Stylishly and neatly decorated, creating a relaxing atmosphere, a dry stream becomes one of the most successful components of a summer cottage. There are many options for arranging an artificial water artery, or rather simulating a real stream.
Many of the options have been used for a long time and do not lose relevance over time.
The idea of recreating dry streams is not a new thing; such elements in landscape design make it possible to add color to the free space on the site, turning it into a cozy area intended for relaxation.
To make the site even more attractive, suitable place you can reproduce an imitation of a water artery.
Study the photos of ready-made dry streams - and you will understand how diverse this decor is.
Dry stream in a flowerbed, photo Where did the idea come from?
Dry prototypes of waterways arose seven thousand years ago, they were invented by the Japanese. Dry streams were used to decorate stone gardens, areas conducive to philosophy and allowing one to reflect on vital issues. Japanese philosophy became fashionable and spread to other countries, and dry streams began to be used in Western culture.
In most cases, such decorative elements are formed in areas where there is no possibility of creating decorative waterways. However, dry streams and real water bodies carry the same meaning.
The contemplation of such arteries gives the impression that the water in them has dried up, and after the rains have passed, the streams will be filled with life-giving moisture again.
Dry stream, photo If you are interested in Eastern culture and signs, a dry water artery can turn into a source of life-giving energy for you and help ensure family well-being.
Features of a dry water artery, its advantages
The classic dry stream includes small smooth pebbles that look like sea pebbles, due to which an imitation of a real reservoir is created. The composition of such an artery also includes large stones that imitate thresholds or mini-waterfalls in the garden. The listed details are complemented by flowers along the channel and other elements that make it possible to focus on the dry waterway and make it even more beautiful.
In addition to the original appearance, decorative water arteries have other advantages:
- a dry stream can be created in a summer cottage on your own without the help of specialists and high expenses for arrangement;
- you can make such an object in just two days: the main thing is to choose a place and perform a series of simple manipulations;
- dry streams are undemanding in care, the main task is to adjust its shape, if necessary;
- unlike real water arteries, dry streams do not accumulate algae and sediments that clog the object. You don't have to spend money on water purification;
- weather factors will not be able to spoil the appearance of the reservoir and the materials that were used to create it - a dry stream in the country will serve you for several years;
- if you have a desire to plant flowers or ornamental grasses next to a dry water artery, you will not need to think about the sensitivity of vegetation to moisture;
- insects do not accumulate above dry streams that can ruin your vacation;
- such reservoirs do not pose a danger to children, and the children can safely play next to the stream;
- stones in dry streams can be used to hide communications while maintaining access to them.
Dry stream in landscape design, photo Important! One cannot fail to note such a point as the functionality of dry water arteries. Dry streams can be used as drainage for draining water that has accumulated after rain in a summer cottage, and as analogues of storm drains next to paths.
Imitation of water bodies makes it possible to solve a number of difficulties related to the relief of the soil on garden plot. For example, if the garden has a slope, a homemade stone stream will give an ordinal look to this area, and flowers and ornamental grasses planted nearby will make this area even more expressive - here any vegetation will look organic.
Availability Alpine slide in close proximity to a dry stream will demonstrate your good taste and add personality to your landscape design.
Dry stream design, photo Decor
The creation of a dry water artery in the landscape of a summer cottage can be done in various options. Climatic features are also important (vegetation must be selected in accordance with the climate) and the size of the site that will be decorated.
The stone stream should be decorated in such a way that relief imperfections become invisible. For example, by forming a narrow stream with meanders, you can visually deepen this area and visually expand the size of the garden. You can imitate the water surface using small dark stones, and to create thresholds use lighter and larger stones.
If your goal is to create a dry stream that will look as realistic as possible, opt for basalt and slate. These materials will allow you to create a dry water artery in a light blue palette. A dry stream in a garden plot in reddish-brown tones can be decorated with granite pebbles.
Due to certain types of stones, you can place accents in light or dark colors. For example, details made of marble and limestone will help make the white shade more expressive. A shimmering effect can be achieved by complementing the design of dry streams with glass balls and pebbles.
Unusual options for dry waterways are obtained by incorporating floral elements into their design. You can make a floral island in the center of the object or place accents along the entire perimeter of the stream. We recommend not to use simultaneously a large number of variegated colors, but choose varieties that successfully complement each other and combine with other elements.
The most popular flowers are in blue colors. Decorate the area next to the artificial stream with bells, cockerels or cereal crops. Beds and flower beds can be made multi-tiered.
Plants for a dry stream: photos with names Plants that evoke associations with bodies of water will help make a dry stream look more realistic. For example, as additional vegetation in the design of a dry waterway, you can use plants with names such as Chinese reed, reed arundo, miscanthus.
Another original version- dry stream with decorative bridge. It is created from a monolithic block or round logs. A bridge to simulate a real body of water is selected if such an element takes up a minimum of space. Such an object will add realism to your creation, create the appearance of a crossing, similar to those that run through natural bodies of water.
You can also create a simulated water crossing by placing large rocks across the surface of the waterway.
Bridge over a dry stream, photo When choosing parts for a dry stream, proceed from their compatibility with those objects that already exist on the site. It is necessary to achieve harmony, a combination of the natural landscape with the materials used to design the garden, so that the style and overall execution look holistic. It is worth noting that a dry waterway can also be used to divide an area into zones.
If the stream is partially isolated, it can be supplemented with elements that distinguish the recreation area from the rest.
There are many more ideas for decorating a dry stream. For example, you can place street lamps and benches nearby. Separate areas can be decorated with images of storks, swans or other birds and animals that may live outside the city. Choose figures based on their compatibility with the body of water.
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Step-by-step creation process
Let's consider step by step process self-creation dry stream. First of all, you need to decide on its location and size. Draw for yourself a diagram and route of the waterway, and then move the sketch to the desired site. To create bends, use ropes and sand (it is best to make the contours arbitrary, avoid strict lines and restrictions). Make a stream bed, placing the source on a hill.When calculating the depth of the channel, take into account the width of the object being formed. The best option– the width parameter must be twice the depth. After this, you can begin creating a channel for a dry stream on the site.
Remove the top of the soil and make ditches at a 45-degree angle. Clear the area of plants and debris, remove rhizomes and compact the soil horizontally and along slopes.
How to make a dry stream with your own hands, photo One of the advantages of creating your own dry water features is that they do not require the formation of a concrete base with water-resistant characteristics.
To preserve the configuration of the stream, cover the prepared bed with any dense material, for example, roofing felt or thick cellophane.
Find out how to arrange something beautiful: examples in the photo, options from different materials, tips for designing original recreation areas.
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Subsequent work
Having finished preparing the riverbed, place stones on its surface. Laying should begin from the base of the ditch, having previously added crushed stone and expanded clay - approximately a five-centimeter layer. Then sprinkle it all with a little sand.
Since the stream will flow from the rock prototype, use stones maximum size. Make an embankment, arrange the stones, and fill the resulting cavities with crushed stone so that the composition looks holistic.
DIY dry stream, photo You can clearly see the process of creating a dry stream in the garden landscape in this video:
On next step begin to create the appearance of a body of water flowing. To do this, use flat small pebbles. It is preferable to place larger stones on both sides of the waterway. A coastline is immediately formed, large boulders are laid out.
Advice: for greater realism, make one side of the stream rocky. It is in this place that you need to place as many large stones as possible. On the other edge their sizes will be smaller.
The so-called shallow zone of a homemade waterway needs to be decorated with small pebbles or other similar stones. An imitation of flow is created by flat stones laid on an edge. Place a hewn stone in the middle of the riverbed, and decorate the area around it with a whirlpool made from pebbles.
You can experiment with the depth of the stream you made yourself. Dark colored stones will help create the effect of depth. Decorate the shallow water area with light pebbles, plastic and glass parts.
If you are worried that the composition will be damaged during the heavy rainy season, you can secure the details of the dry waterway using a reliable base on sand-cement mortar. The stones are placed on the mortar and hardened firmly. If necessary, the stones can be painted in the desired color.
Dry stream at the dacha, photo Well, of course, use additional elements decor. Make a bridge, remembering to fasten it securely. If desired, decorate the bridge with a beautiful fence or lanterns.
Dry stream with a bridge, photo The water artery must "flow" through it. Install a small mill or other structure nearby to create a harmonious composition. Be sure to secure the structures so that they do not warp under the influence of strong wind gusts.
Once you've finished installing these parts, consider decorating the waterway with plants. If necessary, prepare the ground in the stream area or in areas where vegetation will be planted. You can make low, neat borders. When planting plants, be sure to take into account their possible aggressiveness so that they do not crowd out each other.
Provide timely care for vegetation, regularly weed and irrigate green areas. Annuals will need to be removed at the end of autumn; for this reason, it is better to choose perennials for decorating a dry waterway, as more unpretentious vegetation.
DIY dry stream at the dacha, photo You don't have to strictly follow the tips to create water zone relaxation at the dacha. You can bring your ideas and plans to life, a number of which are shown in the photo. The main task when creating a dry stream is to achieve its realistic appearance; the stream must maintain its configuration, otherwise you will be forced to correct it often.
photo gallery
We offer a selection of photos with other ideas for constructing and designing dry streams: look through them and start creating an artificial waterway in your garden:
The element of water has long attracted a person with calmness, an atmosphere of harmony and unity with nature. Ennobling the backyard territory, there is often a desire to create an artificial reservoir. If the conditions do not favor the placement of the pond, then optimal solution becomes a dry stream. There is not a drop of water in the composition - only cobblestones and stones imitating the mouth and bed of a dried-up reservoir. Planning and laying out a "stone stream" is quite simple. The main thing is to show creativity, imagination, correctly choose the shape of the composition and follow the simple technology of laying stones.
Landscaping: do-it-yourself dry stream. Advantages of composition.
The classic method of decorating a Japanese garden is increasingly used in summer cottages And local areas. In Japan, the water element is associated with the desire for life and purity of thought, and murmuring streams are associated with the transience of time. If the arrangement of a reservoir in the garden is impossible for certain reasons, then oriental decorators use a special technique - a dry stream. Stone ponds convey the feeling of a dry riverbed, which, with the onset of rain, will be filled with long-awaited moisture.
The indisputable advantages of creating a dry stream with your own hands on the site include:
Varieties of dry reservoirs on the site
There is no definite classification of dry streams into subspecies. Conventionally, the design of such a composition is divided into three types.
winding body of water. A simple option for creating a dry stream with your own hands. One channel flows through the site, sometimes expanding, sometimes narrowing in length. landscape composition imitates the movement of an ordinary river. When planning the form, it is necessary to take into account the relief, directing the reservoir along a plain or a small slope.
Cascade. The beginning of the waterfall is arranged on any hill. You can create a symbolic representation of a rock, a wooden or stone well, a large jug. The water stream falls and forms man-made rapids.
forked channel. The natural confluence of branches requires proper placement and compliance with the natural shapes of the reservoir. The stream looks beautiful on the winding hills. For reliability, the sources of the channel are often hidden behind a decorative bridge, dense vegetation or a fence. Sand jets are made of small pebbles or sand. Imitation of a wave is achieved by creating winding shallow grooves.
Do-it-yourself dry stream: step by step instructions
Every summer resident and gardener can make a dry stream with his hands. There is no need to involve specialists, use expensive equipment and carry out large-scale preparation of the territory. The main task is to present the plan of the proposed stream as accurately as possible and beat the existing site.
Site selection and site marking
The dimensions and configuration of the reservoir should be selected taking into account the size of the plot, the location of the house, additional buildings and terrain features. When planning, you should consider some of the nuances:
The marking of the stone reservoir is carried out with sand. Sandy path laid along the boundaries of the future “water” flow. In the process, the shape can be easily corrected, bringing the sketch to an ideal representation of the stream. Sometimes the boundaries are marked with pegs and ropes. However, this method is more laborious and less mobile.
Dry stream laying materials
A dry stream in the country with their own hands is created using various rocks. By experimenting and combining all kinds of fractions, textures and colors of stones, it will be possible to achieve the effect of illusion. Useful in the work: shell rock, gravel, limestone, pebbles, etc.
Some points of choosing and arranging stones:
- the bluish-gray color of the water surface will ensure the mixing of shale, gneiss and basalt;
- the brown-red tone of the composition will be set by marble, granite, and also limestone;
- the illusion of the brilliance of the water stream is created by adding small balls of glass or painting concrete elements with mirror paint;
- flat pebbles are suitable for simulating the dynamics of a stream and the effect of a stream;
- the coastal zone is distinguished by large details of light colors - dark elements create clear unnatural boundaries of the reservoir.
Advice. Coating stones with varnish creates the impression of “ wet surface». Interesting option- treatment of elements with waterproof luminous paint. At night, the stones will shine and resemble a "lunar path".
Of the tools you will need:
- sand for marking;
- geotextile - the substrate under the stone can be replaced with a film;
- shovel;
- rake.
Arrangement of a pit under the "pond"
The procedure for preparing the site for laying stones:
- According to the marked contour, dig a channel with a depth of about 20-25 cm.
- Tamp the bottom area and cover with geotextile or thick film. The material will prevent grass from growing between the stones of the stream.
Sometimes protective film replace with fill cement mortar. However, this method has disadvantages: increased cost of construction, increased labor costs and the complexity of redevelopment of the site.
The order of the stones
- Large cobblestones are placed along the edges, medium-sized stones in the middle. Fine fractions will fill the depth of the reservoir.
- Stone steps of a cascade or reservoir, river rapids are laid out from large flat boulders. This approach will help transform a calm stream into a fast-flowing mountain river.
- Sharp rock fragments imitate a mountain grotto.
- The crevices are laid with large or medium-sized elements.
- Elongated stones oval shape create the feeling of running water.
- The effect of the island is achieved by placing a large boulder in the middle of the channel.
- If a dry stream acts as drainage for storm water, then it is advisable to “plant” the stones on a sand-concrete solution. Otherwise, under the influence of water pressure, they will shift and the composition will lose its expressiveness.
After laying the stones, the coastal area should be developed. Fill the perimeter of the reservoir with crushed bark or a layer of sand.
Decoration of the stream and its banks
It will be possible to bring a dry stream as close as possible to a real reservoir with the help of plantations. Deciduous, flowering and shrubby plants. The main requirement is a harmonious combination of the color of the stones and the “green” frame.
It is better to choose plants that, one way or another, resemble the water element:
- bush with bluish elongated leaves and shoots;
- blooming plantations with bright blue flowers: aubrieta, lobelia, blue fescue, bearded iris, creeping tenacious and bruner;
- exotic glade will give: reed, pampas grass, sedge, daylily and hosta.
Do-it-yourself dry stream: photo-scheme of plant seating
Designations for the scheme:
- - leaf-grate-bamboo;
- - blue, yellow, blue bearded irises;
- - undersized lobelia;
- - tenacious creeping;
- - Polskharsky's bell;
- - gabriet;
- - large-leaved bruner;
- - green bryozoan;
- - tenacious red-leaved creeping;
- - reed type arundo.
How to make a dry stream with your own hands: a photo of the layout of three different compositions
Advice. When planting plants, the main thing is not to overdo it. The abundance of herbs and flower beds will oversaturate the coastal zone and turn an exquisite oriental element into a boring flower bed or an analogue of an alpine hill.
- Lamps. Using lighting along the stream will allow you to admire the compositions in dark time days. At artificial lighting the stones begin to "play" and shimmer with a new shade.
- garden figurines. The overall perception of the reservoir will largely depend on the choice of decor. An installed heron or a frog planted on an island will give the landscape a natural look, while gnomes and funny characters will take you to a fantasy world.
- Bridge over the stream. The object itself does not perform practical tasks, but gives the landscape a special charm. The crossing looks harmonious, painted to match the plants growing nearby.
Do-it-yourself dry stream: step-by-step creation of a composition. Video
- To support boulders along the banks, branches and beams can be laid. This decision gives naturalism to the whole composition.
- It will turn out to beat the mouth of the stream different ways. It can smoothly move into a cobblestone area or patio, hidden behind a fence, wide fern leaves or vines.
- An improvised sandbank made of flat boulders organically looks on wide stone reservoirs.
- The idea of a quiet calm water flow is conveyed by stones of the same color. You can add a bright accent using contrasting shores.
- A homemade stream, made from local minerals, is optimally combined with nature.
- Flat cobblestones of medium size, laid out edgewise, imitate fast current water flow.
- An alternative to a dry reservoir of minerals is a flower arrangement. A stream can come from an old jug, an inverted barrel or a chest.
Features of caring for an artificial "reservoir"
Maintaining the stream in its original form does not cause any particular difficulties. Care activities:
- with the advent of spring, the land along the coast must be fluffed up, the plants fertilized;
- control that ants do not start in the crevices between the stones;
- periodically during the hot season, the stream must be watered - this will improve the microclimate near the dry reservoir and will contribute to the normal growth of "coastal" plants;
- after a while, moss may appear on the stones; so that the composition does not become gloomy, its amount should be controlled;
- shrubs must be periodically cut, and plants that prefer a warm climate must be covered for the winter.
Do-it-yourself dry stream in the country: photo ideas
Natural minimalism performed by a “dried” reservoir looks very harmonious against the backdrop of majestic mountains and old tall pines.
The illusion is created that the porch country house out to the bed of a dry river.
The flow of a dry stream along dense thickets. Some of the stones are covered with varnish, due to which a “wet” effect is achieved.
The arrangement of a stone reservoir on the site allows you to combine several traditions and style directions from different world cultures.
The longitudinal arrangement of thin stones imitates the murmur of a stream. The realism of the composition is given by the relief of the site - "water" flows down from top to bottom.
Art landscape design combines many elements, for example, alpine slides, different kind flower beds, ponds, gazebos and much more. One of the elements that Lately has become quite popular, there is a so-called dry stream, reminiscent of the bed of a real living stream, along which water was babbling merrily until recently.
The bottom of such a stream is lined with stones, and flowers grow along the banks. It seems that as soon as it rains, the water will again fill the dry riverbed and the stream will gurgle again.
The idea of creation dry stream on the site came to us from China. According to the beliefs of the Chinese, water must be present in any plot or garden or, in extreme cases, its imitation, which was most successfully implemented in the “stone stream”. This element of landscape design is essentially universal and can easily fit into classic style or Art Nouveau style. In addition, such a stream has many advantages, for example, due to the lack of water in it, you will never be attacked by mosquitoes, and it also does not require special care. Due to the fact that the stream can be made of any size and shape, it is perfect for an area of any size and with any surface, and it will be safe for children to play near it.
How to create dry stream on the site?
What seems difficult at first glance is not so difficult upon further consideration. First you need to remember what living natural streams look like, and, based on this, figure out what your version will look like. First you need to “draw” the outlines of the channel; this can be done, for example, with sand. Depending on the size of the site, you need to design the stream itself. If the area is small, then a winding channel will help to visually enlarge the area and deepen it. At different sections along the entire length of the stream there can be different widths; thanks to this technique, maximum “naturalness” can be achieved. After you have determined the exact contours of the future stream with sand, you can begin its construction.
They will help make your project look natural local rocks. It is better to choose smooth and flat pebbles for the bottom, and install small blocks along the banks, as if washed by water. In order to make “thresholds” and “waterfalls,” experts recommend choosing light-colored stones, and, on the contrary, dark stones for recesses. Device designers' favorite breeds dry streams on the site, are slate, as well as basalt and gneiss. Can revive very well appearance stream inserts made of white marble.
If you want to achieve special effects, you can resort to paint and paint some pebbles dark and light colors. To achieve the effect of flowing water that shimmers in the sun, designers advise using glass beads or granules. In general, there is a lot of information on this topic both on the Internet and in landscape design magazines, so by taking ideas into account, you can come up with something original.
Dry stream on the site - photo
When you have already decided on the details of the project, you can begin to build dry stream on the site. To do this, you will need to dig a small trench with a depth of 10 to 20 cm along the entire length of the intended contour. To prevent the growth of weeds that can spoil the appearance of the stream, the bottom must be lined with any dense dark-colored material, for example, agrofibre. This material allows air and moisture to pass through, but does not allow weeds to grow. Stones for lining a stream are used in several types and sizes.
The largest ones support the “banks”, smaller stones, for example, pebbles, fill the distances between them, and pebbles or crushed stone fill the rest of the space. When coming up with an environment for your masterpiece, remember that in this case simplicity and conciseness are exactly what is welcome, that is, nothing superfluous, everything should be in moderation and any elements should be in harmony with each other. When selecting plants, give preference to low-growing species.
A well-designed landscape design will transform any garden plot. Among the many ideas, ponds are especially popular. Using this element, it is easy to divide the site into zones or decorate its central part in an original way. Moreover, to organize a stream, the presence of water is not at all necessary. Today we will talk about this original element landscape design, like a dry stream. This unusual idea has a very interesting story and a lot of advantages, which will be discussed further. 
History of the dry riverbed
Despite the fact that the dry stream has gained immense popularity relatively recently, its history began in ancient Japan about seven hundred years ago. The source of this decor was philosophical stone gardens. After all, you see, the illusion of a dry stream that stands waiting for rain brings to quite deep thoughts about life harmony. And it was the spread of Eastern religion that contributed to the fact that this element of landscape design became so popular in the West. 
Essential elements
In Eastern philosophy, a dry stream, which begins with a small source and, meandering throughout the entire area, expands like a funnel, helps to attract positive energy, well-being and harmony into the home. Small smooth pebbles, such as pebbles or crushed crumbs in this composition imitate water, but large white boulders play the role of rapids and small waterfalls. Additional decorative elements, such as bridges over a stone stream or trees and shrubs hanging over a stream, also look original.
The main advantage of this landscape element is that it does not require any special care and will easily fit into any design style personal plot, and will look attractive at any time of the year.
Useful features
When designing a dry stream, you can solve several problems at once that may arise due to the terrain or location. If there is a slope on the site, then the flow of stones falling from the hillock will look very organic. And flower beds and flower beds located along it will make the stream even more expressive. In the same time flower arrangements will not seem at all out of place on the slope, but on the contrary will look very original and harmonious.
Another quite important positive function of a dry stream is that with the help of a mound of stones simulating the flow of water, you can easily disguise some communications. And at the same time make them easily accessible. 
A dry stream, in addition to its decorative purpose, may well be functional, namely, serve as a drainage system for draining excess rainwater in gardens. And they ate to design such an original storm drain along paths and paths, you can be sure that even during heavy rain puddles will not form on them. 
How to design a dry stream
Site planning is one of the most difficult stages of landscape design, because deciding on the number, shape and location of individual decorative elements it can be quite difficult. And sometimes without experience it is almost impossible to cope with the task. However, no matter how difficult it may be, it is quite possible to create a harmonious composition on the site yourself. The main thing is to use your imagination and have patience and drafts on which to draw everything possible options layouts. Then all that remains is to bring the dreamed-up project to life.
Stones for the stream
The choice of materials for creating a dry stream is also very milestone, where all possible options should also be considered. As already mentioned, smooth dark stones are suitable for simulating a water flow, but to create rapids, light stones should be used.
To design a composition in light blue tones, you should give preference to stones such as gneiss, basalt or slate; for a greenish or reddish-brown stream, you need to select granite of the appropriate color. For light accents, you can use white marble or limestone. To create the shimmering effect of a dry stream, glass balls or glass pebbles are scattered among the stones. This element will add mystery and originality to the composition.
It should be noted that winding streams, which sometimes narrow, sometimes widen, or are divided into two or three streams, look much more interesting than straight embankments. Flower islands in the middle of a stone stream also look good. 
Companion plants
In order for a stream of stones to look as natural as possible, it should be surrounded by plants that are associated with water. Miscanthus, bamboo bamboo, arundo reed or Chinese reed work well for this purpose. Flowers for stream design are best selected in shades of blue. To enhance the illusion of water flow, flowers, shrubs and grasses in blue shades should be used in the composition. These include loberia, Poskharsky's bell, large-leaved forget-me-not, hybrids bearded iris, blue fescue, buffalo grass and mosquito grass.