Designing your garden doesn't have to be an arduous task. And when you have an understanding of what makes a great garden, your life can be even easier. By becoming familiar with the five elements of good garden design, you can build a garden that is both organised and visually appealing.
First there is form. The shape of something defines this. The form of a pine tree, for example, will have a tall slender form. On the other hand something may have a droopy form like that of a mulberry tree. To give your garden a unified form you must pay careful attention to how you group different forms together.
Element number two is line. This refers to how a person’s eye is guided by the borders of the garden, solid structures and plant arrangement. This is quite handy when you want to highlight a certain feature in your garden. A line or arrangement of plants can subtly guide the eye of the viewer to that area.
Element number three is texture. This refers to how the surface of the plant is seen and distinguished, relative to other objects and plants around it. A person usually perceives the texture of the plants by judging the shape and size of the foliage.
Element number four is proportion. This requires that the size of any structures and plants fit harmoniously into the garden. An out of proportion garden disrupts the landscape as the size and height of the objects and plants do not provide a good transition. Good transition means a gradual variation in height or size of objects.
Element number five is colour theory. This concerns how colours effect us. Using colour theory successfully will allow you to show contrast or unity in your garden designs. Colour theory can also set the atmosphere of your garden. Using flowers with cool colours such as green or blue invokes a feeling of serenity and relaxation. While using flowers with warm colours such as yellow and red excites the viewer and gives off a feeling of liveliness.
