Lake & Garden

Great gardens don’t happen by accident. They are the result of good planning that relies upon the key elements of design: unity and harmony, proportion and scale, mass and space and texture and pattern.  Whatever the garden style, a good designer will effectively use these elements to make a pleasing composition.

HARMONY AND UNITY
There are many ways to achieve a sense of harmony and unity in a landscape.  Here are a few tips:
  
Grow healthy plants. A garden with plants that are struggling to survive is an uncomfortable place, one lacking in harmony.  
 
Group plants that have similar needs. It is jarring to see plants that enjoy moisture growing with ones suited to dry conditions, or sun lovers paired with shade seekers.

Harmonize the garden with its surroundings. Keep in mind the larger surroundings as you choose plants and design the garden. Echo an architectural detail from your house in the garden to help create a cohesive whole. Also plan to use materials in the garden that are consistent with the house. If your house is brick, then brick pathways would enhance the unity of your garden. 

Repeat color or planting themes in different parts of the garden to create a sense of unity. Patterns and shapes repeated throughout a garden also provide a pleasing rhythm that unifies. 

PROPORTION AND SCALE
We have all had the experience of putting a piece of furniture, such as a couch, in a small room and noticing that it looks enormous. The same couch in a large room looks quite small. The phenomenon at work is scale. The same object will look larger or smaller, depending on the relative size of its surroundings.

The same principles of scale and proportion apply outside. A common mistake homeowners make in their gardens, especially small ones, is to have too many small features. Instead of making the garden feel bigger, it feels busy and lacks focus. To correct this, plant one tree or massive shrub as an important statement in a small garden, and then use that plant as a reference, relating the scale and proportion of the rest of the plantings and ornaments to it. Also include a vertical element such as a tree, trellis or arbor to distract from the close boundaries of the property.

MASS AND SPACE
Large, solid plants, especially if their color is dark, take up more space in the garden both physically and visually. These plants have mass, and are important to define and fill space as well as to provide resting places for the eye in a landscape busy with lots of floral and other ornamental interest. They are like punctuation marks, providing moments of rest and giving form to the design. 

In winter, when all the frills and distractions of summer’s bounty are removed from the garden, you can best judge whether your garden has adequate mass. If your design is well done with enough mass, the garden will be interesting even in this bare state.

The other source of visual rest in a garden is space. An expanse of patio, a change in level, a swath of lawn, reflecting pool or an uninterrupted view of the lake all serve to provide an open, horizontal break in the design. 

An ideal design is a pleasing mix of mass and space. If there is too much mass, the garden will appear heavy and dark. If there is too much horizontal space, the garden will feel empty.
       
TEXTURE, PATTERN AND COLOR
Patterns in gardens are primarily provided by the physical layout. Whatever the pattern, whether symmetrical and ordered for a formal garden, or an abstract pattern for an informal design, it will establish the essential character of the garden. On a smaller scale, you can create additional patterns in your garden with bricks or stones laid out in special designs. 

Foliage is a good source of texture in a garden. Large-leafed plants are bold in texture, creating a strong, assertive look; small-leafed plants appear more delicate. Experiment by combining contrasting textures to create a balanced as well as visually stimulating display. 

Flower form also contributes to texture in the garden. The most interesting designs combine different shapes and textures, including round heads; tall, pointed spires; airy sprays of small blossoms; umbrella-shaped blooms; and tiny-petaled flowers.   
  
Look beyond flowers to foliage for color in the garden, taking advantage of the incredible range of colors in hues of yellow, red, blue and purple. For added spice, opt for variegated leaves that combine two or more of the possible colors. 

By effectively using the basic principles of design, you can create a garden that evokes delightful tensions between restful and stimulating, one that is harmonious without being repetitive and boring. Strive to create a garden that is balanced and unified, and at the same time surprising. Most of all, design your garden so it reflects your own personality.  

Catriona Tudor Erler is a freelance garden writer, photographer and speaker who divides her time between SML and Charlottesville. The author of nine gardening books, Erler also blogs at joyofgardens.com.