Landscape Design Basics for 2021

Do you want to improve the design of your yard, but are unsure of where to start? Creating an aesthetically-pleasing and visually balanced landscape is an art; however, like all artforms there are basic, easy principles to follow that will help achieve your goals. They can be followed closely or loosely, depending on your personal style and vision. Take a look at these landscape design basics and see how you can apply them to your yard and property.

Landscape Design for the New Year

• Color: Color plays an essential role in a landscape’s appearance. Color affects the mood of a landscape. Cool colors are calming, while warm colors bring vibrance to your yard. Some homeowners decide on a color scheme and select plants that bloom within its range. Some prefer shades of one single color, while others may want a lovely mix of all.
• Form: Form refers to the shape and structure of your design elements. In this case, form includes your plants, trees, and features like birdbaths and ponds. For example, hedges provide straight lines and hard edges while ornamental trees with spreading canopies bring height and curves to the landscape.
• Scale: The size of each element of your yard relative to the others provides scale. You can change how big or small your yard appears by carefully choosing the scale of your landscape elements. It all comes down to proportion. A low hedge looks lovely and provides a border for a smaller home, but for a large house it would appear ineffective or be overshadowed altogether by the height of the house and the area of the yard. Scale also goes hand-in-hand with form; it helps to transition gradually between elements that are drastically different in height or structure, rather than place them right next to each other.
• Line: Creating a linear path guides the eye through your landscape. This may be a literal path, be it straight or winding; or, it could be something like trees lining a driveway, or annual flowers lining garden beds. Incorporating line allows for you to create natural groupings and flow. When repetition in plant species or another element is used, it results in a unified appearance.
• Texture: While most people only associate texture with materials, it also plays a role in landscape design. Most texture in a yard comes from the size of leaves and flowers. Small leaves or blooms give the appearance of a rougher texture, while big leaves have a fluffier, smoother texture. The same goes for plants. Succulents such as aloe or agave, or tropical flowers like bird of paradise, contribute sharp edges and angles to the garden’s texture, while elephant ears or butterfly bush soften the overall appearance of the garden. Incorporating various textures provides important contrast that makes a landscape interesting without breaking its flow.
• Balance: Regardless of the different forms, colors, and textures you choose to have in your landscape, we recommend trying to curate a balanced appearance. It helps to have a focal point – be it a stone monolith, a pond, or a favorite tree – around which you can center the rest of your garden. For some, balance means having a symmetrical design throughout the landscape’s entirety; for others, a balanced asymmetrical look may be more their style, where pairings of three or only brief moments of symmetry highlight the focal points in their garden.

Heading into the new year, planning for your new landscape design is a great way to rejuvenate your curb appeal. As you think about your design, don’t forget to browse Big Earth Landscape Supply. We have everything you need to execute your landscape design for your yard.