If this zone is organized in this way, then the fencing of the site in this place should not be continuous, since usually garden crops need natural ventilation, otherwise a lack of sun and an excess of moisture can lead to rotting of vegetables right in the beds.
6 – Alpine slide. Usually it is also included in the recreation area, but is located somewhat separately, since it can become a corner of solitude, sometimes so necessary for communicating with nature.
7 – Garden area. Decorative and fruit trees and shrubs are planted here, and this area of the dacha can also be used for recreation.
Irregular site planning can be applied to areas of any geometric shape. When distributing zones, you do not have to adhere to any strict rules for the location of objects not connected by communications, which is why this type of planning is quite popular among land owners.
- Curvilinear planning
Curvilinear planning can be called spontaneous, since the paths on the site are laid along convenient well-trodden routes. Therefore, in landscape design this type of zone distribution is called natural or natural.
Emphasized smoothness of lines is the basic principle of curvilinear planning In this option for arranging the site, there are no straight or sharp corners, and all paths have smooth, almost imperceptible turns, so the area looks aesthetically pleasing and elegant. Various shrubs are planted along the paths passing through the area, flower beds are created, which will need to be carefully monitored throughout the summer, otherwise they will quietly begin to take over the path area.
- Tangents and arcs in layout
The use of tangents and arcs in site planning can be applied to a site of any shape. This distribution of zones makes the territory more dynamic, where shapes and turns, replacing each other, have rounded corners, which is very comfortable for leisurely walks.
This type of site arrangement can be used for any architectural style of the house. In the presented diagram you can clearly see all the objects located on the site.
- Radial layout
A radial or circular planning scheme is distinguished by the fact that all the objects of the site are located in a circle or semicircle, which fit into a certain zone of the territory. In order to emphasize the unusual shape of the arrangement of elements on a rectangular plot, its corners are planted with shrubs or fruit trees.
In this case, when drawing up a project, in addition to a square grid, a compass is also used to draw a circle inscribed in a square or rectangular shape of the site and divided in the form of rays. Decorative landscape elements and main structures are located along these radially diverging rays.
A house in such a layout can be located in the central part of the circle or on one of the rays, but in order for the dynamics to be maintained, the building will have to fit harmoniously into this shape. If a residential building has already been erected on the site, then planning can be done around it or on one of its sides.
In the example project, a radial layout is used, inscribed in a square area:
1 – The residential building is located on the arc of the central circle.
2 – . A path leads to it, which is part of a circle located near the house.
3 – Garage. This building is located at the entrance to the territory, and its own semicircle is organized around it.
4 – Small secluded gazebo.
5 – Greenhouse located in the corner of the plot.
6 – The vegetable garden, located next to the greenhouse, has beds in the form of rays.
7 – Fruit trees are planted in this case along the edge of the plot.
8 – A children’s playground is installed next to the house, so it is clearly visible from its window, and the children will be under the control of adults.
9 – Rockery - a flowerbed with various plants well matched to each other, and additionally decorated with stones.
10 – Ornamental trees or shrubs. They can be selected in such a way that flowering will continue from early spring to late autumn.
11 – Paths that are located in circles.
12 – Entrance area, which can be used as a parking lot.
Criteria for determining the main purpose of the site
To apply one or another basic planning scheme, you need to decide in advance what the area around the house will be intended for:
- It will only be a place of relaxation, a vegetable garden, a garden or a complex divided into different zones.
- Will there be one of the types of artificial reservoirs located on the site - a pond, decorative waterfall, pool or fountain?
- Do you need a children's playground, and what will be on it?
- Will a zone be organized?
- Which outbuildings are proposed to be built on the site.
- The number of flower beds and their varieties.
- Do you need parking or a garage for a car at your dacha?
- Where will the sanitary zone be located - on the site or in the house itself.
After a clear answer to the above questions, the owner of the site will probably have the first outlines of a plan.
What needs to be taken into account in the project?
In order for the planning to be successful, the basis of the drawing must be taken from the site plan attached to the cadastral passport, which must be transferred to graph paper on a scale of 100:1, that is, 1 m of the site per 1 cm of the diagram. In the case when the house has already been erected, it is immediately drawn on the diagram, and other buildings, objects and landscape design elements begin to be “placed” around it.
Plumbing and artificial reservoirs
The plan for laying out water supply pipes must be drawn up as rationally as possible, since the created network must cover all areas where water is required - this is, first of all, a residential building, then a bathhouse, a swimming pool, a garage, a barbecue area, a garden and a vegetable garden.
- It is advisable to deepen the pipes into the ground by 500÷700 mm. If the pipeline is planned to be lightweight and will run on the ground, then it will have to be dismantled annually for the winter period and installed in place in the spring.
It often makes sense to limit yourself to light “summer” water supply - If the country house is planned to be used only in the summer, you can use ordinary reinforced hoses, polyethylene or polypropylene pipes, which are installed only for this time and are supplied to the required areas.
How to install a water supply system in a country house
This largely depends on the type of main water source. Read more about how you can in a separate publication on our portal.
- Next, the water supply is sent to the area where the bathhouse will be built, and a shower and toilet will be installed. Even if you plan to make a bathroom in the house, it is recommended to have a toilet on the site so that you don’t drag dirt into the house while working in the garden. It is best to install these objects in the far corner of the site.
A toilet and shower are usually installed in the complex, and sometimes a utility block is attached to them. Thus, you can save not only on materials, but also on the organization of sewerage.
Complete solution - toilet, outdoor shower and utility room Usually this zone is closed from prying eyes by tall shrubs or planted with evergreens such as pyramidal thuja, boxwood and others.
- Naturally, it is necessary to provide vegetable beds, berry bushes and fruit trees with high-quality watering. To do this, it is recommended to connect the water supply to the garden and vegetable area.
- If a swimming pool or pond is planned to be installed on the site, then it is also necessary to lay a pipeline to them, but not only for water supply, but also for sewerage. These reservoirs require periodic flushing and water changes.
It is also necessary to take into account the fact that a pool or pond is installed in different places, but for one or for another body of water, an important condition will be the absence of tall trees nearby.
The pool is usually located in an open sunny area near the house. It is desirable that it is clearly visible from the window, especially if the family has small children.
It is recommended to place the pond away from the house among low bushes that can shade the surface of the water, since ultraviolet rays will promote its flowering, and it will have to be changed frequently or a complex cleaning system must be provided.
This pond should not be located close to the house because in the evening many different insects gather in the grass near the water and will fly towards the light from the windows and into the house.
Artificial pond - decoration of a suburban area
It is quite possible to build such an original element of landscape design on your own. Read more about this in the special publication of the portal.
Sewerage
There is no way to do without a sewerage system or collection of household waste on a summer cottage, especially if the house is used for living all year round. In order to avoid problems with regulatory organizations, it is necessary, in accordance with existing sanitary standards, to correctly locate and equip a septic tank or an isolated cesspool on the territory. At the same time, they adhere to certain rules established by SNiP and SanPiN.
- Sewage pipes must be located at a distance of at least 10 m from the water main. If possible, the treatment or storage facility on the terrain of the site should be located below the water intake, so that in the event of a breakthrough, sewerage does not enter clean water.
- The septic tank must be located at least 5 m away from the foundation of the house - this will eliminate the risk of washing away the walls of the building in emergency situations, and will also eliminate the unpleasant odor in the house. However, you also need to know that you shouldn’t move the septic tank too far from the house, as this will cause internal blockages. If you still have to equip it at a more distant distance, then it is necessary to provide an inspection well every 15 m.
- The septic tank must be located at least 5 meters from a busy road.
- The septic tank is located from the fence between the sections at a distance of at least 2 m.
- The distance from fruit trees or bushes should be at least 3 m.
- The distance from a river or stream is 10 m, from a standing body of water - at least 30 m.
- The access to the inspection hatch of the septic tank must be free, since it will have to be periodically cleaned of accumulated sediments using sewage disposal equipment.
Based on the above, we can conclude that the sewer system and the location of the septic tank must be planned immediately when building a house before dividing the site into zones.
Sewerage in a country house is a serious issue
In order not to have problems with regulatory organizations, with the sanitary-epidemiological or environmental service, and with neighbors in the area, special attention will have to be paid to the issues - the details are set out in the corresponding article on the portal.
And another publication will help with solutions that optimally meet the specific conditions of living in a country house.
Basic elements of site arrangement and landscape design
- At the entrance to the site, parking for a car is often provided, with or without a canopy. If you are building not so much a summer cottage as a house for long-term or permanent residence, then it is more advisable to think about a permanent garage.
Sometimes a garage is also installed under the house, but this can only be foreseen at the stage of drawing up a project for a residential building, even before the foundation is built.
- Recently, more and more often, barbecue stoves are being installed in summer cottages, in their recreation areas. The convenience of this area is that it can serve as a gazebo and summer kitchen, allowing you to spend more time outdoors. Such zones are set up close to the house, but at the same time, not too close to it, so that during cooking, smoke does not enter the open windows of living quarters.
Great place to relax - barbecue area The stove itself cannot be installed under the canopy of trees, otherwise the hot air emanating from the pipe will dry out the leaves on the branches, after which the tree may die, and the leaves may easily ignite from a spark.
BBQ prices
- If you decide to install a gazebo instead of a barbecue area, it is usually placed near the house. The pleasant shade that will be created in it thanks to the dense greenery will provide an opportunity to relax in coolness and freshness on hot days. In addition, in such a place it is good to spend not only days, but also quiet evenings with a cup of tea and a pleasant conversation.
The variety of gazebos is extremely large, so it is possible to choose one that is suitable both in size and design, so that it fits harmoniously into the created landscape of the site.
- If there are children in the family, then you cannot do without a playground in the local area. It can be made stationary, but there is another solution. For example, the modern assortment of specialized stores includes original inflatable complexes, including slides, trampolines, pools, as well as other elements interesting for children.
A good solution - a safe inflatable playground The convenience of such towns is that they are stable, but light in weight, and they can be moved to a shady or, conversely, sunny place. In addition, for the winter they are easy to assemble, pack and do not take up much space in the pantry.
- If there is a plot of land, then few people will resist planting at least a small amount of herbs or vegetables in the beds. And in fact, you shouldn’t bring tomatoes or beets grown in Turkish greenhouses to your own dacha when you have the opportunity to get an environmentally friendly product from your own garden bed. To get a decent harvest, you need to choose the right place to arrange the beds. An open space on the south side of the house, where there is sun most of the day, is ideal for this.
Fruit trees and shrubs are usually planted along the fence - this way they will not block the natural light of the beds. Tall trees are often planted near the walls of a house to create dense shade and keep rooms cool on hot days.
- Many summer residents dream of receiving fresh vegetables already in the first month of summer, and for this they must install a greenhouse or hotbed. It is not at all necessary to build a large structure - it is often enough to allocate only two or three square meters of area for this. In early spring, seedlings grown in advance on the windowsill are planted under the film.
It is worth equipping the greenhouse in such a way that the film or transparent walls on it can be removed, periodically giving access to the greenery to fresh air and sunlight. When the weather is warm, such a greenhouse can easily be turned into a regular bed by removing the cover completely.
You can approach the construction of a greenhouse or hothouse creatively
Greenhouses and greenhouses can have very original designs, and a variety of, sometimes even unexpected, materials are used for their construction. If you want to get more information on this, take a look at the portal’s publication devoted specifically to these issues.
- Quite often, if you have a plot of land, you have a desire to start raising poultry, and it should be noted that this is quite possible to implement even on six acres by installing a compact and quite aesthetic chicken coop.
It is best to install this object at the end of the site, away from the residential building, so that the unpleasant odor does not enter the rooms through windows open in the summer.
Chicken coop prices
chicken coop
A chicken coop can fit perfectly into the overall style of the site
How to do it correctly, and what sizes and proportions should be followed - all this can be found out from a special publication on our portal.
- The Alpine slide has become one of the favorite elements of landscape design among owners of private houses. It can be located in a fairly large space or compactly occupy a small corner.
There are many different types of alpine slides, and choosing one of them to decorate a small corner will not be difficult. In fact, this decorative object is a kind of flower bed, raised above the main space of the site and decorated with plants that can grow on slopes among stones, as well as large and small boulders and pebbles.
To create an alpine slide, you can use the soil left after digging a pit for one of the buildings. To raise a hill, it is not necessary to use fertile soil - it will be enough to lay it only as a top layer, the thickness of which is determined by the depth of the root system of the plants chosen for planting. Matched stones are placed around evergreen shrubs and decorative perennial grass. An alpine slide can be installed near a pond or in front of the windows of a house, so that you can admire the flowering plants and their harmonious arrangement on the slope of this artificial elevation.
- Upon completion of site planning, all objects on it are connected by paths, which can be laid from various materials. The paving should be laid out in a place prepared in advance for it.
To form paths, fine crushed stone, slabs of different sizes and shapes, round timber sawn from tree trunks and other, sometimes completely unexpected materials are used.
Paths in the country - room for creativity
Creative owners should not have problems creating convenient and beautiful paths on their territory. How to rationally arrange them, and what can be used to cover them - all this is described in detail in a separate publication on the portal.
- After distributing the paths throughout the territory, you can think about their design. The best option, which will emphasize the direction of the paths and become a wonderful decoration of the entire site, is to arrange flower beds.
Flowerbeds can be of different shapes and sizes - specialists involved in landscape design have special templates for their arrangement. If there are no flower beds on the site, then it looks boring and uninteresting, so you should not give up this decorative element, although it will cause quite a lot of trouble, as it requires constant care. And it is best to make flower beds from different varieties of plants, which will replace each other with flowering, starting from the warm spring months and ending in late autumn.
In addition to laying out flower beds, free areas of the site are often decorated with various decorative items that can be made independently - you just need to use your imagination and make some effort.
Video: basic rules for placing objects on a suburban area
Procedure for drawing up a plan
Now, having information about all the main functional and decorative structures and elements that can be located on the territory of a suburban area, in summing up it is necessary to consider the general sequence of drawing up the plan:
- The first step is always choosing a place to build a house.
- If you plan to install a bathroom in the house, then, when determining the location of the building, you immediately calculate the area where the septic tank will be installed and the sewer pipes coming from the house will be laid.
- Next, it is planned to build a parking lot or garage.
- If necessary, the location of the summer toilet and shower is outlined, which, in order to save space and money on building materials, can be combined into a complex and installed in the far corner of the site.
- After this, you need to determine a place for the vegetable garden and garden plantings.
- Places are allocated for recreation areas - children's playground, barbecue, gazebo, etc.
- When these objects requiring communications are distributed, the layout of stationary or summer water supply pipes must be indicated on the plan. At the same time, the issue of laying power cables, if necessary, is being considered.
- The next stage is planning specific landscape design objects - a pond and an alpine slide.
- After that, you can think about the remaining elements of the landscape design.
- Now you can unite all the objects with paths along which you can place flower beds or flower borders.
It may be necessary to draw several site plans so that each stage of the arrangement (for example, laying communications) is visible as clearly as possible. Therefore, separate schemes will be required, but they all must be fully consistent with each other.
Drawing up a plan for placing everything necessary on a garden plot is a creative process that requires imagination, the use of your own developments and ideas within the framework of existing standards related to fire safety and environmental safety. Of course, you can entrust site planning to specialists who know their business and do it professionally, but this will be quite expensive. And, frankly speaking, no one other than the owners will be able to better provide for all their own needs and wishes aimed at maximizing the comfort of living in their possessions.
Video: several examples of successful planning of a suburban area