Good Thai garden design can incorporate many different facets, practicalities and themes. Plants and trees are included that can often be used for food or medicine for example, and to offer shade. Structures are built to improve comfort, add beauty, and to be easily accessible.
In this small side garden in Central Thailand, the owner wanted a nice, attractive sitting area, close to the home, harmoniously joined in some way so that the garden area was a part of the household. An appealing, easy place to relax.
The team got to work, and designed a wooden Thai sala area, with tropical pergola, and including a lush tropical planting scheme with grass, plus, a simple laterite and river pebble pathway, finished with a concrete fish pond, built adjacent to the sala.
The pergola and railing were built and painted brilliant white, to help create a harmony with the house colour. Lighting lamps and spotlights were also chosen to complement the area.
The combinations of the different materials work, and the pond was constructed with all the essentials, including pump, filter and lighting. Around the pond, some simple Thai garden ornaments, low lying foliage, with rocks and stones.
Unlike before, the new garden is now an important part of the household, being that it is accessible, and easy on the eye. Beforehand this was not the case; the garden remained a very much separate part of the house, an unusable space.
The sala, pergola, planting and pond set up is an excellent combination to help get the most out of your Thai garden. Firstly, you have a comfortable, usable sitting area. Secondly, somewhere to relax and watch the fish and wildlife, no matter the weather, and thirdly, the adjoining pergola helps to keep the whole area cool and create synergy. The new plants, trees, grass and rocks add colour, and help to attract wildlife to the garden, whilst adding beauty to the overall landscape at the same time.
This set-up does not cost as much as you might think…. If you are interested in improving your Thai garden, contact ben@thaigardendesign.com or call 080 655 8110 (Thai and English)
