Charming rustic gardens: What they are and design ideas

One of the best ways to fully enjoy our gardens is by decorating them harmoniously and to our liking. Of course, there are many different styles, each with its own special characteristics. However, everything rural is gaining a lot of ground, so it’s no wonder that more natural designs are becoming more and more popular. For this reason we are going to talk in this article about charming rustic gardens.

Specifically, we will explain what these types of spaces are and we will give you some ideas so that you can be inspired by them and design your garden with this style. I hope that with this information you will be able to create the garden of your dreams.

What is a rustic garden?

Before giving you some ideas for charming rustic gardens, we are going to comment on what they are. It is an outdoor space created by human beings with the intention of imitating nature. In other words: It is a well-cared garden designed so that the intervention of the human being is barely noticeable. And, in the elements where it is unavoidable, such as furniture, the most natural materials and shapes possible are used.

When designing any type of garden, including rustic ones, There are a number of aspects that we must take into account:

• The land and its characteristics (inclination, available space, climate, composition)
• Availability of water resources
• Additional elements that we want to integrate (furniture, decoration, paths, etc.)

Once we have become aware of all these basic aspects, we can start thinking about charming rustic gardens. This implies delimiting the zones, deciding how to place paths, looking at where furniture and other decorations can be placed, choosing the plants that we want to grow, and whatever comes to mind. In the end, It is your garden and it should be to your liking.

Guidelines for charming rustic gardens

If what we want is to have a purely rustic garden, there are several guidelines that must be followed, since it is a very characteristic style. Let’s see what they are:

• It should not contain elements whose style is modern, if we want a uniquely rustic garden. However, very cool combinations of both styles can be made.
• The vegetables we grow must have the same water needs to prevent some species from being affected by lack or excess of water.
• If we want to include paths in our garden, these must be made of wood, pebbles, clay pavers, gravel, etc.
• The materials that should be appreciated in rustic gardens should be natural, such as stone, wood, ceramics, cotton and esparto grass, among others. Glass or steel elements have no place in a 100% rustic garden, but they do in combined styles.

Charming rustic gardens: Ideas and examples

Now that we know what a rustic garden is and what we must take into account when designing one, We are going to discuss some ideas on how to decorate it. Obviously, this is a matter of taste and the purpose of this list is to inspire you to create your own outdoor space with your preferences.

• Stone: This element is very basic in nature, so it should not be missing in our rustic garden. We can create paths, retaining walls or stone pools.
• Furniture: Choosing the right furniture is very important so that everything is harmonious. For the rustic style, if they are made of wood they will look great, and the fabrics should have natural colors. We also have the option of buying or making our own furniture with pallets. You can find some ideas for it here!.
• Decorative elements: To give it an even more rustic touch, we can opt for a series of very cool decorative elements, such as pots and clay jars, wooden carts as a container for plants, wooden logs that can even be used as a bench, etc.
• Water well: What is more rustic than a well? If we already have an old one on our land, we can take advantage of it as another aesthetic element in the garden. If not, we always have the option of building one with stones, even if it is merely decorative. You have to admit that they have their charm.
• Pond: If we have money and space, we can put a small pond in our garden, and even with fish if we inform ourselves beforehand about the care they require. These small ecosystems give gardens a lot of life and a very special touch.
• Source: An alternative to the pond would be to place a stone fountain and thus include the element of water in our garden.

rustic garden paths

In the event that you want to include a path in your garden, there are many options. Below we will discuss a few ideas and with a bit of luck you like some or inspire you for your private trails:

• Tiles: We can choose them to our liking and intersperse them on the lawn. To achieve a more rustic atmosphere, it is best to have irregular shapes. Handmade tiles are a highly decorative option.
• Gravel with wood: Another option is to create a gravel path and place rectangular pieces of wood to step on.
• Tiled gravel: It follows the same idea as the previous one, but instead of placing wood between the gravel, large tiles are placed.
• Sunken tiles in the lawn: It is a simple design but it is really spectacular.
• Bordered paths: It can be very nice to give a border to the path, either with stones or with wood. This will make the garden look more organized.
• wooden paths: Instead of using tiles or gravel, we can also simply make a wooden path and place decorative elements around it, such as gravel or a stone border.

As you can see, there are endless possibilities to create charming rustic gardens. If you still have doubts or are not entirely clear about what you want and/or how you would like your garden to look, it is best to go to a landscaper. Both landscapers and garden centers can advise us when choosing the plants we want to grow and how to care for them.