Planning a landscape requires consideration of many elements. These elements include line, form and mass, contrast, function, proportion, and function.
Line is a crucial design element that affects the movement and emotion of the eye in a space. Vertical lines move the eye up, while horizontal or low lines create a more tranquil feeling and tie a space together.
- Balance
One of the most important elements of landscape design is balance. A balanced garden doesn’t look chaotic or haphazard. It’s pleasant to the eye and is comfortable.
A landscape that is not balanced feels lopsided and uncomfortable to the eye, like something is off. It can also make your yard seem dull and boring, instead of inviting and fun.
Symmetrical balance is a common approach to design, often seen in historical gardens and designs. To achieve balance, the same size or color plants are used.
Another way to achieve symmetry is asymmetrical equilibrium. This expands the planting options without creating a cluttered or lopsided appearance.
The asymmetrical approach can be effective in a more natural or informal style because it allows you to add visual interest by using groups of heavyweight and light plantings.
This approach to balance can be especially useful when introducing color into your landscape. You can achieve balance by pairing heavyweight plants with lightweight plants or by choosing contrasting colors for your flowers and foliage.
The principles of balance, proportion, order, repetition and unity are the basic concepts of landscape design that professionals use to plan open spaces. These concepts can be used to improve your yard’s design or create a more cohesive business space.
- Contrast
Contrasting textures, contrasting colors, and even contrasting plant sizes all add to the allure of your outdoor space. A landscape designer who has a track record of success, or a local horticulturalist who is skilled in creating unique design concepts, is the best way for you to achieve the perfect combination. As a result, your outdoor space will be one of a kind. Your new backyard will be a treasured place to enjoy for many years. It won’t take much effort to make it happen. It’s easy to use the right elements in the correct order. Success is all about being clear on your goals and focusing on the details. You can also have a plan for how you will navigate the obstacles.
- Form
The form of a landscape is the shape and structure of plants, structures, and hardscape. It also includes the texture and color of surfaces, including ground, soil, water.
Forms can be grouped or individually arranged to create change in the look and feel of a landscape. Contrasting colors, textures, forms and construction materials can make these changes possible.
Lines are a strong form in the landscape. They create patterns and define space.
A line can be created in plan view, when the edge of a plant bed meets a hardscape material, or it can be drawn by a long linear feature, such as a fence or wall.
Additionally, lines can be created by vertical forms made of plant material or built features like height changes in shrub and tree canopy heights or garden walls.
You can also create forms by arranging plants according to their habits. Using plants with similar colors or foliage can create unity and flow in your design.
- Function
One of the most important principles in landscaping is function. This refers to the ability of a landscape to achieve a specific goal, from providing a place for people and pets to play to improving the aesthetic quality of a home.
The best landscaping designs incorporate a range of elements to provide a holistic approach to enhancing the space. This includes the use plants, the additions of hardscape features such as patios and walls, and changes made to existing terrain through grading or backfilling.
A well-designed landscape can soften the spaces between buildings, improve the appearance and screen unwanted views. It also makes it easier to track maintenance tasks and help you keep track of them. It can create pathways, improve environmental quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and provide other benefits for the homeowners.
Understanding your family’s needs and the goals of the property is key to creating a garden that works. This information can then be incorporated into the design process, and the results will provide a great return on your investment. This is possible by using the 7 elements of landscaping design. This will ensure that you are proud of the landscape you have created for many years.
- Form follows Function
The concept of form following function is a design principle first credited to American architect Louis Sullivan. It was first used to create skyscrapers.
Essentially, it’s the idea that a design should be able to serve a purpose – ideally something the occupant of the space would want to do. This could be in the form of a specific structure, a particular material or even a colour that evokes a kind of memory for the user.
A good landscape design should also be able to provide a sense of space, whether that’s an open or enclosed feel. This can be achieved by using scale and asymmetrical design.
This element of landscape design is often overlooked by homeowners and designers alike, and it can make all the difference to how your garden looks. Asymmetry can be achieved through the use of plants and hardscape, or by ensuring that the elements in your design are sized correctly to suit the space.
- Line
The concept of line is very important in landscape design. It helps create patterns, develop spaces, establish dominance, and provide a coherent theme in a landscape.
It also has to do with eye movement and flow. This can be achieved by changing the height of plants or by arranging them in a way that creates flow or fit (Figure 14). Straight lines are more effective at directing the eye to a particular point than curved ones.
Another principle of design is to focus on or create focal points that grab attention and lead the eyes. Focal points may be in the form of a tree, a building, or a statue.
Because it adds interest and variety, color is an important aspect of landscaping design. The use of bright colors advances toward the viewer, while cool colors recede and are best used in background and foreground areas.
Repetition of elements such as plants that have the same shape, line, form, texture, and color is an easy way to achieve unity in a landscape. However, too much repetition can lead to monotony. Contrast is important to balance repetition.
- Proportion
The proportion is the relationship between the different plants, hardscapes, or structures in your garden. The proportion should be correct so that the landscape appears balanced and harmonious.
It also ensures that your design scale matches your home and your yard. A 5-foot-high stone wall would be a great addition to a large home, but would look strange in a small backyard.
The same goes for a tall tree that might look out of place in front small homes. It is important to think about the proportions of plants and landscape elements in your home, property, and surrounding spaces.
In addition, proportion also helps create the illusion of depth in your design. This is achieved by varying the size of different landscaping elements as well as their color vibrancy and texture shape.
Although proportion is one of the most fundamental principles, it can be difficult to apply. It’s also a very powerful tool and should be used thoughtfully to create the best effect possible in your garden.