The first steps to
having a great country place are to find a great site and then
to plan it well. Here are some ideas on how to look at property
and how to lay out buildings on your land.
In choosing a position for the
house itself, the character of the soil and sub-soil should
receive attention. It is evident on a moment’s reflection,
that the worst soil is one naturally wet, and the best, one
naturally dry. The site for a dwelling should never be selected
where the sub-soil is naturally wet and springy, unless it is
capable of being made perfectly dry by draining - because
dampness of the house, and consequent unhealthiness of its
inmates, almost inevitably follow the selection of such a
situation. A good loam soil, on a gravely sub-soil, is always an
unexceptionable position for placing a house, as far as relates
to this point. To those who desire fine ornamental grounds, or
even fertile meadows and orchards (and we can hardly imagine the
case of any country proprietor who does not), of course,
attention to the quality of the soil immediately about the site
of the house will not be overlooked. Though it is not impossible
to render almost any soil fit for cultivation, yet it is
infinitely wiser to chose a site where nature had given the
necessary conditions of good soil, rather than to undertake the
great labor and ill-rewarded expense attending all considerable
operations to change the character of soil.
A.J.Downing, Hints to Persons
About Building in the Country, 1847
Improve Your Country Property
Build a shed, deck, gazebo, arbor, pergola, greenhouse, small
barn, playhouse or garden bridge with these plans and DIY
building kits.
Homestead Help on the eBackroad Find
home and garden tools, products, furnishings and more. Check out
the free plans for country buildings and woodwork projects.
Country Outbuildings Plans, prefabs and
easy building kits for horse barns, garages, sheds, pole barns,
work shops and country outbuildings.
