The hostesses of their own plots have long been accustomed to flower pots and are able to make up compositions on the plot from them. But street vases are rarely used in private design, since their grace and luxurious appearance do not always fit into the rural landscape. Once upon a time, vases were generally considered the prerogative of the royal courts, as they were too expensive. But today this stylish element of street decor can be seen in city parks, near office buildings, etc. Let’s take a closer look at what vases are produced for the street today, how they can be used to create accents on the site and try to make an unusual vase with your own hands.
Street vase today: types and materials
Unlike a flower pot, a vase has a special decorative effect due to its unusual shape. It is of two types:
- on a leg or pedestal;
- in the form of an elongated vessel.
This design lifts the vase above the ground and focuses on the top, highlighting it among the grass and flower beds. Vases are mostly used as tapeworms, planting the most spectacular and bright plants in them.
Tall marble vases, installed on the border of the lawn, visually lengthen the territory and divide the space of the site into several zones
British vases
The form on the leg is also called an urn, a cup or a British vase, since it was in the English garden that this element of decor was found most often. Today, the shape of the cup is somewhat different from its predecessors in a restrained decor.
There is no abundance of stucco, figurines, carved flowers and ornament, which were richly decorated with vases of the Baroque era. And all because in this guise the vase does not fit into modern landscape styles created in small areas. Luxurious decor is appropriate only in huge palace and park complexes, but not on 5-10 acres of land.
Therefore, modern manufacturers focus on materials and the unusual shape of the bowl, without a heap of decor. Most often, such containers are cast from gypsum, concrete, fiberglass and plastic. People with high incomes purchase vases made of natural stone.
The use of British vases richly decorated with reliefs and sculptures is necessary only as tapeworms, placing them away from lush flower beds
The rich texture of natural stone is the main decoration, therefore such vase-urns are not decorated with ornaments and stucco, but carefully polished to give shine
Greek style
From the era of Ancient Greece we got floor vases that resemble huge vessels with and without handles, with a wide neck and a narrow one. Street options are rarely filled with living plants, since it is problematic to change the ground and look after the root system.
They are usually placed on a platform to focus on a specific area of the site, or they are filled with dried flowers and placed on terraces, flower beds, near arches, pergolas.
On a green background of weaving plants, a Greek vase looks very impressive, since it immediately attracts the eye
Hi-tech and minimalist vases
In the twentieth century, a floor vase acquired an ascetic design and regular geometric shapes. No drawings - only clear lines and spectacular materials: metal, wire, plastic, glass, concrete.
In the street landscape, cubic, pyramidal and round vessels look good. As a rule, such vases are painted in monocolor or in two contrasting ones: black and white, black and red, etc.
Tall rectangular vases with boxwood growing in them can be a good option for separating the fruit garden or vegetable garden from the recreation area
How to use vases in landscaping
Each type of decorative vessel is designed for a specific landscape style. If this is not taken into account, then even the most luxurious vase will look like a foreign element on the site.
Classic styles
British vases are beneficial to use in the gardens of regular and landscape styles, the Mediterranean landscape.
Garden in a Mediterranean style involves the creation of closed areas from prying eyes. And the British vase on a pedestal fits perfectly into this landscape
British Vase Placement Tips:
- A vase on a low leg with a wide bowl is placed as a tapeworm in a secret corner of the garden (preferably on a pedestal), at the intersection of paths or by the garden bench.
- If the leg is high, and the bowl is of small diameter, then they can be placed opposite each other, connecting together a certain area. For example, the beginning and end of the central track. This technique is called "Alleino." Most appropriate in a large area, not cluttered with small sculptural forms and structures.
- Several tall bowls can be placed in a circle, thus highlighting the front part of the site, in the center of which there can be a fountain, gazebo or swing.
- In a line along the hedge. A special effect is the combination of white or gray bowls filled with bright plants (petunias, marigolds), with a green hedge background. The earth under vases is poured with pebbles.
By the way, note that in winter, British vases filled with pine branches look luxurious. For our snowy country, this is true.
The installation of British bowls on legs opposite each other in the corners of a certain area unites space, giving the landscape completeness
Oriental and Italian gardens
Vase-vessels fit well into the interior of the Italian garden, from which they actually came from. But it should be borne in mind that today the Italian style adheres to strict symmetry and geometricity, which was not the case in the era of the ancient Greeks. Therefore, vases in Italy are arranged in pairs, for example, at the entrance to the gazebo, near the fountain, on the steps of the terrace.
Where to put a vase in the eastern garden:
- At the entrance to the garden (always with flowers, as the entrance symbolizes the gate to paradise).
- If the paths in the garden divide the territory into squares, then the vessel is placed in the center of 2-3 squares located far from each other.
- Along the coastline of a stream or fountain flowing into a pond.
- On either side of the wall fountain.
Oriental styles also use vases, vessels, as the shape of the Greek vase is very similar to the Chinese. But if in Italy restrained natural tones (gray, white, brick) are welcomed, then the East gravitates towards brightness. Vessels can be decorated with mosaics, painted in three or more colors, creating fancy ornaments.
A bowl filled with colored pebbles in a Muslim garden can become the center of the courtyard, emphasizing the symmetry and rigor of the composition
Modern + industrial styles
In modern styles, vases are used, invented exclusively in the twentieth century (not earlier!).
High-tech can be filled with a huge number of cubes, pyramids and other original forms of vessels. The main thing is that they all be created from the same material.
The monolithicity of the concrete pedestal, strict geometric lines and a minimum of plants in the bowl - all these are signs of a modern hi-tech vase
Minimalism is enough for 2-3 original vases located in a certain rhythm. And if the vessel is an impressive size, then not more than one. The composition is usually placed on the lawn, and a single copy - in front of the house or at the beginning of the front path.
In an industrial style, a vase is used as a tapeworm. It is placed so that it is possible to view not only from all sides of the site, but also from the windows of the house. At the same time, the design of the vessel should be super-unusual, and the material should be wire, metal (it can be rusty). A low vase is set on a brick pedestal.
Eclecticism and Country
A rare host withstands the landscape in a simple style. Typically, in private courtyards there is a mixture of styles (eclecticism). And in such a landscape, you can use any kind of vase, if it is in harmony with the rest of the decor of a particular area, or create something original with your own hands.
By the way, home-made vases are also very appropriate in rustic styles, where the whole landscape emphasizes the imagination of the owner and is not limited by the style traditions. It is in these gardens that inexpensive plastic vases, vessels hollowed out of wood, and wicker bowls are best “acclimated”. They are not used empty, but are filled with fresh flowers, driftwood, reeds, etc. True, this decor will have to be removed for the winter, as wood and plastic do not have frost resistance, and will burst or twist out of the temperature difference.
In the rustic gardens, the vases are placed in a chaotic manner, filled with many bright flowers, planted in several tiers
In rustic styles, vases are always part of the composition, mingling with flowers and decorative shrubs, animal figures, or fairy-tale characters. They help create a multi-tiered flowerbed, while the pedestal is often hidden in low plants. Therefore, the decor of vases can be very modest, wood and concrete are not painted, but retain their natural texture.
Workshops on making homemade vases
It is not always possible to buy a decorative vase of the desired design and size, since only a few people are engaged in this craft. And structures made of natural stone and concrete are also always expensive. But a spectacular element of the landscape can be created with your own hands, and in a very easy way.
Consider three options for homemade vases.
Method # 1 - a rag from a rag and concrete
If you have never dealt with the creation of vases or at least some sculptural forms - start with this vase. It is made from old rags - a knitted sweater, woolen coarse cloth or burlap. In a word, find a thing that has lost its spectacular look - and for the cause.
The unusually spectacular design and ease of creating rags from rags provided them with high popularity among summer residents and owners of private houses
The technology for creating floor vases from old curtains or skirts is so simple and understandable that any lay person can try it on their site
For work, stock up:
- an old bucket;
- cement grade 500;
- jar "Fairy" for washing dishes (used as a plasticizer);
- a pair of rubber gloves.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Turn the old bucket upside down and place it on an elevation (stand, log, etc.) in a shady place. From below, cover the ground with cardboard or foil so that the flowing concrete does not spoil the landscape.
- Throw a rag on a bucket to try on, from which you will create a vase. It is necessary that the edges of the canvas freely fit the container, forming folds and not encountering obstacles from below. Decide on the shape of the vase immediately (asymmetric, with a beveled edge, etc.), since after solidification it does not change.
- Dilute the cement with water in a bowl to the consistency of thick sour cream, pour in a little "Fairy" (a teaspoon of the product on a bucket of concrete) and mix.
- Immerse a rag in the solution, let it soak in concrete.
- Lubricate the outside of the bucket with vegetable oil so that the mold does not stick to it.
- Take out the material impregnated with concrete and, without squeezing, throw it on the bucket, giving the shape of the vase that was determined in advance.
- Within 3 days, the vase should dry. Periodically (for 2-3 days) spray it with water so that the concrete dries out gradually. This will improve the frost resistance of the product.
- After 3 days, remove the bucket from under the vase, and turn the product upside down and put it to dry for a week under the canopy.
- The finished vase is coated with a primer to reduce porosity, painted with acrylics or decorated with varnish for outdoor work on concrete and stone.
If you have a piece of plastic pipe with a large diameter left after installation, you can decorate it with a material moistened in cement, placing the fabric in folds. The product is very original in design and will fit into the garden of any modern style.
Decorating the old container with material impregnated with concrete mortar, you will get an unusual and durable floor vase that is not afraid of winter and rain
Method # 2 - a vase from small gravel
It happens that a plastic vase was once bought into a house, which has already lost its relevance and does not fit into the new landscape. Give her a second life by decorating with gravel. And then she will acquire the features of a classic stone vase.
A vase from small gravel fits into any style where natural materials are taken as a basis, therefore it is placed both in the eastern garden and in the village
To do this, you will need:
- plastic vase;
- 500 grade cement;
- fine sand;
- Fairy
- small gravel;
- screwdriver and screws;
- kapron thread or soft wire;
- gloves, trowel.
Progress:
- We screw the screws on the entire surface of the plastic mold (we point it inward), and we do not push the caps back to back, but leave a gap of 1-2 mm.
- We braid the caps with nylon thread or wire, creating a frame on which the cement mortar will be held.
- Knead the solution: 1: 3 and with stirring, add a little "Fairy".
- We spread the mortar with the trowel on the frame, starting from the bottom, and immediately press the pebbles, trying to arrange them tightly, with the same pitch.
- Dry the finished vase in the shade for 3-4 days.
- Decorate the surface with varnish.
Varnishes for outdoor work have a large gamut of colors, so you can give the finished vase the right shade and at the same time protect it from moisture.
Instead of Fairy, some masters add PVA glue or bustilate to the solution to provide strength to the vase, but these plasticizers are more expensive
Method # 3 - a vase of twigs and a plastic pipe
For a country style, you can create a vase from branches. It will be elongated in a cylindrical shape, since a plastic pipe is taken as the basis. For the decor you will need burlap and even thin thin dried tree branches. They are easy to find at a clearing in the forest.
The vase, decorated with small tree branches, goes well with wicker fencing, furniture from tree cuts and a Moorish lawn
Progress:
- Harvested in the forest twigs of the desired length and thickness. Their length should be 5-7 cm longer than the base pipe.
- The plastic pipe is cut to the required height.
- They drive a round stone inside so that it lies on the bottom, but does not fall out. This will give the structure stability in the wind.
- Wrap the outer surface of the pipe with burlap, bending the ends inside the pipe and fixing them on liquid nails. Special evenness is not necessary, as the fabric will cover the branches.
- Jute thread or twine connect the branches into a single whole, linking them together with a simple knot. If the vase is low - just knit from the bottom and top. If more than a meter, then tie the branches in the middle with the third thread.
- Try the wooden frame on the pipe until it completely wraps it.
- Fix the branches on the pipe with a thick decorative rope.
To extend the service life, it is better to clean the wooden vase for the winter in the room.
If the vase will stand in the open, you can soak the burlap with vegetable oil to protect it from moisture, and varnish the branches
Method # 4 - a plaster vase
For this option, we have a video instruction for you:
Based on the presented workshops, you can create original elements of garden decor, and all the vases will be unique. The main thing is not to overdo it with the quantity, otherwise the landscape will lose its natural look and harmony.
