In many creative forms, in design, and even in landscape design, balance is a key component. It suggests a feeling of equality. And even if there may be a bit more to it, I explain it in this way to make it simpler for beginners and do-it-yourselfers to understand.
A garden, a landscape, or anything else with equal parts would logically appear and feel balanced. The majority of gardens and landscapes, however, do not have precise or symmetrical forms. They frequently lack any inherent natural balance and are asymmetrical and abstract in shape. As a result, landscaping frequently depends on other components to achieve unity and balance.
A lack of repetition is frequently directly related to a lack of balance. Repetition of similar components, such as plants or rocks, will help connect various regions of the landscape. This can be achieved with as little as one recurring coordinating plant group, color, item of dcor, or hardscape.
Placing too many or all non-matching items across a landscape design also throw off the equilibrium. When it settles in, this might occasionally appear messy and unmaintained. Plan for less at first, scatter a few groupings of related plants across the garden, and keep dcor minimal and in sync. More can be added later.
So many of the inquiries I get regarding landscape design center around a design’s shape. Each design’s shape is distinctive, and it will ultimately follow all required courses and your concepts. Any shape or form, however, can be full of components and still be uninteresting, empty, loud, cluttered, or out of balance. Shape isn’t always a need for balance. It can be, but it’s not usually the case. Therefore, don’t get too caught up in attempting to completely balance things out by shape.
Since landscape design is an art form, it employs “all” of the same concepts as other forms of expression. The three guiding principles of art are repetition, unification, and balance.
Architects use repetition in design by making doors, windows, fixtures, trims, etc. the same sizes, shapes, and styles. Imagine how your home would feel if every door, door frame, window, and fixture were of different sizes, shapes, colors, and types. It would be uncomfortable and chaotic.
And so it’s the same with landscape design.
We need to establish some kind of reliable repetition in order to provide harmony, appeal, and even comfort to a barren scene. It only takes one complementary feature on an opposite to feel cohesive and consistent.
The softscape is where it is most frequently and easily made (plants, ornaments, lawn, decor, etc.). The hardscape (walks, drives, necessities, fences, walls, raised beds, boundaries, etc.) of your sketched design plan should take this into account, though.
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