If the garden plot near your private house or summer cottage is small, and you want to create a landscape that visually expands the space, it is worth looking at the minimalism style. It is built on the principle of "cutting off" all that is superfluous, so each element selected to create a minimalist garden has its own place and fits perfectly into the overall composition. Minimalism does not involve large expenditures of money and time, but, despite this, it cannot be called too simple to execute.

History and style description

The history of minimalism originated in the early twentieth century, when society was tired of the pretentiousness and luxury of modernism, and was ready for new trends in design, less catchy and more concise.

Did you know? For the restoration of the garden design at the Cham-de-Batais estate, the famous French decorator Jacques Garcia was awarded a special order for services to agriculture.

At the same time, directions such as functionalism, rationalism and constructivism appeared that fully met the needs for simplicity and functionality. Clear rectangular shapes were preferred. The predominant colors were blue, red, yellow, black and white.

A little later, such a style as minimalism was formed, which also It is distinguished by the sharpness of forms and the absence of unnecessary details, but it is less rough, and its main colors are more delicate and muffled. It is ideal for small areas that need to be visually expanded. Designers are of the opinion that it is desirable to design the exterior and interior of the house, as well as the landscape of the site in the same style, so that all the elements are harmoniously combined. Specialists-decorators often make a choice in favor of minimalism, because it is suitable both for premises and for adjoining territories.

Layout Features

Minimalism in landscape design can be recognized thanks to its main features. There are distinguishing features of the layout that are inherent only to him, and distinguish him from other styles.

These include:

• a sense of spaciousness due to the strict selection of each element and the absence of unnecessary details;
• clear division into zones in combination with optional observance of symmetry;
• simplicity of lines and their geometric completeness;
• the rejection of diversity that may look redundant;
• end-to-end zoning using height differences, paths and decorative elements such as flower containers and pots;
• Association of buildings in order to reduce the workload of space;
• paths that do not have smooth lines;
• restraint of colors and shades;
• compositionality;
• simplicity of materials.

This style is fully consistent with its name, because the most important thing in it is not to overdo it with decorative elements. In addition, it is suitable for people who do not want to equip their garden plot for a very long time, because such a landscape design can be created quite simply and quickly.

Colors and materials to create

To ensure that the appearance of the garden does not seem too catchy and there are no frills in it, it is recommended to use a minimal variety of shades and materials when decorating it.

To make your garden as close as possible to the style of minimalism, you can use the following materials when working:

1. Wood. Using this material create containers for plants, flooring, benches and even walkways. And also arbors are built from wood, which fit organically into the landscape design of the garden.
2. Concrete. As a rule, they are covered with platforms and patios.
3. Stone and concrete slabs. They can be used as decorative elements separately and in a complex design.
4. Gravel. They are used mainly as an independent component for decoration.
5. Ceramics. It produces very original and stylish modules, containers for flowering and deciduous plants.
6. Metal and glass. These materials are used to create additional decorative elements used in lamps, garden sconces and various sculptures.

As for the color scheme, which may be appropriate in this case, you need to take into account the colors of both the design and the plants, because they also should not be too bright and catchy

When choosing materials, it is preferable that white, gray, brown, earthy, sand, as well as all shades of natural wood. There should be no more than two, maximum three. When planting garden vegetation, it is advisable to choose light green, silver or blue, which are most often inherent in coniferous trees and shrubs.

Important! Minimalism style allows for bright color accents, but they should be no more than 10%.

What plants to choose for the garden

In minimalism, the task of plants is, first of all, not to decorate the garden, but to create a holistic composition. They can be as invisible as possible, but at the same time they must combine different elements into one integral picture and smooth out contrasts.

Plants for decorating the garden in this style, as a rule, meet the following requirements:

• have an expressive shape of the crown, which must be trimmed regularly to form geometric shapes that fit well into the overall picture;
• are not very bright, preferably bluish-green shades;
• can emphasize elevation differences (rhododendrons and spirea);
• form green walls (wild grapes or ivy).

The most suitable plants for minimalist compositions landscape designers recognized juniper, thuja, cypress and maple.

Instead of classic flower beds, flowers can be planted in concrete or wooden containers.. White, yellow, pink and lilac colors of the petals are acceptable, but these should be small discreet inflorescences in small quantities, successfully combined with other elements of the composition. The lawn is best suited for this style, but it requires a lot of attention. If you do not want to spend your time caring for the lawn, it is better to draw a zone with gravel, which will look no worse.

Which body of water is suitable

The most suitable for designing a garden in a minimalist style would be clear-cut pond, and at the same time he must have regular geometric shape. It can be a circle, oval, square or rectangle, without any unnecessary details in the form of bridges, stones or the intricacies of shapes and textures.

The pond should not be like a natural. A village pond or lake for this style will not be appropriate. Waterfalls and fountains are also not suitable when designing a garden in the style of minimalism.

Small architectural forms

Small architectural forms (MAF) can be both an addition to the landscape of the garden and a bright original accent, as well as a link to other design elements. Also, with their help, you can zone the territory.

For the style of minimalism inherent in the following MAF:

• veranda;
• a gazebo, which is best combined with a barbecue area;
• trellis-pergola covered with climbing plants;
• paved area;
• various installations and compositions of wood and snags;
• supports for plants;
• fixtures;
• benches;
• foci;
• large decorative elements;
• containers of wood and concrete for plants.

Minimalism in the arrangement of a summer cottage or garden near a country house eliminates the use of garden sculptures. And there should not be any outbuildings in it, because it exists for relaxation and contemplation, and therefore it should be as relaxing as possible and unobtrusive.

Garden paths

As in principle, and everything in this style, garden paths should not have smooth or winding lines. They are - crisp, even, with rectangular bends. They are usually made of concrete, wood or stone blocks and slabs. Less often, the tracks are made of gravel or tiled.

Furniture and decor

Garden furniture should be as simple as possible. It can be concise wooden and stone benches, or minimalist metal and plastic chairs. It is desirable that it was possible to bring them into the room during weather conditions. Or you can treat the metal with anticorrosive agents to keep the aesthetics as long as possible.

Important! When arranging the garden, more attention should be paid to those places that are in the shade of trees or buildings, because they are the most visited, especially in the hot season.

As decorative elements in minimalism, metal balls or cubes are often used., a combination of stone with mirror elements, concrete or wooden flower containers. The key format of all the scenery inherent in this style is the sharpness of lines and shapes. And while the design must necessarily complement the overall composition.

Features of Japanese minimalism

The main feature of modern Japanese minimalism is symbolism, because each of its elements has a philosophical meaning and is selected individually and consciously. Perhaps this is due to the fact that this style originated in Japanese monasteries, and therefore its ritual significance has survived to this day.

Many signs of minimalism are inherent in him, but there are also distinctive features associated with his history and philosophy.

Did you know? Flashlights are an important element of Japanese minimalism, which are a symbol of virtue.

Japanese minimalist garden has the following features:

• asymmetry in the selection of elements and their random arrangement;
• the uniqueness of the shapes and sizes of each of them;
• naturalness in design, which is manifested in the naturalness of shades and materials, as well as in the absence of artificial plants and metal structures;
• harmonious combination of decor with nature;
• multidimensionality of space;
• natural or artificial reservoirs symbolizing movement and life, preferably with moving water (fountains, streams);
• asymmetrically located stones, each of which has its own sacred meaning;
• decor elements in muted colors and with signs of aging;
• low trees and shrubs trimmed in a semicircle and symbolizing the sun;
• a combination of perennials with annual plants, as a symbol of the transience of time;
• many different flowers, inflorescences of which have a variety of sizes, shapes and textures;
• asymmetric zoning of the territory with smooth transitions;
• small decorative elements that add accents to each of the zones;
• flashlights or lamps made of natural materials;
• arbors, bridges and benches made of wood or stone without the addition of artificial materials;
• a harmonious combination of the exterior of the house with the design of the garden.

In Japan, the main focus of every garden is sakura, and its flowering time is considered the most beautiful period of the year. But in our rather severe climate this tree takes root very rarely. It can be replaced with cherry, apple or apricot, as they also bloom very beautifully.

The style of minimalism is one of the most popular both in creating the interior, and in landscape design. It represents the clarity of forms and conciseness in the selection of details that harmoniously fit into the natural landscape, successfully complementing it. And although the creation of a minimalist garden does not require a large investment of time and resources, without a good taste and sense of style, translating it into reality will not be so simple.