Landscape Design Wellington is the process of creating a beautiful, functional outdoor space. It uses the principles of balance, rhythm, focal points and unity to create a cohesive and organized design.
Start by studying the landscapes around your neighborhood and community. Pay special attention to how they utilize the design elements of color, form and texture.
The color of flowers, foliage, and the bark or fruit of trees set the tone for the design. Color is one of the most ephemeral elements in a landscape, so it’s important to use it sparingly. Instead, it should be used to highlight more permanent elements like form and texture.
The color of the sky, surrounding buildings and structures, and other landscape features can also affect the mood of a garden or yard. The bright sun of summer can make colors appear saturated and intense, while the filtered light of winter can make them look subdued. During the planning process, a landscape designer will create a color study on a plan view to show how different colors will impact the design.
A well-maintained landscape can offer environmental advantages, such as lowering stormwater runoff and absorbing pollutants. It can also help reduce energy costs by offering shade and reducing the need for artificial air conditioning or heating.
A vibrant and professionally maintained landscape is a great way to promote a business and draw in customers. It can also differentiate a business from its competitors. In fact, the way a commercial landscape is kept says a lot about a company’s attention to detail and environmental stewardship. In the same way, a shabby landscape can turn off potential clients. A professional landscaper will work with you to choose the best plants and trees for your site.
Form
In landscape design, form refers to the shape and structure of different plants and elements in a space. It’s important that these shapes and sizes are proportional to their surroundings, so they don’t overwhelm or overpower the landscape. For example, a large water feature wouldn’t fit well in a small garden but would add balance to a city park or office courtyard.
Landscape design also includes incorporating a variety of forms, from horizontal and linear to circular and symmetrical. This helps create visual interest and a sense of movement in the garden. The use of different shapes and forms can also help establish a focal point, which draws the eye to a particular part of the landscape.
Another important concept in landscape design is rhythm, which refers to the repetition of different elements throughout the garden. For example, a pattern of flowers or a group of trees repeated along the edge of a path creates a rhythm that gives the garden a sense of unity and structure.
A good way to discover your personal style in landscape design is to study the gardens and yards of other homes in your neighborhood or community. Look for themes that appeal to you, such as color, line and texture, and try to determine how these elements are used in the design. You can also learn a lot about the art of landscape design by studying the landscapes of commercial spaces, like office parks and hotels.
Texture
Landscape design involves the arrangement of both hardscape (such as paths, patios, and walls) and softscape (plants and trees) elements to achieve a desired aesthetic effect. While some landscape designers specialize in the creation of residential gardens, others may focus on business or public spaces.
Texture relates to the roughness or smoothness of a planting’s leaves and stems as well as its overall appearance. Fine textures are often soft and delicate, while coarse ones are bold and striking.
Our perception of texture is also dependent on the distance at which we are viewing it. Close up, small-leaved plants like ferns and grasses have a fine texture, while larger, broad-leafed shrubs have a coarse texture. To create a well-rounded garden, it’s important to incorporate both coarse and fine textures along with varying degrees of lightness or darkness.
Form refers to the three-dimensional shape of a plant or landscape element. It can help create unity in a design by creating visual lines that guide movement and establish dominance. For example, upright forms such as trees and tall hedging plants can draw the eye upward to emphasize a feature, while spreading forms, such as ground cover or rounded hedges, can divide and connect spaces in a garden.
Repetition of a form creates consistency in the landscape, while contrast prevents monotony. But too much repetition can lead to a visually unappealing or sloppy garden, so it’s crucial that your landscape features a good balance of different forms and textures.
Line
The line design principle plays an important role in a landscape. This is because lines create shape and structure, define movement within the space and establish purpose.
Straight lines create a formal character, are associated with symmetry and often lead the eye to a focal point. Conversely, curved lines create a more natural and relaxed character and may lead the eye into or around the space. In terms of hardscape, lines are often found in paving materials like sidewalks and paths, the edging of turf areas and the dividing of garden beds.
Proportion is also an important aspect of line in a landscape. Short people, tall people and children perceive space differently so it’s essential that landscape designers take this into account when designing spaces for a variety of users. This relates to the size of plantings, building and lot sizes, and even the size of a single plant.
Residential landscapes are a popular project for landscape designers, as they work with homeowners to help them create a visually appealing – and functional – outdoor space. This not only increases curb appeal, it also helps to improve the morale of residents and raise property values. Commercial projects are another area where landscape designers thrive, as they create outdoor spaces for businesses and organizations to increase their productivity and boost company morale. This includes everything from parks, to business campuses and office buildings.
Focal Points
Focal points draw the eye and add structure to a landscape. They can be anything from a renovated pool to a statue or trellis. Often, focal points are added to existing features like gardens or trees but they can also be hardscape elements like walkways or water features. The important thing is that they be distinct from the surrounding foliage, creating a point of interest that draws the eyes and creates a sense of movement in your yard.
The design principles mentioned above are essential to a stunning landscape but a strong focal point can take any garden to the next level. Focal points provide the framework for a balanced design and help your yard feel like it is an extension of your home. Whether it’s a new statue or seating area, carefully chosen and placed focal points can transform your landscape into a work of art.
Using focal points in your landscape is similar to a painter focusing their composition. It is important to avoid placing the focal point in the center of the canvas as this can be distracting. When using a plant as your focal point, it is important to select a specimen with a long peak period and be sure to choose plants that are interesting throughout the seasons. Statues and sculptures are a great option for an outdoor focal point as they can be as whimsical or as grand as you want, and they can stand out among your lush plantings.
Simplicity
Keeping things simple is key to successful landscape design. This can mean avoiding bold or radical changes and using repetition to create rhythm in the garden. Repetition can be created by using similar colors, forms, and textures. It can also be achieved through the use of transitional elements like a natural gradation from large trees to shrubs to bedding plants or by using the stair-like effect of ascending or descending shapes within a plant group such as a clump of evergreen grasses or perennials.
Proportion and scale refers to the size of the elements in the landscape in relation to the house and other features. It’s important that the garden is a comfortable proportion of the house, not overpowering it or looking too small. For example, a seven-foot garden statue will be out of proportion to a narrow front walkway and will overpower the space.
Unity is about creating a cohesive design by coordinating the features in your garden with the style of your home. This can be accomplished by matching or mirroring lines, shapes and colors in your house’s architecture with the same motifs in your garden. It’s also helpful to have consistency in your plantings, avoiding mixed messages with different plant groups and unrelated garden ornaments. This can be accomplished through the use of a consistent color scheme, unified pot colors, or even a specific type of garden tile.