Four Keys To Good Landscape Design

Designing a beautiful yard is certainly something you can do yourself

. However, it helps to have some knowledge about the basics of landscaping. Here are four tips to keep in mind as you plan your garden paradise.

First, strive for unity. You want to be consistent in your design, using the same plants, decor, groupings, or elements throughout your yard. If you have accent rocks, for example, you would want them to be the same color and approximate size. Unity is most easily accomplished if you work with a theme in mind. You can plan a theme around a color, a type of flower, or even the kind of birds you want to attract to your yard. This doesn't mean you have to utilize only one kind of flower, etc. You just don't want the elements to be distractingly disparate (i.e. a red sandstone slab next to a black igneous boulder).

Second, maintain balance. Perhaps you want your yard to be symmetrical, with roughly the same number of trees, rocks, beds, etc. on either side. Or you could step away from a mirror image design and position different (but an equal number of) elements on both sides that still fall under your unifying theme. For example, you might do a tree, flower bed, another tree, and bird bath on one side, and two flower beds, a windmill, and tree on the other. Or you could have mature trees on one side and a predominantly floral landscape on the other but with the same types of rocks in both.

Third, transition naturally. You want to avoid sudden changes in the layout of your yard. For example, a very tall tree next to a low bed of flowers can seem abrupt and disconcerting. It would be better to have some medium sized trees, then shrubs, then tall plants, followed by the short ones. You could even play with the heights--going back and forth on varying degrees of tallness--while still achieving a gradual effect.

Finally, use appropriate proportions. If you have a small garden, a large statue will seem overbearing and out of place. On the other hand, if you have a large, expansive yard, you don't want to install a modest water feature in the very center. The waterfall could be placed in a corner of the yard and coupled with some landscaping to make it its own separate area, perhaps with some benches and lighting. The statue could be downsized or again moved off to the side. Your ultimate goal is to have an aesthetic relationship among the elements in your yard.

Unity, balance, transition, and proportion are four key qualities for any good landscape design. Be sure to take these into consideration before you start planting.

by: Art Gib

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