Landscape Designs

Creating an effective landscape design

It can be somewhat intimidating to think about designing the entire landscape of the yard around your home. After all, that’s a lot of decisions to make, and if you aren’t experienced at do-it-yourself landscape design, you may wonder if you will be able to make good decisions.

To help with your landscape design plan, it can be quite beneficial to get some landscape design software. Not only will the landscape design software likely include free landscape design examples, but it will also likely provide a way for you to work on your own landscape designs. Do-it-yourself landscape design is much easier with the use of software.


Even with software, however, it can also help to understand the eight basic principles of landscape design. Having knowledge of these principles can aid you in making the right decisions about your yard’s landscaping.

The Principles of Landscape Design

The eight basic principles of landscape design are:

  1. Unity. Some landscape designers incorporate unity by using the same design element, such as a certain type of design landscape stone, in several areas throughout the landscape. Others may repeat a specific color in key places throughout the yard. Unity is basically consistency in design throughout the landscape. Whether it is done through repeated use of one design landscape stone or color, or through some other means doesn’t matter – what matters is that unity is incorporated somehow.
  2. Simplicity. Less is more in landscape design. Keep things simple, at least at first -- you can always add more at a later time.
  3. Balance. This can be symmetrical (where the landscape is alike from any angle) or asymmetrical (where there is a distinct contrast, such as height, curvature or texture from one side to another of the landscape).
  4. Color.This is what catches interest against a (usually) mostly green backdrop. Color can also be used to direct attention toward a specific part of the landscape.
  5. Natural transition. Landscape design plans should avoid abrupt changes through the course of the landscape; transitions should be gradual. For instance, rather than going from tall trees directly down to short shrubbery, there should be some other element, such as medium-sized trees, in the middle to ease the transition.
  6. Line. This principle relates to how the edges of the garden beds and the walkways through the landscape flow. The lines in landscape design plans can be straight or curvy.
  7. Proportion. Landscape designs need to keep proportion in consideration. For example, large garden areas should not be dotted with tiny statues. The statues would be out of proportion and would get lost among the larger design elements.
  8. Repetition. It is good to repeat several different design elements – landscapers should not simply repeat one element dozens of times.

Using these eight basic principles, with or without the aid of landscape design software, can help ensure a cohesive, aesthetically pleasing landscape design.

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We live on 5 amazing acres on the Trinity River in Northern Ca.. We even have a 60 foot waterfall and a creek with several small drops. We have a lot of the brush cleared off and now we need a plan for the steep terraced areas. Retaining walls, planting areas etc We have 3 or 4 steep areas we want to develop. I want to preserve the natural beauty and enhance it.
Posted on 12/5/2009 6:31:00 PM by Anonymous
Would you ever be interested in helping a house outside NYC on the Hudson River?
Posted on 11/2/2009 1:35:00 PM by Anonymous
I'm wondering if yard crashers would consider doing a 'park'? the Neighborhood Watch in the City of Watervliet, NY is trying to beautify one of the parks in the City - Clinton. It's been so long since anything has been done, it's daunting. francoe@bsk.com
Posted on 10/15/2009 9:18:00 AM by Anonymous
Would DIY ever come to Lake Charles La??????????????
Posted on 9/27/2009 12:41:00 PM by Anonymous
how do I get to have a landscaper at my house and what does it cost the homeowner when you do these shows on landscaping.I have a extra large yard area and would like to be on your show I garantee it to be a challenge for anyone to acheive a successful garden or scape. I enjoy the shows and would love to run into one of your guys to come home with me.
Posted on 9/15/2009 12:35:00 PM by Anonymous
bove is fine except my backyarsd slopes approximately 18 inches toward the house. When it rains, the patio gets flooded.The yard is closed in on three sides with a block wall and the fourth side by the house.There is no way that iI can get any large equip]ment in to grade it. At 80 years of age, I can only shovel 20 minutes a day. What do you suggest as my wife and I live on a fixed income of Social Security.
Posted on 9/9/2009 4:43:00 PM by Anonymous
Hellow, I would like to know if yard crashers would ever come to Houma,La.70364. to do a show my yard can use some help. Thank you,Rickie Hebert.
Posted on 9/8/2009 7:15:00 AM by Anonymous
i would like to know if yard crashers would come to California; i am in desprete need of yard makeover. i try and watch your show everyday i love shows you have. so if you can please help. my # is323)263-1351 my e-mail is perezjorge93@yahoo.com my name is jorge perez would love to hear from you. thank you.
Posted on 9/6/2009 5:26:00 PM by Anonymous
This was a link from previour page in referance to "landscape material". It was no help in explaining "landscape material ". This green back ground losses the light blue icon (too diffcult to see".
Posted on 9/2/2009 10:21:00 AM by Anonymous
great
Posted on 8/24/2009 9:15:00 PM by Anonymous
Looking to conserve water yet design a garden with succulents, decorative rocks, ground cover and colorful plants. Please suggest plants and placement for a front yard measuring 26' X 41' contributing factors: Spanish style 3 tier water fountain positioned in middle of yard soil is rocky and dry no shade , afternoon sun large wall-anchored wrought iron arch directly behind front yard Spanish style house need a small walkway leading to the back Have a couple of large multi-colored (desert rocks) various shapes no fencing front yard adjacent to narrow sidewalk x
Posted on 5/5/2009 12:28:00 AM by Anonymous
75ft X 200ft plot on corner of our lot next to road with full sun has wild weeds, grasses, very rocky and wet in the early sping only. There is a culvert for drainage. I am looking to enhance this plot by killing the wild weeds & hay and sowing maybe wild flowers, flowering shrubs and bushes discouraging trashy weeds. What can you offer me as a suggestion. This was land used for haying at one time.
Posted on 4/25/2009 4:16:00 PM by Anonymous