In the previous installments of this design series we discussed using the concept of Form Following Function to begin conceiving your design and how to direct the visual journey with the use of Void & Masses. In this article we will discuss using Line & Focus to enhance the aesthetics of your yard’s function and further direct the eye to visually important elements with some artistic flare.

The illustration above is a take on an actual project Garden View completed. As you can see from the drawing and picture, there is a path that leads physically and visually to the point of Interest – the statue with a functional seating area. The lines are bold, distinct and symmetrical, the visual journey is highlighted by the fact that the path and low plants next to it are Voids (low and not obstructing a view) that are framed by Masses of taller profile plants. In doing so we are creating curved yet direct lines, subliminally drawing the viewer more strongly toward the point of interest.

The lines in this concept do not all need to be orderly, sharp or symmetrical.  A row of lights, a line of trees/shrubs, lawns or annual color beds can be used to direct line of sight. A few of our other favorites like streams, stepping stones, hedges and stone walls can also be used to accomplish this effect as well. Have fun, use your imagination and take inspiration from projects and artists you admire.

In our next article, we will explore a deeper level of detail with how to use textures in your landscape.

Mark Meahl (President Garden View Landscape, Nursery & Pools)

When we have an idea for how we want to design our yards, the first and most obvious question we ask is, “What is the function?”
Do we want a place to play catch or basketball with the kids? Do we want space to lounge beside a sprawling swimming pool? Do we need a place for outdoor dining, or for entertainment, or are we looking for a place to relax and connect with nature? Usually, some combination of these types of desires are what get our creative minds working. By applying these functions as though they are part of your blank canvas is the best place to start your design concept.

The saying “Form follows function,” is a concept that is generally credited to Louis Sullivan, America’s first truly modern architect, and was adapted and made famous by Frank Lloyd Wright. Personally, I think of it in landscape as, the layout needs to reflect the purpose of the yard; where elements have intended functions that are effective and aesthetically pleasing. Similar to a kitchen design where efficiency dictates placing the stove, refrigerator, and sink in a triangle, we should think about how we lay out our spaces for maximum effectiveness first, and then prioritize how to do this in a way that adds the most aesthetic value. Once you devise the basic function and its necessities, weaving beauty into the design can have just as much emphasis as the practical elements.

Often there is more than one right way to achieve our goals. Usually, it takes compromise and clever prioritizing. Is aesthetics the most important part or is it the function or the cost? In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together in a logical way. When a designer is configuring a design, they need to balance all the elements with ABC’s of design (Aesthetics, Budget, Constraints & Function). Sometimes the functions and constraints limit how the puzzle is put together, but there are infinite ways to use aesthetics to make the project unique and fit individual tastes. That is where the creative minds of the designer, owner and craftsmanship of the builder have the opportunity to make a project really special.
Do you still have more questions on how to design your outdoor space? – drop us a line!

Texture is everywhere. Every day, you visually and tactically perceive countless different textures, scattered all around you. While texture is technically felt, you can trick the eye into sensing texture. In design, one of the most powerful tools you can utilize is to harness and mingle textures in a way that appeals to the eyes and the hands.

In its most simple definition, texture is used to showcase contrast and diversity. Texture is the roughness or smoothness of the individual outlines of plant foliage, hardscape, or any other design element you can think of. Beyond physical and into a visual standpoint, different shapes simulate texture. Texture is best integrated with a focus on contrast, balancing smoothness and roughness, grouping one type of texture and bordering it with another grouping of dissimilar texture. As you can see in this picture (made black and white to highlight outlines), the lines and smooth texture of the Santa Barbara stucco walls contrast with the coarser texture of the paver walkway. The shape and texture contrast allows us to distinguish the different groupings of plants, and the stone benches’ flat, smooth shape distinguishes from the bushy texture of the plants.

In terms of plant choices, contrast can be harder to define and therefore is the focus of our illustration above. Try planting several shrub-like plants (i.e. Gardenia) and separating the groupings with contrasting strap-like plants (i.e. Daylilies). Their natural textures complement each other, and bring a sense of volume, definition, and interest to the landscape.

So far we have discussed in earlier articles how we use line, shape, form, voids, and masses to help create focus and direct the eye on a journey. Along with these tools, we use texture to create contrast and to define objects. We purposely used a black & white photograph to help define this concept without the complication of color, which achieves similar objectives and will be the focus of our next article.

Like an impressionist painter controls their canvas, a landscape’s mood can be heavily impacted by the utilization of color. We have discussed how line, shape, form, and texture can distinguish the different elements, focus, structure, flow and general ambiance of your design. This article focuses on the indispensable factor of color, which can subtly or dramatically contribute to design goals.

Color can be found in much more than just the fleeting blooms of the flowering shrubs we cherish in our landscapes.  Look to foliage, bark, fruit, and natural or man-made elements to achieve a unique and lasting impact. Color within plant material can be used to create contrast and direct focus against a background typically dominant with green hues.

While artist’s color theory can get complicated, developing a color scheme for your landscape design doesn’t need to be overwhelming.  Start by identifying the base mood for the design space.  Is the intent to create a sense of peace and relaxation, as typically associated with the “cool” side of the color wheel? Or, is the goal to instill feelings of excitement and joy, represented on the “warm” side of the wheel?  From this point we may create pops of focus and contrast by using complementary, or opposite, colors from the color wheel.

For practical over emotional elements of scheme choice, consider the impact on spatial perception. Cool colors tend to recede into the landscape, tricking the eye into thinking the area is larger by playing with shade. Warm colors sit closer to the forefront, drawing attention to natural features by capturing and reflecting light.

Sound too complicated?  Too much color variety can be overwhelming and confusing. A fun, easy trick to prevent color chaos is to play with monochromatic scheme, or simply working with shades of a single color. Visualizing how to achieve this desired landscape harmony can be illustrated by the parallels between landscape design and musical orchestration, which we will explore next time.

We’ve been discussing many different elements of landscape design. In order to maximize artistry, we need to pull these separate elements all together, similar to how a composer or musician pulls their music together. While I define music as the artistic placement of notes, Mirriam-Webster defines music as “…The science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity”. Defining the artistic layout of a landscape could be very similar; The orderly placement of all the elements we have discussed in prior articles, in succession, in combination, and in a visual relationship, to produce a composition having unity and continuity.

Any non-musician who has attempted to play a piano realizes that hitting random notes does not produce a pleasant result. The same can be said about the landscape, if you place random plants and elements with no planned relationships between them, it’s unlikely to be appealing. In landscaping, your notes are going to be the colors, textures, lights, and shapes. We have an infinite number of notes, or elements, with which to work. How we put these elements together so they may have a symbiotic and harmonious relationship, is where we have our opportunity to orchestrate our landscape.

First, let’s discuss simple tunes versus complex tunes. Simple music is, generally, more quickly appealing and may be appreciated without total focus. In fact, most musicians don’t appreciate the Top 40 most popular songs in their catalogue, because it’s usually relatively simple. Complex music needs time to absorb, needing to be heard several times with concentration, so that the patterns and subtle relationships of musical elements may be truly appreciated and recognized.

The landscape can be the same way. A complex landscape may first seem chaotic, whereas a simpler landscape can be more immediately appealing. For example, putting a planting arrangement that has many different types of flowers together would, probably, not be attention grabbing on a busy street, where there isn’t enough time to appreciate it by the cars speeding by. But, a big swath of white petunias with a simple accent of pink petunias, will attract attention in such a chaotic setting. However, the same planting of petunias by a pool in the back yard may get boring to someone able to sit and appreciate the display.

Personally, I prefer to combine complex and simple. A simple scenario, around a complex arrangement, can frame the complex point of interest, and provide relief and peacefulness from the complex, while still providing immediate appeal without being boring.

A few tricks to help us accomplish this are to think about a chorus, and finding a foundation or unifying plants that can be used in different micro-areas to provide repetition and rhythm. Consider balance, in how you can plan your landscape, not just traditionally and horizontally, but vertically, with trees and other tall elements. Place materials with a variety of texture and colors to provide accents and contrast. Voids and masses can also provide simple scenarios, and along with lines, direct the eye to see the landscape as a song of your creation.

And, like all art, this is philosophy- not rules. Concepts are meant to be broken and have exceptions in order to let creativity flourish.