Garden bridges - their function, the basic forms of
Modern garden bridges have a fundamental difference from massive engineering structures laid through large ponds. The fact is that along with pergolas, gazebos or trellises, garden designs are referred to small architectural forms.
Their design is not undertaken by highly qualified engineers, but by landscape designers. Their goal is to obtain, in the first place, an attractive and original bridge, which will become a decoration of the garden. Only in the second place they take care of its practicality and functionality.
This design can play a very different role on your garden plot.
- It can be a viewing platform. From such a bridge it is pleasant to admire the expanses of its land, its plantations and the immediate neighborhood.
- Accent of the aqueous composition. In the presence of a pond, this small architectural form can become its dominant, riveting to itself the views of others.
- A worthy partner to other garden structures, for example, pergola, street lights, sculptures.
- The presence of a large pond allows to make the bridge an excellent place for fishing, a kind of berth for a boat.
- Suspension bridge can become a fun and slightly extreme attraction.
Of course, do not forget that in landscape design this design is a harmonious element of the garden. It should fit into the overall style of its design and successfully combine with other small architectural forms. To achieve this is not so difficult, because the modern bridges for the sites adjacent to your home can have a variety of forms.
In addition to the classical straight lines that are usual for our view, humpbacked, hanging, step-by-step, ruinous, zigzag and other variations have become quite widespread. Each of these products finds its place. So, the humpbacked bridge often decorates romantic gardens, being an excellent decoration for spiritual conversations. This option is also suitable in the case if there is a dense hedge in your garden. Suspended structures are particularly appropriate if there is a creek or ravine on the local area.
Zigzag analogue came to us from Japan, where it is called quite nice - "Yatsuhashi".It is a fairly low flooring made of wood, without fencing and zigzagging. This bridge in Japan is rightly considered the central element of landscape design. The main method of its construction is its asymmetry.
A step-by-step version involves a device through a pond of a peculiar path, reminiscent of the outwardly usual garden path. The difference is that the stones used to build such a bridge do not burrow into the ground, but are laid on the bottom of the reservoir. Ruinic structures - one of the main elements of the old romantic gardens. For greater effect, it is recommended to combine them with the ruins, which are overgrown with a variety of vegetation.
Decorative bridges for the garden - construction and materials of the
The shape of this garden design determines its design features. So, it is possible to single out monolithic constructions or with a rupture, symmetrical and with a displaced center. In the classic straight bridge we will mention the main elements:
- Supports. If the bridges in the garden are no more than 2.5 m in length, then logs or thick logs can be used as supports. They are laid on the support platforms, which represent the ledges on the banks of the reservoir. If the length of the structure exceeds this figure, then intermediate supports are used.
- Span. Is the part of the structure that is located between adjacent supports. The shape of the bridge determines whether the span is convex or flat.
- Fencing. It gives the structure a complete and decorative look and is a traditional railings laid on balusters. Can be single- and double-sided.
- Flooring. Called a road surface, it fits across the supports. The main requirement, which the flooring must match, is that it should not sag. Obviously, hanging constructions in this case will be an exception.
Speaking about the design of the bridge, it is impossible to ignore the issue of its coverage. If it is operated quite rarely, then it is quite possible to limit oneself to several decorative lamps at the beginning and end of the bridge. Otherwise, much more functional lighting will be required.
The following materials are suitable for the construction of this garden element:
- wood;
- concrete;
- stone;
- metal.
Wood is quite inexpensive, affordable and easy to handle. However, it is necessary to take into account the features of the structure and to stop the choice of those tree species that are resistant to moisture. It can be pine, larch or cedar. Details of the bridge made of such wood do not deform with regular exposure to moisture and can last more than 50 years. If the structure is sustained in the oriental style, then the ideal material for making will be bamboo.
Specialists recommend that piles are made from larch, and decking is made from oak.
As for the stone, it is quite a massive material, it has long been widely used for the construction of bridges. It gives the garden a unique charm and organically fits into the landscape. However, it is worth considering that working with a stone requires skill, some special knowledge and tools. The greatest popularity as a material for the construction of the bridge was acquired: limestone, dolomite, sandstone, granite and natural boulders. Organically, it will look like a path from gravel, leading to such a bridge.
Soft stones are not suitable for the erection of this type of garden structure!
Found in its field of application and metal. Its main and indisputable advantage is high plasticity, thanks to which it is possible to create products of the most original form and style. It can be ultra-modern high-tech or majestic baroque. If your choice fell on a forged bridge, then note that it should not be a single forged element.
He should echo, for example, a visor on the porch or bench. Metal can also suffer from exposure to moisture, and its main enemy is corrosion. To prevent its appearance, it is recommended to choose a metal with special treatment or to process an already finished product.
Concrete is one of the most durable materials. In addition, it is frost-resistant, affordable and low-cost. However, this material is not prone to aging, so your garden will always adorn a new bridge. To make the surface of such a structure more decorative will help the addition of stone crumb, having various sizes of fractions, into the solution.
Garden bridge with their own hands - everything is much simpler than it seems
Today the plots near the house are decorated with bridges made by own hands, because everyone will be pleased to admire the fruits of their labor. As one example, we can consider the process of building a birch bridge. It is ideal for that part of the garden where there is a large accumulation of vegetation, especially trees.
This design will be characterized by sufficient strength, aesthetics and elegance. For the manufacture of supports, fencing and road flooring it is recommended to use uncut trunks and thick birch branches. For the device of support platforms, it is necessary to excavate the ledges on both sides of the reservoir, fill them with crushed stone and carefully rammer them.
Then through 0,7-0,8 m from each other through the pond you can lay supports - birch logs. For the construction of a small bridge, logs of about 2 m in length and about 15 cm in diameter are suitable. The fence is arranged as follows: 4 spans are made in the form of a rectangle, each of which is still divided by diagonals. The distance between the spans is 0.5 m.
The optimal height for the guard is approximately 0.7 m. The railing is strongly recommended to be sanded to avoid damage to the hands, in particular, the appearance of splinters. Such a simple bridge will last you 4-6 years, and if you impregnate it with waterproofing compounds, then it will take longer. In addition, he easily survive the weight of two people.
Thus, your garden can be decorated with any decorative bridge. Everything depends only on your abilities, desires and features of the landscape.
