X

New Hampshire Landscaping Blog

12Jul

Landscaping Design Basics

Let’s say you’re working on your back yard landscape design. You may think that there aren’t any real “rules” to a good back yard landscape design. After over 30 years of designing landscapes, I can tell you that there are definitely rules to follow for good design. You can look at the blank canvas of your yard and get lost on how to design it so it has form, function and beauty. Look at these following “rules” of landscape garden design and look at the picture. See if you can identify any of the rules in this landscaping project. Back yard landscape design or entire property landscape design, the rules are the same.

A good garden design should not consider just one area of the property, but must view the entire property as a cohesive composition. Here are a few thoughts on the subject.

First of all, ALL landscape designs should adhere to the basic design principles of UNITY, BALANCE, INTEREST, RHYTHM AND MOVEMENT.

I’ll start with laying out the initial design, then move on to how to scale the projects proportions for the most pleasing visual impact, and then on to plant selection.

1. HAVE SPECIFIED AREAS OF USE. When we first start out in landscape design class, we use “bubble diagrams” to delineate certain areas such as ‘utility’, ‘outdoor eating’, ‘walkway’, ‘play area’, ‘open space’, etc.

  • This is to ensure that things such as garbage cans don’t end up getting stored on the corner of the patio because we forgot to designate a place for them.

2. CREATE UNITY: Unity can be achieved in many ways. Unity will bring a sense of order to the design. Here are a few examples of creating unity:

  • Repeat the circular lawn shape in a circular patio shape
  • Transition from one design element to another element with ease
  • Use similar materials throughout such as natural stone instead of mixing it up

3. BALANCE: If a design is out of balance, it just won’t feel right. A tiny border garden near the edge of an expansive lawn is an example of being out of balance. Balance can be achieved either symmetrically or asymmetrically.

  • Balance one tall tree with an equal mass of shrubs
  • Use the ‘golden mean rule’ for proportion. A 5’ x 8’ sized raised bed, for example always looks balanced... it’s just one of those weird rules.

4. START WITH THE ‘BONES’ AND THEN PUT ON THE ‘MEAT’: The ‘bones’ of the design is what we need to build everything else off of. In these bones, you will create the RHYTHM and MOVEMENT in the design (although other aspects such as plant choices can assist with rhythm and movement too).

  • The bones will be things such as walkways, patios, retaining wall, trees, the big stuff. Lay these out so that the designated use areas flow with pleasant rhythm and movement. Different shapes can be used here too. When we move seamlessly from the front of the home, along a meandering walk on the side of the home, and come through an arbor and open up onto a patio, there is a sense of movement.

5. INTEREST: Something must always attract our eye in any given view in the landscape or it will be boring.

  • Every view should have a focal point.

6. PLANT CHOICES: As far as design goes, plants should be placed in groups, and balanced with their overall mass. Always place the larger plants first, and build the smaller plant groups around the bones of the design and the larger plants. Plants are the ‘meat’ on the ‘bones’

Related

Retaining Wall Design - Retaining Wall Construction

Retaining Wall Design - Retaining Wall Construction

New Hampshire stone walls are often thought of as the quintessential look of New Hampshire. Stone wa...

Read More >
Staycations

Staycations

Here are a few landscaping features you can consider when planning your landscaping around the idea ...

Read More >
Think Spring!

Think Spring!

Keep Landscapes by Tom at the top of your spring "to-do" list. Give us a call today to set...

Read More >
PATIOS AND STEPS

PATIOS AND STEPS

Oftentimes, patios need to be planned along with steps. This is because the patio will need a large,...

Read More >
2022 Perennial Plant of the Year

2022 Perennial Plant of the Year

Drumroll…… And the winner is…….

Read More >

Landscaping Solutions for the Lakes Region

When you come to your vacation home for the weekend or for a couple of weeks at a time, who wants to...

Read More >

Comments

Good article. As silly as it may seem to design landscaping and forget to include a spot for garbage cans... this does happen! I love how you mention to start with a blank canvas. Add in the space based upon their usage. This is very true. And don't be concerned about open space or voids. These are important for transition between one area and the next. Good job on the article!
1/29/2021 3:39:17 PM | Reply
The landscaping looks amazing.. Good job to the designer.
1/27/2021 10:57:32 PM | Reply
Thank you for this very informative post. I really enjoyed your section about starting with the bones and then putting on the meat. I try to stress that with my employees everyday. This information is extremely helpful for our landscape design team. Thank you again so much for this!
1/16/2021 7:39:20 PM | Reply
Very interesting article! As a landscaper in Santa Fe, NM, I find it interesting to read about other parts of the country and see the differences in plant selection and layouts. This is good information and I'll be sharing it with my crew Santa Fe Landscape Pros
1/8/2021 10:01:57 AM | Reply
Great article. Thank you for sharing.
1/5/2021 5:50:28 AM | Reply
Great article. Thank you for sharing.
1/5/2021 5:50:04 AM | Reply
Content here based on the basics landscaping design. Anyone searching for same topic may find their shelter here. I am sure many people will come to read this in future. Great blog indeed, will visit again future to read more. You have done a great research for I feel, thanks for sharing.
1/1/2021 7:46:58 AM | Reply
Great Post! Thanks for sharing this blog.
12/31/2020 6:50:44 AM | Reply
Great post . It takes me almost half an hour to read the whole post. Definitely this one of the informative and useful post to me. Thanks for the share.
12/30/2020 12:25:46 AM | Reply
Thank you for this post. Found it very informative.Home Improvement Westchester
12/19/2020 11:41:18 AM | Reply
Keeping your well landscaped yard weed free is also an important factor to keep that beautiful curb appeal. Having the outdoor living space also gives you more room for social distancing which seems to be so important during this time.
11/26/2020 3:28:56 AM | Reply
Such a informative blog. Thanks for sharing this information with us.
11/25/2020 12:45:05 AM | Reply
I think the rule about BALANCE is my favorite one. Maybe I'm a little OCD when it comes to design but all too often I'm shaking my head (internally) when I visit friends that haven't got a clue about landscaping. Should I say something? I probably could but I stay away from having friends as clients - been screwed a time or two... I appreciate the article!
11/24/2020 6:27:15 PM | Reply
I really appreciate you for publishing this blog here; it’s really a helpful and very useful for us. This is really appreciated that you have presented this data over here on landscaping design basicss, I love all the information shared. Great article!
11/22/2020 10:30:43 PM | Reply
I really appreciate you for publishing this blog here; it’s really a helpful and very useful for us. This is really appreciated that you have presented this data over here on landscaping design basicss, I love all the information shared. Great article!
11/22/2020 10:15:05 PM | Reply
Page 14 of 19 First 1213[14]1516 Last

Post a Comment

Search Blog

Subscribe to Blog

Name

Categories