There is something about a beautifully landscaped property that makes it feel welcoming and appealing. It also adds to the overall value of a home or business.

Form refers to the three-dimensional elements of your landscape aesthetic. Curved lines, for example, suggest a flowing movement that can draw attention to focal points or create an intimate setting. Contact Florence Landscaping for professional help.

The shape and form of landscape elements contribute to the overall look of a garden. Shape refers to the two-dimensional characteristics of an object, while form focuses on its three-dimensional qualities.

When designing a garden, it’s important to focus on form to create a cohesive look. For example, rounded plant forms can soften the sharp angles of a hardscaped surface or outdoor structure, while rigid structures convey formality and create clear distinctions between areas of the yard.

Using these principles when planning your own landscape is easy — just take a look around! Inspiration can be found everywhere, from your favorite park to the rose garden at a local church. You can also gather ideas from magazines, websites and other resources to help you get started. And don’t forget to include focal points in your design!

Create a focal point

Focal points are a great way to grab attention when landscaping and set a space apart from the surrounding environment. They help create the organizational chunks that we need to understand a landscape and can work as beacons to draw us in and deeper into the garden.

A great focal point can be anything that stands out from the surrounding garden, but the best ones are unique and reflect your personal style. Focal points can also be seasonal, such as a flowering tree that adds interest throughout the spring and summer or a rill that provides visual interest year-round.

When using a statue or other object as a focal point, consider its proportions. A six-foot statue would look out of scale in a small cottage garden, but a smaller lawn ornament could be just the right size for the space.

Use color

Color can be a great way to create balance and appeal in your landscape. The best way to use color is to create a scheme that incorporates colors that complement each other and the surrounding environment. You can achieve this by using a color wheel or a design principle called color harmony.

For example, if you have Leyland Cypress trees and light blue hydrangeas in your garden you should consider adding a red or orange perennial to compliment these cool colors as they recede.

Similarly, you can also pair opposite colors on the color wheel to create a dramatic effect. These contrasting colors will draw the eye and demand attention from your guests. Incorporating color into your landscaping can transform your outdoor spaces into a vibrant canvas that expresses your personal style. It can make a small space feel larger and even increase your property value.

Create a sense of unity

Unity is achieved when the separate elements of a landscape design work together to create a cohesive whole. This can be done through repetition of patterns, colors, textures and shapes throughout the landscape. The use of the same plant types and sizes can also help to create unity in a landscape design. The proper scale of features and hardscapes such as paths and walls is important for creating a sense of unity.

Focal points are another great way to create a sense of unity in a landscape. They draw the eye and create attention-grabbing visual interest. They can be created through symmetry or asymmetrical balance and can serve as focal points for your landscape. The use of contrasting colors, textures, and leaf structures can also help to create a sense of harmony and balance in a landscape design.

Create a sense of rhythm

Repetition and rhythm are design principles that create a harmonious flow and balance in the landscape. They help to guide the eye throughout the garden, creating a cohesive and visually appealing design.

Using foliage plants to create a sense of rhythm in home landscapes is often overlooked. However, by repeating plants with similar shapes, colors, and textures or by using repetition, gradation, or transition, these elements can add movement and harmony to the landscape.

Repetition can also be achieved by varying the scale and proportions of repeated features in a composition. For example, alternating between tall and short plants or between different plant heights can create visual contrast and interest. Similarly, varying the thickness of gravel or concrete can give a landscape a sense of movement and rhythm.

Create a sense of balance

Balance is achieved when the different elements of a landscape appear to have equal weight. This can be done in two ways: symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical balance is created by identically sized elements and features, such as two matching trees on either side of a walkway or in identical rows of flowers. This creates a formal, elegant look that is very pleasing to the eye.

Asymmetry creates a more natural and relaxed feel to a landscape by using different sizes of plants and using varying textures. The use of negative space can also help to create a sense of balance by drawing the eye into the design.

In addition to creating visual balance, landscaping also has several environmental benefits. For example, planting trees helps to lower property temperatures and provides life-giving oxygen. They also capture dust and smoke particles from the air.

Create a sense of form

The way your landscaping looks impacts the way people interact with it. It can separate your home from other properties on the market, increase your property value and help you enjoy the outdoors in safety.

Design elements like plant groups and pathways create the framework for a landscape design. The continual use of regulating lines helps to establish a sense of order and unity.

Shape and form are enduring characteristics of a garden, while color and texture are aesthetic qualities that add to its overall visual appeal. For example, natural earth colors like greys and deep browns are used in hardscape and garden elements that blend with the surrounding greenery, while rock and concrete surfaces contrast.

Lines can be straight, curved or diagonal and can influence the feel of a space; formal spaces use more straight lines to evoke a sense of structure, while more natural areas utilize more curvilinear lines in both plants and pathways.

Create a sense of unity

Sense of unity is achieved when all the individual elements of a landscape work together to create a unified whole. This can be done by repetition, continuity and proximity. Repetition can be achieved by repeating a plant type or using the same color throughout the design. Continuity is accomplished by linking different features with paths or hardscape. Proper proximity is achieved by ensuring that different elements are close enough to connect but not too close.

Theme gardens are an excellent way to create a sense of unity in your yard. Choose a theme that interests you and then use it to guide your choice of plants, colors, textures and other landscape elements. You can also use a limited color palette to achieve a cohesive look.

Create a sense of rhythm

The overall feel of a landscape is created through the use of design principles like rhythm and balance. Rhythm is the repetition of elements or patterns that creates a visual beat or tempo that guides your eye through the landscape. It can be achieved through the use of various textures, colors, and shapes.

Using foliage plants in a repetitive pattern is one way to establish rhythm in your garden. Varying the scale and proportion of these repeated elements also adds interest and complexity to the landscape.

Lines are another element that can be used to create rhythm in a landscape. Straight lines can create a sense of order and formality, while curved lines can suggest movement and harmony. Even the placement of hardscape features such as stepping stones can affect how quickly or slowly your eye moves through the landscape.

Create a sense of balance

Creating balance in your landscape is essential to ensure that the design is aesthetically pleasing and that it feels harmonious. Balance is achieved through the distribution of visual weight throughout the landscape, and can be influenced by a variety of factors, including size, color, and texture.

Symmetrical balance is a common form of balance that can be used to create a sense of harmony and elegance. This can be achieved by using matching plants or flowers on each side of a central axis, or by using symmetrical hardscape elements such as pathways or seating areas.

Color can also play a role in balance by creating a cohesive look and unifying different aspects of the landscape. For example, choosing dark-colored evergreen trees to act as a structural element in the winter can help balance lighter-colored shrubs and flowers.