Arrangement, design and decoration of the "dry stream" with their own hands. We create a realistic dry stream in the country without much effort: photos with examples of imitation of water arteries in landscape design

Neat, stylish and setting the right atmosphere landscape design is the key to success in the design of any suburban area or cottage. Today, there are more and more new ideas for its arrangement, but some of them have been thought out for a long time - and remain relevant even after long periods of time.

For example, the idea of ​​creating dry streams is not considered new, which allows you to add color to any free corner of the recreation area.

To make the suburban area even more comfortable, in almost any summer cottage, you can create an imitation of a stream in a free area.

Look at a photo of a dry stream in landscape design - and you will see how diverse such decor can be.

Dry stream in the flowerbed, photo

How did this idea come about?

The first dry streams were created seven centuries ago in Japan. They decorated philosophical gardens with stone decor and allowed thinkers to think about issues of harmony and the meaning of life. When such a religion began to spread, the relevance of the use of dry streams became characteristic of Western countries.

As a rule, such decorative elements are created in areas where it is not possible to create decorative water objects. At the same time, the semantic load of dry streams is similar, and when contemplating them, one gets the impression that the water has dried up and will reappear after rain.

If you adhere to Eastern traditions and signs, a dry stream can also become a source of replenishment of positive energy for you, as well as ensuring the well-being of the whole family.

Dry stream, photo

Features of a dry stream and its advantages

A traditional dry creek consists of small, smooth, pebble-like rocks that mimic the surface of water, as well as large rocks that mimic rapids or waterfalls in the area. In addition to these elements, other details are installed to create accents on the dry stream area and make it even more presentable.

But not only the original appearance can be considered the advantage of such a decorative object. Here are a few more benefits of dry streams:

• you can form a dry stream in the country with your own hands without the involvement of specialists and significant expenses for arrangement;
• you can create such a corner for relaxation in just a couple of days: all you need is to decide on a place and do some simple work;
• caring for a dry stream is easy, because all you need is to adjust its shape if necessary;
• unlike water bodies, algae and sediments do not accumulate in such a stream. You will save on compressors and cleaning mechanisms;
• weather conditions will not affect the appearance or quality of the materials used, so the dry stream will serve you for more than one year;
• if you want to plant flowers or other vegetation next to a dry stream, you do not have to focus on the sensitivity of green spaces to moisture;
• mosquitoes will not gather over dry streams, so you will ensure your rest without discomfort;
• such a stream is safe for the child, and you do not have to worry about him when relaxing in the fresh air;
• stones in a dry stream can be used to mask individual communications, while maintaining access to these elements.

Attention! It is also worth noting the functionality of such objects. Dry streams can be used as drainage for rainwater in the garden or as a kind of stormwater along the paths.

Dry streams allow solving some of the difficulties associated with the relief. For example, in the presence of a slope, a stone stream created by oneself will make it possible to give an organic appearance to this zone. And if you plant flowers and herbs nearby, such a zone will become even more expressive, and green spaces will look appropriate.

An alpine slide with a dry stream or other objects with such a decorative element will emphasize your sense of style and individuality.

Dry stream design, photo

We think over the design

We have already noted that the device of a dry stream in landscape design can be the most diverse. It also depends on the climate (you will have to choose plant varieties based on weather conditions), and on the area used for decoration.

A dry stream of stones must be designed so that the imperfections of the relief are not conspicuous. For example, if you make it narrow and winding, you can visually make this area deeper and increase the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe garden plot. To simulate water, use small stones of a dark shade, and in order to create original thresholds, choose lighter and larger elements.

If you plan to create a decorative dry stream in a soft blue color scheme, stop at basalt, slate or gneiss. A dry stream in a garden in a green or red-brown palette can be decorated with granite pebbles.

With the help of certain types of stones, you can create lighter or darker accents. For example, the expressiveness of white color is emphasized by marble or limestone details. And you can create a shimmering effect by adding balls or glass-based stones to the design of dry streams.

Advice: Depending on the materials used, decide how you can paint the stones for a dry stream in order to diversify the color scheme of such an area.

Interesting ideas of dry streams are obtained with the addition of floral details. It can be a central island of flowers or individual accents throughout the stream. We advise you not to use many bright colors for a dry stream at once, but to focus on options that harmoniously complement each other and other elements.

The most successful option is flowers with bluish hues. Plant bluebells, bearded irises, fescues, or mosquito grasses in the makeshift stream area. Flower beds from flower vegetation can be made in several tiers.

Plants for a dry stream: photo, with names

To make the design of a dry stream look realistic, think about companion plants that evoke an association with water features. For example, as additional plants for a dry stream, you can take plants with the following names: miscanthus, reed arundo, Chinese reed.

The next interesting idea is a dry stream with a bridge. It is made on the basis of a solid natural block or log. A bridge for a dry stream is most often chosen when such decor takes up a lot of space. This object will emphasize the realism of your idea and create the appearance of crossing a real water body.

You can also create an imitation of the transition through the seething water with the help of large pebbles on the surface of such a stream.

Bridge over a dry stream, photo

Advice: look at examples of dry stream design with a bridge and a windmill: such a composition will make your site even more attractive.

When planning elements for a dry stream, be guided by how harmoniously they will look with the existing objects on the site. It is important that the natural landscape is combined with the materials in your country house or emphasizes a single style. By the way, a dry stream can serve as an element of zoning the territory of your site, and with partial isolation, it can be supplemented with details that will distinguish the recreation area from the rest.

There are many more options for decorating a dry stream. For example, place street lamps or benches nearby. And in some places you can put figures of frogs, storks and other representatives of the fauna that are suitable for water bodies.

Preparatory work

Now let's find out how to make a dry creek. First you need to consider the location, shape and parameters of such an object. Draw for yourself a diagram of a dry stream - and then transfer its contours to the desired surface. Recreate the bends with the help of twine and sand (we advise you not to give them a strict geometric shape, but to make them arbitrary). Form the source of a stream on a hill.

When calculating the depth of the channel, the width of the created decorative element should be taken into account. Ideally, it should be twice the depth. For example, when creating a stream 1.5 meters wide, you should make a 75-centimeter depth. Now you can start the process of digging the foundation under the dry stream in the garden.

Remove the top layer of sod, form the trench walls at a 45 degree angle. Remove excess vegetation and debris, get rid of the roots - and tamp the earth horizontally and slopes.

Unlike water bodies, for such an artificial stream we do not have to form a concrete base with waterproof properties. To maintain the shape of the brook, cover the ditch made with any material of good density, for example, lutrasil, roofing felt or polymer film.

How to make a dry stream with your own hands, photo

Next steps

We continue to make a dry stream with our own hands in stages, and now we need to lay out the stones on the formed surface. Start laying out from the bottom of the channel, after sprinkling it with crushed stone and expanded clay (the height of the layer should be on average about five centimeters). Next, sprinkle the surface with sand.

Since our stream will flow from imitation rock, use the largest pebbles. Form a mound, install stones, and fill the gaps between them with crushed stone so that such a composition looks holistic.

Do-it-yourself dry stream, photo

You can see clearly how to create a dry stream in the landscape design of your garden in this video:

Next, proceed to create an imitation of the flow of a mountain stream. For these purposes, use a flat pebble. Volumetric pebbles are best placed along the two edges of the stream. Here, form a line of the coast, laying out large blocks.

The shallow water area of ​​our homemade stream will be formed using small pebbles or other stones. Rough currents can be simulated using flat pebbles laid out on the edge. Decorate the center of the channel with a hewn boulder, and decorate it around with a homemade whirlpool of pebbles.

You can play around with the depth of a homemade "water" object. The darker the stones, the deeper the area will appear. Accordingly, we form shallow water zones from light stones, glass or plastic.

If you are afraid for the destruction of the composition during heavy rains, you can strengthen the elements of a dry stream by making a reliable base for them, filled with a solution of sand and cement. Stones are laid in a solution in which they freeze. If necessary, cover them with paint of a suitable color.

Dry stream in the country, photo

And, of course, do not forget about additional decorative elements. Form a bridge, taking care of its reliable fastening. If you wish, decorate the bridge itself with a decorative fence or lamps.

Dry stream with a bridge, photo

The stream must pass through it. Place a small windmill or other structures nearby that will look harmonious against the general background. They should also be built into the ground so that during periods of strong winds these parts do not tilt.

After installing these elements, it remains to think about decorating the stream with natural vegetation. If necessary, prepare the soil around the stream or in areas where you plan to plant. You can form small borders to make the borders look neat. Plant plants, taking into account their aggressiveness towards each other.

And do not forget to take care of the green areas of your composition in a timely manner: they will need to be weeded and watered. Annual flowers and plants will have to be removed after the end of the season, so it is better to stay on more unpretentious plants.

Do-it-yourself dry stream in the country, photo

By the way, it is not at all necessary to strictly adhere to our recommendations for arranging such a recreation area. Feel free to implement your own ideas. The main thing is that such a streamlet looks realistic and retains its shape, otherwise you will have to constantly adjust it.

See the options for such a decor - and you can start drawing up a plan for a dry stream on your site.

photo gallery

Look at another small selection of photo ideas of dry streams and options for their use in the landscape design of the site:

Water is a traditional element of the Japanese garden, symbolizing purity and thirst for life, and its flow is the transience of time. In those cases when the use of water turned out to be impossible, the Japanese use a special technique - a dry stream in landscape design- he very accurately conveys the spirit of the elements, creating the impression that the water of the source has only dried up, and the next rain will bring the stream back to life again, filling the channel with life-giving moisture.

Dry stream in landscape design

The first thing that attracts a dry stream is the absence of the need to purchase water purification and supply systems, expensive compressors, which are a mandatory attribute when creating artificial reservoirs on the site. In addition, it is very easy to care for, unlike a pond, it does not require cleaning from algae and lime deposits. We note other advantages:

• speed of creation - to create a dry stream, significant investments are not required, all work (choosing a place, designing a contour, selecting materials, arranging a pit and installing stones) will take 2-3 days
• ease of care - it will only be necessary to maintain the shape of the channel and remove the emerging weeds
• large selection of plants - if planting near a natural reservoir is limited exclusively to moisture-loving plants and flowers, then almost any plants can be planted along a dry stream
• unlike real water bodies, mosquitoes will not start in a dry stream

However, a dry stream in the country can also be used as drainage if it is located in a place where storm water is actively draining.

Despite the fact that there is no clear and unambiguous division into types, the design of a dry stream, albeit rather conditionally, is divided into three types:

• meandering stream - the simplest option, imitating one channel, narrowing and expanding along the entire length. Such a stream seeks to convey the movements of a real stream as accurately as possible, therefore, when planning it, it is necessary to accurately take into account the features of the relief, because water, for example, cannot flow upward
• forked channel - this design is much more difficult in terms of practical implementation, as it is a harmonious combination of several channels that periodically connect and diverge in different directions. A feature of the design of such a stream is the use of sand jets in addition to stone, with the help of which they imitate narrow (up to 20 cm) channels

• waterfall (cascade) - in this case, you will need a hill on which the source of the stream is located, for which you can use a jug (a traditional option for a dry Mediterranean-style stream) or a specially designed well or rock. The stream seems to fall in a winding shape.

Do-it-yourself dry stream: step by step and in detail

With the help of competent planning of the location of the bed of a dry stream, you can hide some imperfections in the relief or veil some objects that are not quite aesthetically attractive, for example, a sewer manhole (but at the same time, which is important, completely retaining access to it).

To create a dry stream in the country with his own hands, he begins with the design of contours that are “drawn” with ordinary sand, taking into account the shapes and features of the landscape of the site. Such a contour is easily adjusted in order to achieve the most harmonious combination of a dry stream with other decorative elements. To make the stream look as natural as possible, straightness should be avoided, especially in a small area - a winding stream will visually add depth to the area.

Having decided on the size, shape and location of the channel, they proceed to the practical part:

• excavation - along the marked sand lines, a trench is dug with a depth of about 20-25 cm. The bottom is well tamped and lined with geotextiles - this will prevent the germination of grass. It is not necessary to fill the bottom with cement mortar (although such recommendations can be found) - on the one hand, this immediately significantly increases the cost of the project, on the other hand, it will create problems in the future when redevelopment of the site
• selection of stones - to give the channel a sandy-brown hue, crushed stone of granite, limestone or marble is used. Gray blue The gamma of the stream can be achieved by covering the channel with geys or shale. To obtain a shimmering effect, some of the stones can be painted with waterproof paint, and varnishing, due to the overflow of sunlight, will give the composition a “wet” effect. Melted glass laid on top of stones will look spectacular

Advice! The most complete illusion of water flow can be achieved by adding a scattering of glass beads or granules to the composition.

• stone laying - when the trench is ready, begin to lay the stones. The coastline is laid out with large, large cobblestones - they will be a support for the inner edges, smaller pebbles are randomly poured between them. To imitate rapids in the channel, flat large stones are installed, preferably of a light shade, mounted on an edge. Several especially large stones laid in the middle of the channel will create the effect of an island.

The article will tell you what a dry stream is, what main functions this decorative element of the landscape has, what materials and plants are best used for this, step-by-step technology for its construction. After studying the material, you will know what to talk about with a landscape designer and craftsmen who have been entrusted to make this element of the landscape on their own suburban area.

Source nstyl.com.ua

History of occurrence

The modern device of a dry stream is an interpretation of Japanese stone gardens. Every inhabitant of the country of the Rising Sun is very sensitive to nature. It is elevated to the rank of a spiritual object and is part of philosophical teachings. Many, looking at beauty, learn to meditate and find answers to the questions of the universe. It was for these purposes that seven hundred years ago small stone gardens were created, in which there were dry streams.

The contemplator could observe their channel and imagine how it is about to begin to fill with water and turn into a full-flowing river. Such illusions, psychologists assure, are very useful for restoring peace of mind. A person, plunging into himself, has the opportunity to reflect on his life, analyze his actions and think about plans for the future. Over time, this idea of ​​landscape design has become widespread in the West. Now it is being actively developed in Russia.

Source cruisebe.com

The main functions and advantages of the new element

Today, a dry stream in landscape design helps to clearly distinguish between different functional areas, to designate the center of the garden. It is able to act as a well for drainage, to be an element of the drainage system. Such a structure can become in demand where there are deep crevices in the plots, into which meltwater rushes in spring. It is also advisable to make streams of stones where it is not possible to form a real reservoir on the site for some technical reasons.

Many, coming to the country, simply do not want to maintain pumping equipment, to clean such objects from sludge. All this is very labor intensive. In an artificial stream, there is no need to constantly change the water; algae will not grow in it, covering the bottom of real reservoirs.

A musty smell will not emanate from the described object, on the contrary, if you choose the right plants and plant them along its borders, it is easy to create flowering carpets that are fragrant with a pleasant delicate aroma. Clouds of mosquitoes, midges will never gather around a dry stream, a dry stream in the country is a safe place for small children and animals.

Source gomelgazon.by

Such elements fit perfectly into the design of any suburban area. They favorably emphasize the advantages of the relief, the dignity of the chosen landscape concept. With the help of them, you can successfully hide drain pits or sewer manholes.

There are different types of performance. Choosing a particular object, it is easy to create unique elements, to realize your most diverse fantasies, because there are a variety of materials and plants for this.

Source fotovmire.ru

Where and how best to place streams without water

You can make a decorative stream anywhere: in the shade of plants, on the sunny side, on a hill, inside a hollow. But in order for the described object to look organic, you need to use the following tips:

Choosing dimensions of an artificial reservoir, area must be taken into account. If it is large, it is possible to create not only flowing rivers, but also large lakes.

By creating forms, you can visually change garden space: on a long elongated section, a round lake will help to separate and make two different zones of the same shape. A winding stream will help visually lengthen a wide area.

Defining geometry of a dry reservoir, designers sometimes create one channel or several branches, with the help of a pebble stone they try to recreate the flows of seething water hugging islands of rock-rocks. Such techniques always look the most impressive.

Denoting the shape described landscape object, you need to remember that how a real river flows. If you change the width of the channel in different areas, you can achieve the greatest naturalness. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the described element has clear compositional structures. It consists of two elements: the source and the mouth.

Source green-dream.com.ua

Experts recommend that the source be located on a small hill. This technique will form the center of the future composition. It looks beautiful when an artificial stream originates from a rock or a hill of large stones of irregular shape or from a grotto, during the creation of which a human hand is felt. When creating it, you can use the simplest tricks: fold wells from pebbles, various thresholds, reminiscent of a waterfall cliff.

The mouth is an imitation of the place where the stream flows into a small lake. It looks very nice when voluminous large plants (ferns, astilbes, hostas) are planted at the end of an artificial stream. With the help of them, the illusion is created that the water flow is hidden under them and goes somewhere to infinity.

Maybe a dry stream on the site goes under the fence. It is also capable of being a symbolic completion of a stream of stone. If there is a decorative fountain or a natural stream on the territory of the dacha, designers willingly use it and combine two objects together. To do this, they use the same elements (similar types of finishes, the same plants). The overall composition looks very decorative.

Source thespruce.com

Main types

There is no clear breakdown into separate varieties. A flight of fancy plays a key role, but still experts distinguish three types that can be taken as the basis for performance.

winding body of water. Its breakdown implies the presence of one channel, which narrows and expands in different areas, somewhere goes around some islands. The creation of such an object involves the most accurate simulation of the movement of the river. This type of dry stream is best suited for large areas.

forked channel. This is a complex design. It must be carefully considered at the planning stage of landscape design. It involves the creation of several streams, connecting at one point, and then diverging again in different directions. If the climatic conditions suggest the presence of a large amount of precipitation, it is better to create such an object from pebbles: sandy rivers will quickly be washed away by rain streams.

Cascades and waterfalls. To create such an embodiment, the presence of a hill is necessary. You need to place a source on it, and then lead the main stream from it.

Source brezhnevnews.ru

The simplicity of the construction, combined with excellent results, the absence of painful financial costs, the absence of complex maintenance explains why the popularity of such objects is steadily growing all over the world.

A step-by-step guide to creating a dry stream

The process of creating the described element of landscape design is simple. Today it is proposed to be implemented by many design companies and architectural bureaus. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the step-by-step instructions¸, which will allow you to avoid the most common mistakes and improve the quality of the finished result.

Beginning of work

First you need to draw the contours of the future object. For these purposes, they take sand and use it to make markings on the site. In order for the dry stream in the landscape design of the cottage to look as natural as possible, it is important to avoid clear geometric lines.

Selecting the right material

Most of all, river pebbles, marble chips or fine gravel are suitable for simulating the water surface. Today, such bases are on sale in a different color variety. Pebbles are gray-blue or beige, gravel is blue-green or blue, marble is silver or white. Objects that were created using different combinations look great.

Source landshaftm.ru

There are professional tricks that can be taken as a basis. Designers advise using pebbles or crumbs of light shades to create rapids and shallows, blue stone placers for deep whirlpools, and gray pebbles for a “running channel”. If the pebbles are driven with a rake, you can create slight irregularities in the waves. Rocks of various shapes will help direct the movement of the artificial stream. Designers sometimes create "whirlwinds" around them. They are formed with the help of smooth large pebbles laid out on edge.

Source sadogorodsad.ru

Pebbles and stones are painted before laying. If you choose a moisture-resistant paint for these purposes, you can create the effect of flickering water, if varnish, you get a wet effect. When a spray gun is used for this, the work becomes less labor intensive. Melted glass looks very nice, laid out on top of the stone base of the stream.

Pit arrangement

After the material is purchased and brought, the main amount of work begins. First of all, create a stream bed. A trench 30 cm deep is dug along the lines drawn from the sand along the entire length of the stream. The base is carefully tamped, and geotextiles are laid on the bottom. Its use will prevent the germination of grass, as well as significantly facilitate the process of caring for a new garden object. It is not necessary to fill the bottom with cement: this will immediately increase the estimate at times, in the future it will create problems with the redevelopment of the site.

Source furosemide.club

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer services for the construction of small architectural forms. You can directly communicate with representatives by visiting the exhibition of houses "Low-Rise Country".

Stone laying

They begin to create a stream from the edges: the coastline is formed using large cobblestones. They will be a backup for the inner edges. Thresholds are installed immediately. It is better to collect them from flat stones placed on edge. It is advisable to use light-colored material for the indicated purposes. After the free places are covered with small pebbles or stone chips.

Note! If the stream will be used as a drainage system, the stones must be fixed with a concrete solution, geotextiles should not be laid on the bottom. Otherwise, the water will quickly wash away the man-made stream, or it will turn into a swamp puddle.

Video description

The video shows how to build the simplest dry stream with a wooden bridge:

planting

Without green spaces, a man-made stream will not look complete. Therefore, rocky shores must be framed with plants. Designers recommend using those that are associated with the element of water for this. It can be a creeping tenacious, blue fescue, aubrieta, a large-leaved forget-me-not. The banks are decorated with any undersized shrubs. Lower tier with flowering plants. The main composition is to compose in such a way that, growing, it does not close the stream itself.

Source pinterest.com

flower stream

Such compositions invariably become the center of the landscape. Here you can turn on your imagination to the fullest and do whatever you want. If you choose profusely flowering plants with blue, blue or lilac inflorescences, you can create cool streams of water. Loberia, Portenschlag bell, gray fescue or lavender are best suited for these purposes.

White flowers (alissium, carnation-grass, turf), if planted near large stones, will form a light foam. What effect can be achieved in this case will be demonstrated by the following photo.

Source desktopbackground.org

Streams of their colors are an opportunity to experiment at their summer cottage. It can be changed every year with different landings. You can even consider seasonal content. At the same time, it is always possible to change the course of the stream. To do this, you just need to plant flowers where you want.

Video description

Ready-made ideas for creating flower streams in the video:

Additional decoration

An already finished object can be additionally decorated with wooden bridges, stone slabs thrown across the channel. Picturesque look garden sculptures, placed along the stream, street lamps. They bring a touch of romance, allow you to create an atmosphere of special comfort in the evening.

Source landscapee.ru

Necessary Care

Any element of landscape design requires maintenance. A stone stream is no exception. To maintain an attractive appearance, you need to carry out some work. They are as follows.

Important avoid excessive dryness of the soil throughout the man-made stream. The accumulation of stones forms a special microclimate, so that it is comfortable for plants to exist in it, it is necessary to water the stream with water.

To prevent the new landscape element from being covered weed blanket, it is necessary to periodically pull out weeds, release plantings from dry grass, from faded buds. It is important to regulate the height of the planted plants, try to prevent their strong growth.

Experts recommend watch out for insects, do not let the ants build their houses under the stones. They are the most common problem in the artificial landscape. Insects gradually destroy man-made objects. They prefer to build their homes under large boulders, so they need to be raised and inspected systematically. If this is not done, very soon islands of loose sand will appear in the stone stream.

Video description

A few ready-made dry stream ideas in the video:

Certain forces will require care associated with the change of seasons. At the beginning of spring, it is useful to loosen and fertilize the soil around the stream, then the greenery will actively grow throughout the warm period. At the end of summer, you will have to clean the stream from dry foliage, in winter, insulate plantings that are afraid of frost.

Conclusion on the topic

A stone stream is a structure that will invariably become the center of the local area. She is admirable, but only if she is properly cared for. If you want to create something similar in your country house, do not delay. This article will help to realize the dream, and the photo and video materials attached to it will clearly demonstrate how simple and easy it is to create an object of this kind. The main thing, as practice shows, is not to restrain your imagination. Give free rein to the designer, let him create.

It is impossible to get drunk from a dried up stream and launch a boat on its waves. A dry stream is an exclusively decorative element of landscape design and an excellent illustration of how the fashionable philosophical ideas of the East take root in Russian dachas.

We will talk about a decorative imitation of a dry stream with small pebbles, sand and plants planted on a rocky shore.

Dry stream design: who needs it?

The Japanese create their gardens for the purpose of contemplation and solitude. Everything from flowers to stone in the oriental garden does not excite, but calms and pacifies. We, unfortunately, are still far from the inhabitants of the East with their understanding of nature. Maybe because we are used to seeing in the nature of our native land a source of inspiration and vitality? It is clear that it is completely incorrect to compare the garden of a truly Russian person with a Japanese one. But many of the ideas came to our summer residents to their liking. Take at least a dry stream. It would seem that it is so easy to make it with your own hands: pick up a place, mark the channel, fill it with rubble or rounded pebbles, and plant beautiful flowers along the banks.

Yes and no. Of course, the creation of a dry stream is not as costly as, for example, the construction of a natural reservoir. But without competent planning and creative inspiration, the maximum effect of the similarity of a stream of pebbles with a real raging watercourse is not possible.

Let's start with the simplest dry stream scheme. She, for sure, will appeal to those who live with the dream of a beautiful garden, but are too lazy to do anything for this.

How to make a dry stream - step by step instructions

Scheme of the device of a winding dry stream for the laziest

The material was prepared for the site www.site

Place for a dry stream

Take a close look at the backyard. Look for any obvious imperfections in the terrain. Here we will veil them with the help of a winding bed of a rocky stream. A “dried” water stream will visually deepen the space, mask the flaws of a small area, visually make it larger and delimit it into functional zones.

dry stream plan

Your first step in creating an original decoration should be drawing the outline of the future stream. We will draw the borders not with a pencil, but with ordinary sand. To do this, lay a string on the ground, imitating the natural bends of the stream (the more irregular and unexpected the turns are, the more natural the water flow on the site will look). The source of the stream is best located on a small hill.

Dry stream depth

When calculating the depth of the channel, you need to focus on its width. The ideal ratio is 2:1. Those. if the width of your stream is one and a half meters, then its depth is 0.75 cm (a dry stream, the photo and diagram of which is presented below, is not more than a meter wide, respectively, the depth of the channel varies between 30-40 cm.

"Dig!" No, this is not a phrase from Galygin's miniature, but a gentle call to action. So, when the plan is outlined, you can proceed to digging work.

When removing the top layer of sod, it is important to make the walls of the trench at an angle of 45 degrees.

Then the channel must be cleaned of weeds, carefully removing their roots, and the soil should be well compacted along inclined and horizontal planes.

Let's leave a waterproof concrete base for a real stream with living water, and our decorative moat for the lazy will be lined with a dense (any!) covering material. Suitable and construction (polymer) film, and permeable lutrasil, and even roofing material.

The bottom of the dry riverbed

The laying of the bottom begins with the bottom of the channel, which must be covered with a layer of crushed stone or expanded clay (5 cm) and sprinkled with sand. And only then begin to lay the stream with stones of different sizes and shapes.

Dry stream stones

In our scheme (her photo can be seen below), we propose to use large cobblestones, medium and small pebbles of a gray-blue hue. Suitable basalt (rock of volcanic origin), slate (characterized by excellent texture and color) or gneiss (metamorphic, coarse shale rock). Stones in an artificial stream can be opened with a layer of varnish, making them “wet” or painted with waterproof paint in blue, azure or blue, shimmering in the dark.

Stone laying

• The place from which the water "flows" should look like a rock. Choose the largest stones and build a mound (places where the stones do not fit with each other need to be filled with small gravel).

• Form the effect of a mountain stream from flat pebble stones. Lay more convex stones around the edges.

• Equip the coastline with the remaining large boulders (it will look more natural if one coast turns out to be steeper, “rocky”, and the other is gentle). Those. concentrate all the large stones on one side of the dry stream, and decorate the other side with smaller rough stones.

• Scatter small pebbles on the "shallow water".

• Create a "stormy rapid current" with the help of flat pebbles laid on the edge.

• In the middle of the "water" channel, you can put a hewn boulder, and create the illusion of a "whirlpool" with pebbles around it.

• The crevices of the stream can be laid with medium and large pebbles.

• With the help of stones of a darker color, we create a feeling of depth in the stream, light pebbles, glass or plastic granules - water waves.

• Stones in a dry stream must be laid out so that no one has any doubts - they lie here all their stone life.

• Are you afraid that the stones will be washed away by a strong stream of rainwater? Then, in small portions, fill the crushed stone sole with a cement-sand mortar and “sink” the stones directly into it.

A bridge made of a solid natural block is the most suitable option for a dry stream in the country. Do you want a more functional means of crossing? Take an ordinary log or make a wooden bridge with your own hands. Or even better - arrange a real ford through the seething mountain stream, spreading suitable stones on the surface of the stream.

Plants for the coastal zone. The main thing here is not to overdo it with decorating the banks, otherwise the dried-up drain will turn into a flower bed. When selecting shrubs, cereals and flowers, it is important to take into account the composition of the soil on the site, its illumination, heat and humidity conditions.

Do-it-yourself dry stream - choose plants

A natural flowering carpet along the edges of a dry stream can be obtained using ground cover and herbaceous plants on the site. Among the beautifully flowering, it is best to choose species with juicy blue, purple and blue shades of flowers. They will not leave the stream faceless both in early spring and late summer, such perennials as portenschlag bell, large-leaved brunner (forget-me-not), awl-shaped phlox, creeping tenacious, shaving delovid, lobelia, muscari, thick-leaved bergenia, bryozoan, primrose, blue astilbe, catchment area, periwinkle , silver lily of the valley, geyhera, Siberian iris, etc.

When decorating a dry stream of stones and flowers, it is impossible to do without daylilies, cereal grasses, bamboos and reeds. Juicy, long-narrow leaves of these plants create an optical illusion of wild thickets on the banks of natural reservoirs. The most popular include: miscanthus, blue fescue, cortaderia, sedge, hosta, calamus, hosta.

If you plan to break a large, voluminous coniferous stream, then boldly plant dwarf species of junipers, mountain pines, spruces and fir trees on the rocky shore - these plants for a dry stream grow well on loamy or light sandy soil.

Low deciduous shrubs should be chosen with extreme care. Otherwise, in the fall, without unbending, you will remove the fallen leaves that will get stuck between the stones. Have you already purchased a garden vacuum cleaner for this purpose? Well then, be sure to plant cotoneaster and barberry next to the stream - these plants will surprise you with bright colors all four seasons in a row.

Annual bulbs will become a special decoration of dry streams: lilies, ornamental bows, daffodils, tulips and hyacinths.

Dry stream scheme

1. "Bamboo-leaf" bluish-green color
2. Variegated "Iris bearded"
3. Air-tender "lobelia"
4. The real decoration of the garden - "creeping tenacious"
5. Unpretentious "Poskharsky bell"
6. Bright carpet from "shaving hybrids"
7. "Brunera large-leaved" with variegated broad-hearted leaves
8. Evergreen "bryozoan awl-leaved"
9. Red-leaved "tenacious creeping"
10. Dense thickets of "arundo reed"

Dry stream in landscape design

Creating a dry stream with your own hands, you need to act in stages. You can not worry that in the future it will be difficult to care for a dry bed. Yes, it will have to be weeded, anthills destroyed under the stones and watered regularly. But if you do all this regularly and do not leave the stream unattended for a long time, caring for it will not cause you much trouble.

For your information. A graceful dry stream, in addition to its main decorative function, performs the following important tasks in arranging a garden:

• provides direct drainage of storm water (a sort of Japanese-style garden drainage system);

• retains some of the moisture under the stones, which allows the plants of a dry stream to be watered extremely rarely;

• serves as a boundary between different landscape zones;

• reduces soil erosion;

• visually enlarges the area of ​​the garden.

Advice. Flowers can be used instead of pebbles. But a dry stream of flowers is decorative only during flowering.

Conclusion

A skillfully designed decorative dry stream creates the feeling that it has just dried up, and until recently there was water in it. Wait a bit and maybe the creation of your hands will bring a random rain back to life?

Dry stream - photos and pictures for inspiration

The element of water has long attracted a person with calmness, an atmosphere of harmony and unity with nature. Ennobling the backyard territory, there is often a desire to create an artificial reservoir. If the conditions do not favor the placement of a pond, then a dry stream will be the best solution. There is not a drop of water in the composition - only cobblestones and stones imitating the mouth and bed of a dried-up reservoir. Planning and laying out a "stone stream" is quite simple. The main thing is to show creativity, imagination, correctly choose the shape of the composition and follow the simple technology of laying stones.

Landscaping: do-it-yourself dry stream. Advantages of composition.

The classic method of decorating a Japanese garden is increasingly being used in suburban areas and adjacent areas. In Japan, the water element is associated with the desire for life and purity of thought, and murmuring streams are associated with the transience of time. If the arrangement of a reservoir in the garden is impossible for certain reasons, then oriental decorators use a special technique - a dry stream. Stone ponds convey the feeling of a dry riverbed, which, with the onset of rain, will be filled with long-awaited moisture.

The indisputable advantages of creating a dry stream with your own hands on the site include:

Varieties of dry reservoirs on the site

There is no definite classification of dry streams into subspecies. Conventionally, the design of such a composition is divided into three types.

winding body of water. A simple option for creating a dry stream with your own hands. One channel flows through the site, sometimes expanding, sometimes narrowing in length. Landscape composition imitates the movement of an ordinary river. When planning the form, it is necessary to take into account the relief, directing the reservoir along a plain or a small slope.

Cascade. The beginning of the waterfall is arranged on any hill. You can create a symbolic representation of a rock, a wooden or stone well, a large jug. The water stream falls and forms man-made rapids.

forked channel. The natural merging of the arms requires proper location and compliance with the natural forms of the reservoir. The stream looks beautiful on the winding hills. For reliability, the sources of the channel are often hidden behind a decorative bridge, dense vegetation or a fence. Sand jets are made of small pebbles or sand. Imitation of a wave is achieved by creating winding shallow grooves.

Do-it-yourself dry stream: step by step instructions

Every summer resident and gardener can make a dry stream with his hands. There is no need to involve specialists, use expensive equipment and carry out large-scale preparation of the territory. The main task is to present the plan of the proposed stream as accurately as possible and beat the existing site.

Site selection and site marking

The dimensions and configuration of the reservoir should be selected taking into account the size of the site, the location of the house, additional buildings and the features of the terrain. When planning, you should consider some of the nuances:

The marking of the stone reservoir is carried out with sand. The sandy path is laid along the boundaries of the future "water" stream. In the process, the shape can be easily corrected, bringing the sketch to an ideal representation of the stream. Sometimes the boundaries are marked with pegs and ropes. However, this method is more laborious and less mobile.

Dry stream laying materials

A dry stream in the country with their own hands is created using various rocks. By experimenting and combining all kinds of fractions, textures and colors of stones, it will be possible to achieve the effect of illusion. Useful in the work: shell rock, gravel, limestone, pebbles, etc.

Some points of choosing and arranging stones:

• the bluish-gray color of the water surface will ensure the mixing of shale, gneiss and basalt;
• the brown-red tone of the composition will be set by marble, granite, and also limestone;
• the illusion of the brilliance of the water stream is created by adding small balls of glass or painting concrete elements with mirror paint;
• flat pebbles are suitable for simulating the dynamics of a stream and the effect of a stream;
• the coastal zone is distinguished by large details of light colors - dark elements create clear unnatural boundaries of the reservoir.

Advice. Coating stones with varnish creates the impression of a “wet surface”. An interesting option is the processing of elements with waterproof luminous paint. At night, the stones will shine and resemble a "lunar path".

Of the tools you will need:

• sand for marking;
• geotextile - the substrate under the stone can be replaced with a film;
• shovel;
• rake.

Arrangement of a pit under the "pond"

The procedure for preparing the site for laying stones:

1. According to the marked contour, dig a channel with a depth of about 20-25 cm.
2. Tamp the bottom area and cover with geotextile or thick film. The material will prevent grass from growing between the stones of the stream.

Sometimes the protective film is replaced by pouring cement mortar. However, this method has disadvantages: increased cost of construction, increased labor costs and the complexity of redevelopment of the site.

The order of the stones

1. Large cobblestones are placed along the edges, medium-sized stones in the middle. Fine fractions will fill the depth of the reservoir.
2. Stone steps of a cascade or reservoir, river rapids are laid out from large flat boulders. This approach will help transform a calm stream into a fast-flowing mountain river.
3. Sharp rock fragments imitate a mountain grotto.
4. The crevices are laid with large or medium-sized elements.
5. Elongated oval-shaped stones create a feeling of running water.
6. The effect of the island is achieved by placing a large boulder in the middle of the channel.
7. If a dry stream acts as a drainage for storm water, then it is advisable to “plant” the stones on a sand-concrete solution. Otherwise, under the influence of water pressure, they will shift and the composition will lose its expressiveness.

After laying the stones, the coastal zone should be equipped. Fill the perimeter of the reservoir with crushed bark or a layer of sand.

Decoration of the stream and its banks

It will be possible to bring a dry stream as close as possible to a real reservoir with the help of plantations. Deciduous, flowering and shrubby plants are suitable for decorating a stone structure. The main requirement is a harmonious combination of the color of the stones and the "green" frame.

It is better to choose plants that, one way or another, resemble the water element:

• bush with bluish elongated leaves and shoots;
• blooming plantations with bright blue flowers: aubrieta, lobelia, blue fescue, bearded iris, creeping tenacious and bruner;
• exotic glade will give: reed, pampas grass, sedge, daylily and hosta.

Do-it-yourself dry stream: photo-scheme of plant seating

Designations for the scheme:

1. - leaf-grate-bamboo;
2. - blue, yellow, blue bearded irises;
3. - undersized lobelia;
4. - tenacious creeping;
5. - Polskharsky's bell;
6. - gabriet;
7. - large-leaved bruner;
8. - green bryozoan;
9. - tenacious red-leaved creeping;
10. - reed type arundo.

How to make a dry stream with your own hands: a photo of the layout of three different compositions

Advice. When planting plants, the main thing is not to overdo it. The abundance of herbs and flower beds will oversaturate the coastal zone and turn an exquisite oriental element into a boring flower bed or an analogue of an alpine hill.

1. Lamps. The use of lighting along the stream will allow you to admire the compositions at night. Under artificial lighting, the stones begin to "play" and shimmer with a new shade.
2. garden figurines. The overall perception of the reservoir will largely depend on the choice of decor. An installed heron or a frog planted on an island will give the landscape a natural look, while gnomes and funny characters will take you to a fantasy world.
3. Bridge over the stream. The object itself does not perform practical tasks, but gives the landscape a special charm. The crossing looks harmonious, painted to match the plants growing nearby.

Do-it-yourself dry stream: step-by-step creation of a composition. Video

1. To support boulders along the banks, branches and beams can be laid. This decision gives naturalism to the whole composition.
2. There are many ways to beat the mouth of the stream. It can smoothly move into a cobblestone area or patio, hidden behind a fence, wide fern leaves or vines.
3. An improvised sandbank made of flat boulders organically looks on wide stone reservoirs.
4. The idea of ​​a quiet calm water flow is conveyed by stones of the same color. Add a bright accent with the help of contrasting banks.
5. A home-made stream, made from local minerals, is optimally combined with nature.
6. Flat cobblestones of medium size, lined with an edge, imitate the rapid flow of a water stream.
7. An alternative to a dry reservoir of minerals is a flower arrangement. A stream can come from an old jug, an inverted barrel or a chest.

Features of caring for an artificial "reservoir"

Maintaining the stream in its original form does not cause any particular difficulties. Care activities:

• with the advent of spring, the land along the coast must be fluffed up, the plants fertilized;
• control that ants do not start in the crevices between the stones;
• periodically in the hot season, the stream must be watered - this will improve the microclimate near the dry reservoir and will contribute to the normal growth of "coastal" plants;
• after a while, moss may appear on the stones; so that the composition does not become gloomy, its amount should be controlled;
• shrubs must be periodically cut, and plants that prefer a warm climate must be covered for the winter.

Do-it-yourself dry stream in the country: photo ideas

Natural minimalism performed by a “dried” reservoir looks very harmonious against the backdrop of majestic mountains and old tall pines.

An illusion is created that the porch of a country house overlooks the bed of a dried-up river.

The flow of a dry stream along dense thickets. Some of the stones are covered with varnish, due to which a “wet” effect is achieved.

The arrangement of a stone reservoir on the site allows you to combine several traditions and styles from different world cultures.

The longitudinal arrangement of thin stones imitates the murmur of a stream. The realism of the composition is given by the relief of the site - "water" flows down from top to bottom.