JOIN USOUTDOORS This summer, focus on garden accessories such as planters in interesting shapes, garden lights, wind chimes, candle stands and spring lanterns to make your garden a great space to relax, suggests Lakshmi Unnithan Arvind
Spaces like terraces and balconies bring the outdoors into your homes. If you have semi-open or green open spaces surrounding your home, summer is the best time to enjoy such spaces, which include a terrace or a balcony garden.
Whatever layout you choose, take account of the view. Eyesores will need to be subtly screened, but if you have a sea view or an attractive cityscape, make the most of it in your design. Organise your area to maximise good views, maybe framing them with tall container plants or pencil junipers. Decking is a good choice for a roof terrace or balcony. Apart from seating options, what’s important in an open space are planters in interesting shapes including that of animals, garden lights, garden wind chimes, terracotta animals, beautifully coloured terracotta pots in different shapes, garden candle stands, spring lanterns. You can add soothing water bodies too, to the sit-outs. To make the space interesting, sculptures can also be added on as focal points.
The plants you choose will have to be ones that withstand any kind of weather conditions. The plants should tolerate high winds and drought as well as strong sunshine or deep shade. Dense evergreen plants are good for year-round interest and most have thick, glossy leaves, which prevent them from drying out quickly.
The planting scheme in open spaces depends on various factors. The climate of the region plays a major role in deciding the scheme of planting. Plants need to be selected based on the region. Seasonals, annuals and perennials need to be given equal importance in the planting scheme. Highlight colours that suit a specific season — cool pastels for the monsoon, yellows and whites for spring and summer etc. Match colours of the seasonal plants with the trees growing nearby. If there is a jacaranda tree near your terrace, the planting scheme should include blues or violets. The throw cushions can also be of the same colour. In tropical regions, there can be tropical flowering plants.
Try creating a tropical ambience. When deciding on the planting scheme, sustainability of planting should be taken into consideration. Avoid plants with thorns or inedible berries if there are children in your home. Taller wind-tolerant shrubs can be used as living screens. Tough evergreens work too. Bamboo is worth trying too, except on very windswept roof terraces as its large leaves sway too much in the wind, which means the roots will shift about and the plants won’t establish their roots in their new pots. A small patch of lawn on the terrace also provides relief during hot summers. A water pool with a ledge also provides the advantage of seating around it.
Weighty matters
Weight is the most important practical consideration. With tiny balconies tucked onto the sides of flats, you won’t need to worry as they will have been specifically designed to withstand the weight of a few pots, containers and a bistro dining set. Roof terraces, however, are a very different matter. In order to design a terrace garden, a competent engineer is required to inspect the load and then waterproof accordingly.
Ensure correct technical construction details with the engineer. When it comes to older properties, chances are the space was originally intended for hanging out the washing.
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If weight is an issue, you can use plastic planters, along with fibreglass imitations that weigh much less than concrete, stone or terracotta containers. Avoid placing pots in the centre of a roof terrace. Fixing pots to surrounding walls or placing them on cantilevered shelves will help as the walls will take the weight, not the roof. Also, choose lightweight collapsible furniture instead of a huge, glass-topped table.
Maintenance
Before designing spaces, sustainability and green technology needs to be kept in mind. Design spaces where maintenance is not a huge factor. You could opt for recycled furniture. You can introduce rustic elegance by way of natural materials. Steel is in vogue and can be used for years, but keep in mind that severe heat can damage steel as well. Straw bales and green roofs can be used up for roofs of terrace pavilions. Low maintenance natural grasses can also be used for planting. Maintaining an organic zone in these areas would also be helpful to a great extent. Energy-efficient building materials reduces energy costs too.
Whatever the look, plan some area for storage so that you can put away some of the stuff. Hurricane lamps with aromatic candles, vases and flowers, serving trays, crockery and cutlery complete the outdoor look. Herbal tea or lemon grass coolers and some books would be ideal companions to enjoy outdoor spaces.