Liiveri's environmental designer Reetta Yli-Hynnilä reveals tips for making the courtyards of homes and village houses more comfortable.
Over the past year, Reetta has created a landscape plan for seven associations in the Liiveri area as part of the Meidän Markki project.
First impressions are made in a few seconds. The same applies not only to people but also to environments. A representative and functional yard creates a positive image of the entire place. Planning is the be-all and end-all of everything. Larger yard plans should always be reviewed by a professional, but the basics can be sorted out by considering the following questions:
1. What is the general appearance of the area? Remove trash and brush. Plot entrances and edge areas are easily overlooked and grow unkempt grass and brush. Clearing these will immediately clean up the area. After clearing, the clearing waste is always collected.
2. Is the area safe to walk in? Are the views open on the driveways? And are there any dangerous falls or structures in poor condition? The safety of the area is the responsibility of the administrator. Therefore, it is a good idea to fence off dangerous areas and check the condition of stairs, terraces and other structures annually. Sometimes improving the safety of an area requires substantial measures, such as earthworks to ensure the safety of driveways, for example.
3. What is currently being done in the area? What would you like to do there? Are there any structures left in the yard from activities that have already ceased? By collecting old electrical wires, electric poles, well rings, stone pillars and other unnecessary scrap, the appearance of the environment will improve and maintenance will generally be easier. Otherwise, it is worth considering the yard in terms of care. Is a flower bed made in front of the area pretty if no one has time to take care of it?
4. How do you get to the area? Is it easy to get to? Where do you leave the cars? It is worth considering the arrival, passage and parking in the yard from the perspective of an outsider. When the arrival to the area is made clear, functionality improves considerably.
5. What do you want to show and what do you want to hide? What do you want to see from the yard? For example, would it be worth opening up the views from somewhere in the area by felling trees? It is also good to offer the eye points of focus. Beautiful views and walkways automatically draw the eye. Similarly, it is worth hiding ugly warehouse backgrounds, garbage cans and unkempt willows on the adjacent plot, for example, with trees, shrubs or a fence. You can also fool the eye by opening the landscape in a pleasant direction, which will focus attention on the positive.