Swiss style landscape design

The Swiss style is not as well known. In contrast to the famous landscapes of Switzerland with their miniature cities and majestic Alps.

The Swiss direction of landscape design belongs to the category of little-studied. And it is considered the lot of true connoisseurs of unusual techniques in the design of gardens. This style will suit those who prefer a bright, ceremonial atmosphere. Welcomes Swiss precision in everything. And strives to reach the limits of perfection.

The Swiss Garden is not a place to walk. This is an idealized corner for the contemplation of vibrant colors. As well as fancy lines. The panoramas of these gardens are reminiscent of the illustrations in the books of fairy tales. Or pictures created by the imagination of an artist. Throughout its history, the Swiss horticultural tradition has gone from the familiar humble vegetable garden of utilitarian significance to the modern ornamental garden.

Let's look at the basic principles of Swiss-style landscape design.

Swiss style: mixed design

It was the Swiss who introduced the principle of mixed design into garden art. Because pragmatic garden beds successfully coexist with romantic flower beds, complementing each other. Gardeners all over the world have appreciated the beauty of ornamental gardens. Because they combine, as a rule, opposite concepts. Namely: benefit and beauty. Swiss flower beds are traditional and even ascetic in shape. But they are absolutely fantastic in their content. Vegetable crops and medicinal herbs successfully set off bright and frivolous flower arrangements.

Dominance of flower beds

The entire territory of a modern Swiss garden is an alternation of geometrically correct flower beds maintained in a single ornamental design. At the same time, you should not be afraid of the boring repetition of the same forms. Diverse silhouettes form a single semantic composition.

Flower beds are small in size. And they resemble tiny brooches or jewelry boxes decorated with flowers. The Swiss love symmetry. Smaller and varied in shape flowerbeds, arranged in a mirror around the central flower garden, form a whole labyrinth.

It is preferable to fill flower beds with one or more plants of similar color. To achieve the effect of a solid colored spot, shaped like a cloud. As a frame, the Swiss style allows you to use only modest and at the same time expressive boxwood border... The strict green frames filled with monochromatic plants look flawless.

Band framing

Along the perimeter of the Swiss garden, at the borders of individual zones, along fences and walls, there are always long ridges filled with lush vegetation. Their purpose is to create a picture of continuous flowering. Vines that create a green frame are used to frame gazebos, walls and vertical accessories.

Ribbon beds are filled with colorful plants that challenge the strict geometry of the garden. Daffodils, peonies, dahlias, and carnations are ideal for this. And also cornflowers, phloxes, marigolds. The main principle that you need to be guided by when creating frames from rabatki and mixborders is bright splendor. Which is gracefully inscribed in a strict form.

Swiss style: mulched paths

The Swiss style does not recognize stone paving on paths and areas. And prefers gravel. And also mulching paths with chopped tree bark. The paths themselves should not interfere with the composition of the garden and break the lawns in straight lines. In a Swiss garden, they wind between flower beds. They are woven into a whimsical web of soft loops and waves. It is customary not to pave even terraces and recreation areas. And use a more environmentally friendly wood flooring.

Contrast of bright colors and neutral background

Boxwood curbs, tree paths, light gravel paths, green lawns create a calm and respectable backdrop. Flower beds, mixborders and flower beds stand out in bright spots on it. Harmony is achieved by balancing the riot of colors with modesty and monotony of the base. This allows you to choose the brightest varieties of plants for filling flower beds. And don't overdo it. The noble frame will balance all the most daring combinations. And will create an exquisite color symphony.

Annual plants

The Swiss style suits the annual gardener like no other. Years traditional for this direction. Namely: geranium, begonias, marigolds. And also snapdragons, marigolds, petunias, mallow, sunflowers.

Perennials

The Swiss love of annual crops does not mean that there is no room for perennials in their gardens. You should know which perennial crops are considered traditional for this area of ​​landscape design. And feel free to use them as a basis for your compositions.

These include roses. The flowerbed classics are usually especially welcome in the Swiss garden. Along with them, daylilies, dahlias, asters, irises, and carnations are used to decorate flower beds and mixborders. And also wormwood, sage and thyme referring to the rural romance.

Wooden fences

Do not forget about the rural basis of the Swiss style. Because it got its development thanks to the decoration of initially purely practical vegetable gardens. The introduction of wooden fences and fences into the overall composition of the garden will give the landscape an aura of tradition. Place them around the perimeter of the garden area. Or at the borders between purely decorative corners and seating areas. Fences do not need painting. Natural shades of wood will be the most suitable in style. As a last resort, let's say white for a picket fence.

Lack of accessories

In a Swiss garden, the plants themselves are the best and only accessories. Of course, there are outbuildings on the site. As well as lighting, fences and enclosures. But there is no place for garden sculpture here.

Swiss style: order and care

And yet, the basis of Swiss-style landscape design is made up of correct geometric lines. And also flawless frames for bright redundancy of flower beds. The strict order needs constant maintenance in order to maintain the exemplary appearance of the paths and paths. As well as continuous flowering in mixborders, flower beds and ridges. Cleanliness and harmonious arrangement of garden buildings. In short, this style is designed for hardworking and caring gardeners.

The Swiss style, as a rule, copies the typical panoramas of Switzerland with its miniature towns. Because they combine urban neatness and severity of form with the lush romance of the countryside. Following the time-tested Swiss traditions, a gardener who respects this tradition will create a garden ensemble that is amazing in its harmonious brightness.