Teak Furniture Blog
Teak Furniture Blog
 
So, you want to give your backyard a makeover? How about giving it a Balinese design which has become so popular all over the world?

Balinese garden designs include a number of elements besides the regular foliage and flowers. The design incorporates water, teak furniture, lanterns and Balinese embellishments like statues, vases, pottery, gates and ceremonial umbrellas.

Remember the entire theme is Asian, so the foliage should be lush and green replicating the tropical jungles (in a more civilized way, of course).  The plants which can be used are cordylines, palms and ferns, that is, plants with large leaves and long stalks to create the structure in the garden. 

Once these plants are set in the framework, then fill the gaps with smaller plants with brightly colored leaves.  The idea is to have varying heights and different kinds of leaves. The flowers you could plant should be large and ornate. Some of the more popular ones are hibiscus, lotus, oleander, torch ginger, lantana and orchids.  You could ask at your local garden center to what is available in your area.

Water is an important part of a Balinese garden and will add to the beauty greatly.  It could be a small plug in fountain, a mist maker, bowls with floating flower or candles or a rock garden water fall.  A word of advice, fountains are not essentially Balinese, so if you want to be really authentic you should go for water sprouts which are available in intricate designs.

If you have enough space in your backyard you could also incorporate a pond with water lilies.  Running water in a setting of lush green foliage would recreate a typical Balinese garden.

Artifacts and statues will go a long way in creating the ethnic Balinese feel.  The statues you can choose range from animals and birds to those of gods and goddesses.  When you do select a statue of a god or goddesses, do a bit of research before you set it in your garden. You could put it in a wall niche or in a corner or amid the foliage.   

A Balinese garden is a good place to entertain, so you have to plan your lighting well.   Make sure that the lighting showcases your artifacts.  You could light some lamps and floating candles, especially if you have a statue of a god or goddess.  Lanterns are also a good idea to light up the garden.  There are two types of lanterns to choose from, the thumb rule is to go with what pleases you best.

Above all, the garden should be colorful and bright.  The colors to use are red, orange, indigo and gold.  So go in for embellishments like candles, cushions and pots in these colors. 

If there is a covered area in your garden, where you could place some furniture go in for rattan chairs.  You can also invest in a teak divan or a day bed.  Cushions and throws could make the area very colorful.

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