DESIGN PRINCIPLES

As we start our planning we should keep a few basic design principles in mind. We will, through careful planning, want to improve on the good, bad, and the ugly, logically to create a wonderful garden area. Most professional designers, after years of practice, will apply these principles automatically. The following is a list of a few basics.

UNITY: This is probably the most important area for the overall plan. A good plan will have unity in all things. This is where we look for all parts to interrelate with each other and also relate to the overall plan.

SCALE AND PROPORTION: Here we should keep all individual elements in proportion ( in regard to size ) with the rest of our garden and in scale as it relates to the structures, property, and the human elements.

BALANCE: This area is very important as it could throw off the entire plan. It is how we relate visually to the various relationships between the landscape elements. If not careful we will create unbalanced and restless areas. Symmetry is an equal balance where both sides of the view are the same. This would normally be used in a formal garden setting. In most cases the architectural elements are not symmetrical and we could cause unbalance using symmetry when viewing the house. Asymmetry is an unequal balance where both sides of the view are different although weighted the same. If our eye is attracted equally to both sides of the view although different, we have balance.

FOCAL AREAS: Here we can select various plant or structural elements to accent a given area. An example would be the front of the house where the entry or front door would be our focal area. The entire plantings or hardscape material placement should be done so we are attracted to the front door. We can also use focal points to emphasis or create a view as well as accent a certain location in the garden. In most formal gardens the focal point will be at the end of an axis. Informal gardens may have focal points at various locations. Care must be used here as it is easy to create too many focal points that instead of interest in a particular area we will allow our eyes to be distracted and jump around all over our garden areas.

RHYTHM AND LINE: We will want to consider blending with harmony one element or area to another in a smooth fashion. We want all things to interrelate with each other and provide an uninterrupted connection within our plan. This can be done using gradual changes involving variety, textures, colors, form and sizes. Here the challenge is to keep the eye moving smoothly in rhythm from one area to another. Although we may have divisions of space with fences, walls, etc.. what is it that draws us beyond or complements our view. In a formal garden this may be a small hedge on both sides of a walk, leading you to another area. Informal areas or flower border plantings will have a variety of heights that flow up and down across the area or create well-blended shapes, textures, and colors. One of the most common ways to achieve this is with the duplication of plant material through out our plan. If we only plant one of everything we usually will lack continuity and the area will appear jumbled. Lawns and pathways should be done with strong long curves (rather than many small curves), and straight or diagonal lines to accent the space.