DIY Rustic Landscape

Structures

• Structures are the bones of your landscaping endeavor. Small buildings and sheds, fences, stone walls all contribute to the skeletal outline of your landscape. Rustic touches such as old-fashioned wooden fencing -- think rail or picket -- quaint stone walls, archways made of willow branches and cottage-style garden sheds are useful and aesthetic. Your structures' placement determines the placement for the rest of your garden and landscape.

Walkways

• A rustic landscape accommodates a pleasing array of walkway choices. Old bricks laid out tightly on their sides, cobbled stones, hexagonal tomettes, such as those used in the south of France, or large flagstones separated by a few inches of low ground cover work to project rustic charm to your yard. Lay out where you want your walkways to be and mark them before you plant flowers and trees. Lay the walkways after the plantings are complete to avoid disturbing your path.

Trees

• The trees you select for your rustic landscape depend on the climate zones where you live. A cottage-style landscape includes trees like box elders, holly, beech and weeping willow. Consider the colors of your landscape when choosing trees, as they will add depth and texture to your overall design through the seasons. Japanese maple adds a rich red to burgundy foliage. Look for trees in your zones that have interesting bark colors and textures that will be prominent during the winter months.

Flowers

• Flowers arranged in a thought out, but seemingly unorganized manner are what give a rustic landscape its appeal. Set flowers and shrubs in groups against the structures set in place. Place taller plants in the background. Imagine your landscape in every season and plant flowers according to when they will bloom. When you have a group of flowers that bloom in intervals, the colors will last throughout the seasons.

Accessories

• Accessories crafted in wrought iron add a touch of rustic charm to your landscape. Large items like gates, arches and light posts pull the landscape together. Add interest with a wrought iron birdcage hanging from a tree, a concrete fountain or birdbath in a central location, and a cozy nook with a well-placed bench among the flowers and trees.