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A dry stream in the country is an interesting decorative solution that transforms the garden. It is easy to build it with your own hands. At the same time, such a stream is unpretentious in care and effective. Interested? Then read the detailed instructions on how to make such a landscape decoration yourself.
What is a dry stream
A stream without water is an ideal solution for those who do not have the desire or opportunity to arrange an artificial pond, but really want to decorate their garden in an original way. A dry brook is a kind of imitation of the bottom of a dried-up stream, covered with river stones, surrounded by ornamental plants and flowers. Its obvious advantages are that the arrangement requires a minimum of time and cost, the decoration does not need complex maintenance, it always looks great. In addition, such a landscape solution can serve as a good disguise for unattractive communications, of which there are so many in any country house.
Video “How to make a dry stone stream”
From this video you will learn how to make a dry stone stream with your own hands for a summer cottage.
Varieties
A dry stream is most often equipped in one of three options:
- winding – the easiest option to implement, which is a winding stream that can narrow and expand in several places;
- with a branched channel – simulating several streams converging and diverging;
- cascade – located on a hill and resembles the movement of water masses from top to bottom.
Most often, stone is used as the main building element – this way the decoration is as realistic as possible: an illusion is created that the water has dried up, exposing the bottom of the stream in all its natural beauty.
To make it look like the water has just gone, give the stones a wet effect by covering them with any glossy varnish.
Another common option is decorative streams of bright plants. Try to break a decorative flower bed that imitates an amphora with the contents leaking out of it. To do this, lay any suitable container in the chosen bed dream, fill it a little with earth, creating a small elevation of arbitrary shape around it, and plant flowers in bright colors. As soon as the plants bloom, you will get the opportunity to admire the original landscape decoration.
How to make
When starting work on arranging a dry stream, you should correctly adhere to the technology of work. So, first of all, we decide on the following points: the size of the scenery, placement, shape and materials.
When deciding on the size of the stream, be guided by the overall dimensions of the suburban area. An overly large stream will be inappropriate on a plot of modest size, and if your garden is elongated, try to arrange not a stream, but a dried-up pond.
Another important point is the location. Try to make the brook as visible as possible, because it is, after all, a decorative object.
When you have decided on all of the above, try to draw a scenery scheme – it will be easier to bring the idea to life. In addition, it is important to decide how everything will be framed – will your stream flow out of a picturesque grotto or boxwood bush, or will an inverted amphora become its source.
Basis
Most often, decorative water streams are made from gravel or pebbles, they are sold at any hardware store. If you want, you can paint the stones in the color you like. For example, a blue tint from afar will resemble real water. Shale and basalt can be used for a composition designed in gray-blue shades. They are sometimes supplemented with decorative glass balls that will give beautiful highlights, reflecting the sun’s rays. For a reddish tint to the creek, opt for granite, limestone, or marble.
Stacking
Lay the stones on a carefully prepared surface. Be sure to mark the boundaries of the future stream by filling them with sand or pulling a rope. Now start digging a shallow (15–20 cm) trench. The bottom is tamped, leveled, lined with any material that prevents the growth of grass. Now let’s move on to laying out the stones. First of all, we outline the banks with larger pebbles, and we make the stream itself from fine gravel or river pebbles.
Decor
Almost all types of plants are suitable for this type of garden decor, the main thing is to select them according to size and color palette. So, along the edges of the reservoir, irises, meadowsweet and swimsuits look great. In the bends, you can plant ornamental onion bushes, in the same places that will be in the shade most of the time, it is better to plant crops that do not require a lot of sunlight, such as ferns.
Additionally, you can decorate the stream with anything you like: throw a small decorative bridge over it, place small figurines of animals or thematic fairy-tale characters on the shore, you can think over and carry out special decorative lighting.
The final version of the scenery will depend only on the flight of your imagination. Sometimes it is possible to create truly original compositions that resemble entire fairy-tale villages or take you to a magical forest where fairies and characters from your favorite fairy tales live. Create your own personal illusion of being close to magic by customizing your garden decorations to suit your personal preferences. Moreover, you are already familiar with the step-by-step technology for its creation.