Studies show that walking through a well-designed landscape reduces blood pressure, enhances attention and memory, and helps with anxiety. Well-maintained landscaping also increases property value and curb appeal.

If your yard is irregularly shaped, break it down into smaller sections like squares and rectangles. These are the easiest shapes to measure.

Focal Point

A focal point is the main element of a composition that stands out from the rest of the design. It communicates the designer’s intention and helps move the viewer’s eye around the space. Focal points can be determined by size, shape, texture, color, value, saturation, and more. For example, Renaissance painters often placed the Virgin Mary in the center of their formats to draw attention and create a sense of theological importance.

Landscape is a broad term that encompasses both the natural and human-modified features of an area of land. It may also refer to a pictorial representation of an area of countryside, specifically in the genre of landscape painting. It is also the term for the process of improving the aesthetics of a piece of land by changing its contours and vegetation, or to the activity of observing and recording a scene of nature for purposes of art or science. Landscape research is crucial, as it has the potential to contribute to positive responses to many of today’s most important global challenges such as climate change, social inequity, and environmental degradation.

Form

The form of a landscape is the visible features of an area of land, including its contours, vegetation, and other natural or man-made features. It can also refer to a picture, sketch, etching, or other representation of inland scenery. Landscape is the broad term that encompasses the many natural and human-influenced areas of the Earth, such as deserts, plains, taiga or tundra, grasslands, mountainous regions, islands, and coastal landscapes. It is also the activity of modifying the visible features of land to improve its aesthetic quality. Landscape is a multidisciplinary concept that can be understood in different ways by various people.

Color

Color is a major component in a landscape that can be used to create contrast and draw attention to different aspects of the design. It can also be used to tie the landscape into other surrounding elements such as house color, pathways, walls, and fences.

It is important to consider the existing colors in a yard when choosing colors for the landscape. Colors that are too similar can clash and detract from the overall look of the garden. It is also beneficial to use a variety of shades and tints when selecting colors for the garden. This allows for more creative freedom and prevents the garden from looking too choppy or unfinished.

It is also important to understand how to arrange colors into harmonies. The most common harmonies are analogous, complementary, split complementary, and triadic. These harmonies are based on the colors that are found next to each other on a color wheel. Understanding the difference between a shade and a tint can also dramatically change the appearance of a landscape. Tints are more subtle and less vibrant while shades are darker and more intense.

Lighting

Investing time and energy into a garden can be very rewarding. With a well-designed lighting system, it is possible to showcase your hard work and horticultural skills even after the sun sets.

Use the right amount of light to illuminate your landscape features without overpowering them. A subtle wash of light across the surface of a wall or fence is an effective way to highlight the texture and beauty of these elements.

Uplighting is another popular landscape lighting technique that highlights the features of trees, plant material, or other taller landscaping elements by directing light up at them from below. This is similar to the effect that natural moonlight produces.

Illuminate pathways, stairs, and other hardscapes to improve safety for family members, guests, and the general public while adding a warm, welcoming ambiance. Be sure to clean your fixtures regularly to prevent dirt or spider webs from obscuring the light source. Most landscape lighting systems use low voltage power — 12 volts stepped down from the standard household 120 volts with a transformer — which is safer and more flexible than high voltage alternatives.