Painting a greener and more beautiful UAE.
Here in the UAE, where cities are growing at an unprecedented rate, landscaping and gardening are important elements that complete the picture.
Landscape architects have used their skills to embellish and enhance natural and artificial areas ranging from tiny gardens and terraces in apartment buildings and sprawling poolside and walled-in gardens in plush villas to landscaped gardens in parks and outdoor spaces and water features in malls and boulevards.
Landscape architects around the world are finding that consumers like to bring the indoors outside and make the outdoors an extension of their indoor décor. During 2007, many homeowners in the newly built areas of Dubai followed this trend and installed decks, porches and patios in their yards.
The number of homeowners in the UAE is growing by the day in the country and as they come from different parts of the world, they bring novel as well as traditional ideas from their native countries or do research on their own before deciding on what kind of garden they want.
New homeowners are often willing to spend whatever is necessary to make their homes special. And they find the right landscape experts to create what they want right here in the UAE. Most of the companies here import products from all over the world and can provide whatever the homeowner wants in his/her home.
The climate of this country allows outdoor living most of the year. So it makes sense for people who live in villas to have a landscaped garden, in which an area can be made into a comfortable living space complete with furniture and beautiful artifacts. It not only becomes a cool and calm place to relax with family but also entertain guests during the cool months.
Small spaces
In small gardens, potted plants arranged around the edges define the space. Plants interspersed with stone or marble elements can give a sense of luxury to a limited space. A couple of garden chairs and a rattan table can transform it into an intimate and romantic retreat.
If there is space in the front yard of a villa, a landscape architect can plant a garden with provision for a deck or patio and water features such as fountains. Pavement and floor tiles can be used to give it structure.
Eco-friendly elements
"No matter what size your garden is, you can make it beautiful affordably," says Sunil Sawlani, Managing Director of Royal Gardenscape, a leading name in the supply of hard landscaping products in Dubai. Many of the products that Royal Gardenscape uses are natural stones to help its customers build beautiful gardens and conserve the environment at the same time.
One of its partners, Bradstone of the UK, has produced paving stones called Old Town Conservation with eco-friendly credentials to help conserve the environment.
Each slab contains up to 85 per cent recycled and reclaimed aggregates and comes in a brindled grey-brown shade. The paving stones have the seasoned appearance of ageless natural stones with random subtle tooled surface profiles.
Available in different colours, sizes and designs, marble, stone, slate and other stones give a natural and classy look wherever they are used — be it in the patio, the staircase background, garden walls, around the pool, balconies, verandahs, or a section of the exterior of the house that overlooks the garden and becomes part of the landscape.
A wide variety of natural stone is also available at Stone Gallery, one of the leading top hard landscaping specialists in the UAE, dealing in marble, granite and other stones for pavements, walkways, driveways, patios, pool decking and coping, gazebos as well as garden furniture, ornaments and water features.
Swimming pools
Swimming pools are an important part of the landscape in most of the new villa and building complexes in the UAE, due to the hot climate.
When there is a landscaped garden with a swimming pool and areas of relaxation around the house, furnishing these areas appropriately is as important as furnishing the interior of the house.
Gone are the days of folding chairs, wood-only seating and sore bottoms. Outdoor furniture is now as comfortable as indoor furniture.
There are upholstered yet weatherproof chairs and sofas available in various shades and designs. In addition cushions of every size, shape and colour-combination contribute to the comfort.
Stores such as Ikea, Home Centre, Ace Hardware, Homes R Us and others also provide outdoor furniture, accessories and useful products and gadgets made for the outdoors. They also offer different types of barbecues to suit gardens and balconies, including portable ones.
To make the outdoors more interesting at night, use lighting in addition to scented candles and citronella filled lamps that keep insects at bay.
