By Tong Sze Leng and Ellen Tang | Dec 15, 2009
Photographs courtesy of WDI Design and Bumi Hijau Landscape
An outdoor living room
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A garden gives personality to the house.
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The garden should be more than an extension to your home. It is like your private link to nature. The most important thing is that a beautiful garden compliments the house in every way. It is a place where you can feel the wind, hear the birds while spending time with your family. Wondering how to start creating one? Here are some tips for you.
Create useable outdoor spaces
“It is how you create useable outdoor spaces. If it looks good, but doesn’t feel good, it means that you’re not taking full advantage of your property,” says WDI Design’s Director, Brian Lee Doucet of creating gardens. spaces
Doucet emphasizes that defining the spaces in the outdoor area is the most important thing when laying out plan to create a garden.
The advantages of having gardens are awesome! Doucet adds that a good outdoor landscape prompts family members to go outside the house and become more active.
“Create different spaces in your outdoor area to cater for different activities, mindsets and moods.”
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Water pots with lotus.
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Water features: Fish pond Vs Fountains
“Water features certainly adds value to a house,” informs Doucet .
While fish ponds create a calming and peaceful surrounding to your home, it requires high maintenance and a lot of space. Fish ponds are usually one-metre deep and needs a special filtration system.
But Doucet is quick to add that ponds that are too deep are dangerous for families with small kids.
Fountains, on the other hand, require less maintenance and space. You only need a pump and a filter.
"Fountains come in various designs and sizes. It can be a water wall or other creative water features. You can even find one off the shelf at RM40-50," he explains.
Easy ways to design your garden
-Simple Water Pot
A simple water pot is not only a great item to beautify your house compound; it is also cost-efficient.
Here is how you can do it:
First, fill a water pot with soil or sand and of course, water. Next, add decent water plants such as water lilies or lotus. Finally, you can even add life to it with some cute guppy fishes!
“Water lilies live on the nutrients of the water, leaving the water crystal clear and the fish will settle the mosquito breeding problem,” says the architect. Such a brilliant idea!
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Plant small trees in your garden and look this fabuluous.
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- Plant a tree
Visit a nursery and pick your favourite plants.
Planting trees with flowers will be able to add colour to your garden. Doucet suggests homeowners to plant trees such as golden chain trees (with dark green leaves and yellow flowers) or even frangipani.
“A nice size tree (with a 2-inch trunk) will cost around RM250 to RM300,” he adds.
- Mix and match tiles
Local homogeneous tiles are good enough for a garden. You can play with different coloured tiles to lift up the mood in your garden!
However, don’t overdo it, warns Doucet. Use the tiles sparingly if you have limited outdoor space.
Employing coloured tiles is also another way to add colour to the landscape.
Nevertheless, different individuals may have differed personalities and preferences towards the designs. Whatever it is, you shall feel contented and comfortable in your own garden.
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