If it so happens that there is no natural watercourse on the territory of the infield, do not despair. Having set a goal, having a margin of patience and a great desire can be made a dry stream. It will become a worthy analogue to water. A fragment of garden design is created from stones, different in diameter and shape. This technique is used quite often by designers. Dry streams visually very similar to natural, look rather unusual and will become an ornament of each site.
Content
Interior of a section with a dry stream, advantages
An impeccably made dry stream has the appearance of a freshly dried pond. It seems that after the first rain it will be the same as it was before. This version of landscape design is very popular in Japan. This country is famous for its gardens of stones. Such gardens are interesting for their water imitation, unique beauty and a peculiar aura.
Dry creek will ideally fit into any style of registration of the site. This is an excellent alternative to an artificially made reservoir, the construction of which will require a long time, significant financial investments and constant special care in the process of operation.
Just like any other design, the dry creek has its pros and cons. First, its construction will require much less financial investment than the creation of a stream with a water flow.
In order to create a dry stream at the dacha with their own hands is not needed:
- to buy expensive equipment for the formation of water flow (which necessarily requires the construction of a living stream),
- do not need to make efforts and spend time on leveling the site for construction,
- there is no need to consult experienced designers.
Almost everyone can do the work on creating a dry stream independently. The construction will need a maximum of a week.
Maintenance of the structure and the period of operation is reduced to minimal and not complex actions:
- cleaning stones,
- elimination of weeds,
- watering the flowers planted next to the creek.
Care of the water stream is more complicated and time-consuming: water and drain cleaning, control of water supply. In addition to this, it is not unimportant that the water will in any case attract mosquitoes, small gnats and other insects that do not please people by their stay, but who are so fond of water.
Creating such a design of the stream, the owner will be able to realize his original ideas. On the perimeter of the structure can be planted any plants that do not have a special binding to a permanent high humidity.
The main and perhaps the only drawback of such a design solution is the fact that the dry stream, unlike the water stream, will not refresh the air in a hot summer afternoon, will not make you happy with soothing gurgling, you will not enjoy crawling with a toad and the like. If the owner does not intimidate similar disadvantages, then you can begin planning the creation of a structure and therefore, proceed with construction.
Dry creek with own hands
The main material for creating such a structure is stones of various colors and sizes. The greatest demand is gravel and pebbles. The cost of such material is not great, you can buy it in almost any specialized store, while the coloring of the stones can be quite diverse. These advantages made the material the most optimal for creating a dry stream.
The stones have a wide color spectrum (from pale gray to dark blue and green), which in turn makes it possible to mark the shallows and the depth in the brook. In addition to gravel and gravel, other materials are also used: basalt and slate, granite and limestone (their application will add a stream of red-brown shades). In order to give a more plausible visual impression of the stream, all used stones should be smooth, smaller ones of which are recommended to be placed on the bottom of a dry reservoir, and larger ones should be installed along its edges.
Decoration of the boundary of the stream can be performed both by natural stones and by acquired ones. In addition to stones, glass can also be used to create a stream, for example, balls. They are very appropriate to look at the bottom surrounded by stones.
With the possibility and desire, instead of glass balls you can use pieces of light or white marble. Stacking stones can be made on the edge. The multiple number of ribbed parts visually, to a greater extent will resemble the aspiration of the water flow. There are cases when the selection of a suitable raw material for any reason is not possible. Then you have to pick up a brush and paint the stones with special water-resistant and burn-in paints.
Dry creek with own hands in stages
The most basic and most difficult task of creating a dry reservoir is to maximize the visual perception to the form of a real water stream.
If the task is not performed, then most likely, the construction will resemble a senseless accumulation of various stones. in order to avoid such an accident, before the construction begins it is worthwhile to carefully study the process and points of arrangement of the dry stream. Only in this case it is possible to achieve good results.
The source, by analogy with the natural, should be located on a small hill, resembling a rock. Ideally, when there is a small hill on the plot, it is simply decorated with stones. When the site is flat, on it, in the place chosen for construction, have several large stones.
The bed should be made meandering, in certain places to perform a sharp expansion, and then narrowing. This technique of creating a channel visually increases the space. It is also important to choose a good location for the brook placement on the site. It is necessary to remember one regularity: in a small area of the infield area, the decor elements should be of an elegant form.
The mouth must be a logical completion of the design. For example, you can combine a small dry creek and a pond. The pond should be made from the same source material and in addition, surrounded by greenery, decorated with marsh plants and so on.
Correctly designed dry reservoir will be an excellent place for spending free time. At the same time, he will be able to hide the relief flaws and, if necessary, divide the territory into zones.
And also it will help to hide engineering and technical communications, thus leaving them easily accessible.
Technical advice on the construction of a dry reservoir
After the place under the creek is determined, you can start digging not a deep canal, about 20-30 cm deep.
Deeper do not do it - it will not look natural. Ditch carefully tamped and laid water repellent and waterproof material (geotextile or lutrasil). If desired, you can lay ruberoid or building film. This layer will prevent the germination of grass.
The design of stones is to start with the largest ones and position them along the edges. After, the bed is covered with a layer of sand, crushed stone or claydite. Now you can proceed with the laying of smaller stones, gradually covering the bottom of the stream.
More on the construction of a dry stream - on video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLAxa_Df8nw
Some useful recommendations
In the creation of such a decorative element there are several tricks:
- if you take a flat pebble, set it on an edge parallel to the banks, you get a quick flow effect;
- if, approximately in the middle of the structure, a large boulder is placed or a sand bank is made, and a pebble is placed around the edge, an illusion of the whirlpool will be created;
- if in the middle of a pond to lay stones of dark color, then visually it will become deeper, hence a lighter material will be suitable for the formation of a shallow and coastal zone;
- for a more natural perception, you can build a bridge through a dry stream with your hands from an ordinary log, a concrete slab or planks and finish it in accordance with the style of the garden.
As you can see, it is not difficult at all to decorate a personal plot with your own hands, it will only be necessary to select and implement several elements of decorating the garden, thus, from the outset, be sure that they fit well into the general picture and will correspond to the style of your garden.
When choosing it is desirable to pay attention to the options for decor, which require minimal maintenance of both financial and physical strength for their maintenance. Dry creek with a dry pond completely meet these requirements. Try to create a dry stream by yourself, photos from the Internet will help find interesting ideas in the style you need.
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