How to Use a Garden Plot to the Maximum: Expert Tips

Bought a garden plot and don't know how to best arrange the buildings? We asked experts from Derevo Park studio to tell us how to thoughtfully plan a plot and use it functionally.

Where to start?

First of all, pay attention to the orientation by compass directions to determine where the shadow from the house will fall.

Check if there are buildings on neighboring plots (or if they are planned). Communicate with neighbors in advance — they may share useful information or even suggest which plants thrive in this climate zone. Most importantly, you can avoid the situation where the windows of your house face a neighbor's shed.

Create a list of buildings

Decide if you need a bathhouse and utility building, a garage for a car or quad bike, or a greenhouse. Make a full list so that one of the additional structures doesn't end up in an inconvenient place later.

Plan all scenarios of life in advance and arrange the buildings as closely together as possible, near the edges of the plot to leave more space for an open garden — the place where you will rest.

Just don't forget about regulatory setbacks from building boundaries — you can find these online. At the same time, try not to place buildings close to the center. Even a spacious plot can quickly turn into a small one.

Determine the setbacks from the boundaries and place the house as close to the edge as possible, taking into account where the shadow will fall. The shadow should shade the utility area and fall on the fence, but not on the garden. All scenic spots, including flower beds and terraces, should be on the sunny side.

Divide the plot into zones

This can include a fire pit zone, a grill area, a scenic bench, a hammock, swings, a pool, a children's zone, a sports area, and a fruit garden zone.

Perfect layout plan

Place the house so that its shadow falls closer to the fence, and locate parking nearby (to avoid having to build a long road through the entire plot).

On the sunny side near the house, you can plant a fruit garden and leave maximum open space. In the far part of the plot, place a scenic point like a fire zone.

Whether to build a garage is an individual decision for each, but usually cars are left outside to avoid opening extra gates. A garage tends to get cluttered with stuff, so think carefully if you really need one.

How to layout paths?

Lay out several routes: main and secondary. Main paths should be wider, while additional ones can use different surfaces and narrower widths.

There is an approach to designing paths on a plot: "as you walk, so you lay them." But nothing beautiful will come out of this. It will be convenient to move around the plot when you organize logistics properly.

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Where to place a pavilion?

Lately, the pavilion has stopped being a place for barbecue. Now people prefer grills or portable barbecues, which are easy to set up on a terrace: you cook close to the kitchen and always have something to bring and wash. So it's better to make the terrace bigger in size.

A pavilion can be placed at the far end of the garden. It can be glazed and heated to use as a summer cottage, office, or library. It's ideal if the plot has all variants of outdoor relaxation: a fully open terrace, a covered terrace from rain, and a fully glazed living room with a view of the plot that is warm in winter.

Don't forget about the coherence of buildings

Choose one color for all structures on the plot, one shade for roofing, one tone for facades and window openings to keep the area neat.

Construction usually happens gradually, and the right paint color may not be available at the time, which leads to unwanted color spots in the overall palette. Therefore, it's important to plan everything in advance.

And the factor of the surrounding environment

If you're in a Scandinavian pine forest, don't build a palace in Versailles style, and vice versa. The landscape largely influences the architecture of buildings.