Terrace Garden Ideas: Inspiration for Your Outdoor Oasis
Jd Institute
Transform Your Terrace into a Lush Garden Oasis with These Inspiring Ideas
Having a balcony or terrace garden in our cities is indeed a luxury, and its value has been better realised more than ever, during this Pandemic. Experiencing fresh air and purifying plants, having a bit of outdoors inside, and interacting with neighbours across balconies and terraces have all been possible. A terrace garden allows you to create an oasis of your own made out of your own handpicked furniture, plants, water features, accent pieces et al. There is a huge variety of decorative items to choose from, based on individual tastes, preferences and more importantly, one’s lifestyle.
For those with a green thumb, will get to work straight away on the central theme – the ‘garden’ in the terrace. There is always help at hand from your local gardener, if you are starting from scratch. If you want flowering plants, purifying plants, herb gardens that give off lovely fragrance, all of these can be used for variety and beauty. See a calm settle in with the different shades of leafy green reaching out towards the glistening rays of the sun. And then, heave a sigh and see all your muscles relax and tensions subside, as you lounge in your very own ‘personalised’ space.
Maximizing Space and Adding Visual Interest
For a cosy corner or a ‘sit out’ for entertaining family and friends, place casual seating like low sofas or floor cushions in a shady corner. A floor rug anchors in the arrangement. Pocket-friendly hacks are best to use and require minimum effort to blend a home with its surroundings.
For an expansive look and feel, that offers more privacy from the hustle and bustle of daily life, surround yourself with greenery to hide the city-scape beyond. Build vertical gardens, by optimising existing space / walls. Hanging colourful pots, growing creepers, or a vertical garden, or growing seasonal vegetables and fruits, will all be a pure labour of love.
Scented flowering plants like rose, marigold, jasmine, lavender and many more make for an aromatic garden. Herbs such as oregano and basil can be grown to use in food flavouring. Green chillies, coriander leaves, lime, and parsley are very useful to have close at hand, and can be freshly picked when required in daily cooking.
Flooring contributes in a big way towards the overall look and feel of a terrace garden. Anti-skid flooring that resembles wooden planks can be installed, and so can stone, cement or terracotta tiles.
Add furniture to lounge in, for casual meet ups, or private lunches or dinners. Rattan and cane finishes look best. Include floor cushions, poufs and even a swing for that cosy, endearing feel. A roughly hewn low table or a tree cutting can provide for a rustic coffee table. Synthetic grass can be placed below the seating arrangement, in conjunction to the tiled/wood flooring.
A shade using wooden beams or creepers on a frame, not only looks good but provides protection from the harsh rays of the sun. Adding aesthetics and comfort all around should be the focus. A wooden pergola is a charming idea. Using cane finishes adds a nice texture.
Creating a Relaxing and Soothing Atmosphere
Lighting forms an important aspect and an artistic arrangement can transform a space into a magical haven. Fairy lights, lanterns, a bright Chinese lantern, or LED bulbs placed below the plants give off a nice soft glow. Using decorative wall scones for ambient lighting will have a stunning effect. Cane or bamboo lamp shades will complement the overall natural look.
Adding a water feature or a water body with a statue installed made from stone can form the focal point or an accent piece in the terrace garden. A variety of water fountains are available to choose from and adds an aesthetic appeal. Another hassle-free way to create a focal point is to make abstract formations with colourful pebbles, or construct mini lily pond with underwater lights, and add ornamental fishes, for a peaceful and a soothing atmosphere.
Statues of stone or water bodies can anchor a terrace and create a strong focal point, especially the calming effect of a water feature and the sound of water in motion.
Use the bare walls to show off your art collection or framed artworks, abstract works
Enhancing the Ambience and Extending Your Outdoor Living Space
A terrace garden can transform into an art space with the addition of artworks and paintings that are framed up and hung on the bare walls. Matching the subject and colour of these artworks with the rest of the garden can look very artistic indeed. Shelving systems on the wall can display pretty collectables too.
This holistic approach to one’s interiors has far-reaching benefits, like increasing oxygen levels in the surrounding areas. Moreover, the evaporation cycle of the plants helps in the formation of dew, and this helps to keep the overall terrace cool. The atmospheric heat absorbed by the plants helps regulate the temperature and prevents a house from getting uncomfortably hot, especially if the house is located on the top floor.
During this pandemic and subsequent lockdown, having a terrace garden has been a blessing. Man’s love for nature or biophilia, can be fulfilled by being surrounded by the greenery in your very own terrace garden.
An attractive terrace garden will help induce occupants to spend more time in this outdoorsy set up.
