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How to work with the basics of landscape design

Design Basics
All design inevitably comes down to a few basics that may help you to make of sense of it, including frames, lines and flow. It is these three bits that work in concert to become the composition of a design, whether it is architectural designs or the way an advertisement is laid out. The concept of design being made up of frames, lines and flow are no less true in landscaping design than in any other type of design. There are, of course, a few details that must also be considered in landscape design since results are not at all immediate and may require several years before becoming what you imagine.

Frames
Design is reliant on its boundaries; it helps a designer create a unified piece rather than many disparate pieces. A designer must be aware of the borders (frames) that continue a work in order to use the space they are given effectively. Every element must be considered not just for its particular physical appearance, but also for the space around it. Before you even think about plants or planting think about the space you are going to be using and divide it into usable sections based on the conditions of the land itself. There may be areas of your yard prone to flood or areas that remain in the shade all day. Each of these little factors will make shape your overall design. If you try to ignore the details of your land they will still alter your overall design, but probably negatively by refusing to grow or requiring a great deal of constant maintenance. Remember, often times the space you dont use is as important as what you do use. In graphic design, this is referred to as white space. Often times, the most simple and elegant designs make use of the white space to give the visual elements greater impact. You can extend this same principle to landscaping. Dont forget when looking at an entire yard that different portions of it may be used for different things. Parts of your yard may be used for activities and play while others are intended for relaxation and dining, Try to position them in ways that make use of natural transitions in your yard.

Lines
The pieces of design, the individual shapes and images that work together to make a final composition create lines between them. This is true in landscaping as well. The pieces of design or, in landscaping, the flowers, shrubs, hills, alcoves, rocks and statuary are inevitably connected to one another by short straight lines, much like connect-the-dot games that we play a children. During the design stage of landscaping it is important to arrange your "dots in such a way that they create a single image or visual flow. Also remember, you are not dealing in a single dimension. Imagine how your lines will appear from a birds eye view. Then imagine how they will look when you view the straight on. There are different lines that will be created, and it is important to remember to pay attention to all of them.

Flow
Discussion of visual flow can sound a bit abstract, but the essentials behind it are very concrete. If the elements of design work together to create visual flow this usually just means that their points of visual interest that serve to lead the eye from one place to another over the entire canvas. Among the shapes most commonly used as a base for flow are simple curves like the number 6 and the letter S. Color plays an important role in creating interest and helps visual flow. Certain colors create visual difference that can be used to help you shape and refine the flow of your work. Warm colors like red and yellow appear to be nearer than they are while cool colors like blue and purple recede into the background. Planning visual flow is especially hard in landscaping because you may not know exactly what height a particular plant might reach nor can you guarantee that every planting will bloom as desired. Annuals that fail to bloom can leave a dearth of color in one place while your perennials glory and flood their patch vividly, upsetting the balance of your garden with their wealth of color. However, if you do break your landscape apart into manageable sections, creating frames within frames you will have greater flexibility as your land evolves into landscaping.

Elizabeth Jean writes water fountain and related articles for Garden-Fountains.com, the #1 destination on the internet for wall fountains, garden fountains, and Distinctive Water Wall Features.