Lessons In Garden Design - Basic Design Principles ...
Simplicity and garden design. Most folks don't even consider that simplicity could be one of the basic principles of landscaping. It not only is a principle of landscape design, but also of all art forms. And it is just as important as any of the other design principles.
Following the guidelines of simplicity doesn't mean that your landscape design should be absolutely without life or be simplistic. It simply means to stay with the other major principles like form, contrast, and harmony.
A common error that the majority of people demonstrate is in trying to place an excessive amount of varied elements in their initial plan idea. This can produce a very unprofessional disorderly completed design plan. Keeping your design simple at first will help keep things clear, in perspective, and make it easier to design. You can always add more later if need be.
The clearest example I can come up with is in choosing plants and combinations of colors. Selecting plants is generally a big obstacle for so many people usually because they don't have a concept of the countless varieties of plants. And still, the majority of people will go to the nursery and gather several varieties of mismatched plants to place in their landscaping. And this in itself can cause the entire landscape to be out of balance.
So just how do you keep things simple?
While the majority of people don't have the slightest knowledge of landscaping plants, most people are somewhat acquainted with a variety or two or can see what is working in their neighbors design. If this is you, start by observing the makeup of landscapes that are appealing to you. You'll notice much more visual effect from a simple selection of a couple of varieties repeated throughout the garden than from a scattered unrelated mix of plants.
In simpler terms, pick a few good shades and repeat them throughout the landscape or garden. Repetition is a principle of landscape design and one of the easiest ways to apply simplicity.
If you would like to create a lot of visual impact, design a few flower beds using multiple shades of the same color. Use more than one species and you'll also create a delightful contrast of texture.
This principle can be applied to all areas, shapes, decor, hardscapes, and elements of your landscaping. Not just plantings. Keep your landscaping simple to start with. It will make it so much easier to design and you can always add more elements later.