The lawn is an integral part of landscaping, which is used in landscape design. To make it harmoniously combined with small architectural forms, building facades and flower beds, you need to make a lot of effort. First of all, you need to choose the type of grass cut, and provide him with proper care.
What is a lawn in landscaping
The term comes from the French "gazon", which literally means grass or turf. Behind the definition lies an artificially created piece of land sown with herbaceous plants that are regularly trimmed.
The lawn is used both as an independent composition, and in combination with various decorative plantings, small architectural forms or landscape gardening furniture. It is used in different climatic zones and latitudes, including northern ones. But each belt is characterized by certain types of herbaceous plants that can withstand temperature, humidity and a certain amount of rainfall, while maintaining maximum attractiveness.
Types of lawn for landscaping
Today, landscape design uses a wide variety of types of lawns. Each of them has its own characteristics and is used for its own purposes. They can be very different in shape - round, square, arbitrary. They are complemented by such elements of landscape design as alpine hills, terraces, backstage, topiary, labyrinths and more.
Did you know? Even the rulers of ancient Persia, Greece, Rome and China decorated the palace spaces with grass coverings. It was from this period that the history of the appearance of a well-groomed territory covered with low-growing grass of various kinds began.
Ground floor
It is also called English. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that only the highest quality grass and the best varieties are used for the formation. Thanks to this, it is possible to achieve a uniform color over a long period of time - from the beginning of spring to autumn.
The area covered with ground grass requires careful maintenance and cannot be trampled down, since it loses its decorative appearance.
Mauritanian
To form this type of lawn, landscape is required., close to the natural. It is dominated not only by herbs, but also wildflowers, such as marigold, oregano, melilot, gentian, elecampane, flax, poppy, comfrey, clover, forget-me-not and others. Depending on how many species grow on the site, the Moorish lawn can be plain or multicolor. Care in this case is simplified, since mowing is done once, after complete flowering of the plants.
Natural
Ideal option to decorate the garden around the house or cottage. In this case, varieties of herbs that are resistant to trampling are used. Form by frequent mowing, while additional care is not required.
Landscape gardening
This type is resistant to any mechanical stress and undemanding to the level of lighting. PosaIn this case, the plant allows the inclusion of plants such as bluegrass, comb, fescue, ryegrass or wheat grass. To make the lawn beautiful, you need to choose the right plants that will correspond to the climatic conditions of a particular region.
Special
Such a lawn is located in harsh, unfriendly conditions - for example, near a gas station, along a highway, in close proximity to railway lines and more. As a rule, it has a practical function - it strengthens slopes, protecting them from landslides and leaching. The design in this case is done in order to close areas that cannot be looked after on a regular basis.
Sports
From the name it can be seen that we are talking about a competition area covered with homogeneous grass. In this case, the turf should be especially dense and elastic. Plants are selected cereal; the main criterion is resistance to trampling, since it is this lawn that is designed to be walked or run on.
How to make a lawn in landscaping
Before you begin to implement a landscape lawn in your area, you need to consider the main points:
- Determine the type of plants that will meet the needs.
- Choose the best place.
- Take into account the conditions on the selected site and choose the appropriate variety of grass or meadow flowers. Take into account that the flower should not be large, but create a carpet of small inflorescences.
- Prepare the soil and sow in accordance with the rules.
Further, each item is dealt with sequentially. It must also be taken into account that for almost the entire period of the development of lawns and landscape design the grass was combined with other plants that were planted either in the center of the lawn or along the edges, framing the green "sea".
Tool preparation
The main lawn tool that is most often used to create the most beautiful and well-groomed lawns:
- Smoothing or ironing - apply when it is necessary to accurately roll out a rolled lawn and to close up seams.
- Compass allows you to cut different curves when creating complex forms of lawn cover.
- Different types of kniveswhich are most often used by professionals for convenience and quick completion of work.
- Well and of course lawn mowersthat allow you to maintain a certain height of herbaceous plants.
Soil preparation
It is important that the soil where the lawn is planted or sown is prepared.
To do this, you need:
- clean it of various debris;
- uproot all stumps and remove the plantings of possible bushes.
Sod or small plants are removed with a shovel. Professionals use special machines. If there are too many weeds, the area is then treated with herbicides. After these manipulations, the surface is leveled. Please note that this step is done in sunny and dry weather. The slope can be removed, but can be left - it all depends on the final idea.
Please note that if water is delayed in the territory, it is necessary to organize drainage. For it, a three-layer base is performed - large stones below are up to 15 cm high, in the middle 15 cm of sand or gravel with a small fraction, on top there is a fertile soil layer from 15 to 20 cm.
Did you know? The creator of the lawn mower is considered the Englishman Edwin Beard Bading. It was he who in 1830 received a patent for the development of a device for cutting grass.
If the soil is poor, it is necessary to introduce humus, nitrogen phosphorus fertilizers into it; potassium, magnesium and zinc are also added. If the soil composition is difficult to control, it is better to use complex fertilizers. The soil should be loosened - large and medium clods break. After that, they tamp the soil to eliminate the voids.
Sowing and growing grass
For sowing, a rake is used, which loosens the earth and form small grooves. Then the seeds are dispersed evenly, manually or with a seeder. It is important to consider that it is necessary to sow, stepping 8 cm beyond the edges on all sides to exclude bald spots on the edges. At least 30 g of seeds should be produced per 1 m², otherwise the grass will be sparse and weeds will break out from under it. After sowing, the lawn will be watered every other day or after 2 days. After 7-10 days, the first shoots will appear.
Roll lawn
In this case, plants are grown on loose rectangular mattresses made of plant or artificial fiber. When everything is ready, they can be rolled up, which is extremely convenient both for transportation and for arranging the site. Preliminary work is similar to those that are carried out before sowing. Then the rolled lawn is spread out over a fixed area. Seal the edges so that they intensively fit to the surface of the earth. After the layout, it must be watered.
How to care for the lawn
If the soil is well prepared and fertilized, and the plants are planted correctly, the lawn does not require anything but periodic watering - moreover, it is necessary to use mainly small sprayers for this. Strong water pressure can form glitches in the landing.
Important! All species, except the Moorish, undergo regular haircuts in order to form a beautiful green rug. Although it is allowed to mow it not completely, but cut only stripes of arbitrary width in it - this is how a meadow lawn and grass path are formed.
Using these recommendations, it is easy enough to get a beautiful and attractive lawn on your site. It will either serve as an independent element of landscape design, or will be a great addition to the planting of other types of flowers or stone structures in the form of an alpine hill.
