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Elements and Principals of Landscape Design

The document discusses the key elements and principles of landscape design. The elements that make up a landscape design are line, form, texture, color, and visual weight. Principles for assembling these elements into a cohesive design include scale and proportion, balance, rhythm, unity, and emphasis. The elements and principles provide guidelines for the purposeful arrangement of plants, hardscapes, and other landscape features to create visually pleasing and functionally effective outdoor spaces.

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Surabhi Mendhe
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431 views35 pages

Elements and Principals of Landscape Design

The document discusses the key elements and principles of landscape design. The elements that make up a landscape design are line, form, texture, color, and visual weight. Principles for assembling these elements into a cohesive design include scale and proportion, balance, rhythm, unity, and emphasis. The elements and principles provide guidelines for the purposeful arrangement of plants, hardscapes, and other landscape features to create visually pleasing and functionally effective outdoor spaces.

Uploaded by

Surabhi Mendhe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Elements and Principals of

Landscape design
Elements - the separate “parts” that Principles – the instructions or guidelines
interact and work with each other for putting together the parts (elements)
to create a cohesive design to create the design
Elements of Design

Line - the outline that


creates all forms and
patterns in the landscape

Form - the silhouette or


shape of a plant or other
features in the landscape

Texture - how course or fine


a plant or surface feels or
looks

Color - design element that


adds interest and variety

Visual Weight – the


emphasis or force of an
individual feature in relation
to other features in
composition
•Line
•Lines define form and creates
patterns.

•Lines direct eye movement, and


control physical movement.

•Lines are real or perceived

•Straight lines are structural and


forceful.

•Curved lines are relaxed and


natural, implying movement.
Plant bedlines -
•Connect plant material, Spaces and
hardscape. Defines spaces.
•Bedlines delineate the perimeter of a space
and create a shape

Hardscape lines –
•Define spaces and create forms and
patterns
•Lines creates a grid pattern and wavy form
•Lines define the pool edge and create the
form of the pool

Plant outlines
•Define space through the plant shape and
height
Form
•Three-dimensional – a series of
lines that define a shape or
space, and provides scale

•Form is the most enduring


quality of a plant or a mass of
plants although it can be
manipulated through pruning
or shearing
Plants
•Plants have a variety of forms- round,
columnar, vase-shape, pyramidal,
upright, weeping, prostrate, spreading,
and oval

Hardscape
•The shape of structures and garden
ornaments.
•The shape of structures often
determines the overall form theme of
the garden- such as geometric or
naturalistic

Voids (open spaces)


•The spaces left over between structures
and plant material

Forms for themes


•both plant and hardscape forms can
reinforce a theme
Texture

•Surface quality – tactile and perceptual. Provides variety, interest, and contrast.
Affects perceived size.

•Texture is referred to as coarse, medium, or fine


Plant material
•The texture of plants differ with the size of the leaves, twigs, branches and trunk

Fine texture Rough texture is more


compliments and dominate
reinforces color and
form
Hardscape material

•Texture of buildings, patios, decks, walls, and water features is related to the
type and size of materials

Texture of buildings, patios, decks, walls, and water features is


related to the type and size of materials
Texture and Scale –

• Texture affects perception of distance and scale

Rough textured plants Fine texture recedes in the


appear closer- landscape- exaggerates distance
minimizes distances and makes a space feel larger
and makes a space
feel smaller
Color

•The hue of the plants and hardscape material provides variety, interest, and
contrast. Affects human emotion and perceived distances

•Color schemes in planting are color combinations based on the color wheel.
Plant Color

•Color is found in flowers, foliage, fruit, and bark, and changes with the seasons

Use color to highlight other A small amount of bright


characteristics such as form color has as much visual
and texture impact as a large amount of
a dull color
Hardscape Color

• Color is found in buildings, stone, rocks, pavers, wood, and furniture

Color in hardscape can be the focal point or blend with the landscape
Basic Color Schemes

• Monochromatic,
•Analogous,
•Complementary

Cool hues- blue, violet, Warm hues- red, orange, yellow-


green- recede in the appear closer and feel lively
landscape and feel and energetic
calm and serene
Visual Weight
•The force of expression of each of
the elements

•Sometimes called visual strength – it is


the characteristics of the elements
that attracts our attention.
High Visual Weight - upright forms, bold
textures, bright colors
Low Visual Weight - horizontal lines, prostrate
forms, fine texture, dull colors
High Visual Weight - upright Low Visual Weight - horizontal lines,
forms, bold textures, bright prostrate forms, fine texture, dull colors
colors.
•Scale and Proportion
•Actual size and relative size of an
object

•Balance
•Equal visual weight and attraction.
Symmetrical or asymmetrical

•Rhythm
•Movement of the eye across
repeated features (sequenced
repetition)

Unity
•Linkage through the use of line,
materials, plants. All the parts are
consistent in character

•Emphasis
• A prominent feature that attracts
attention and invites further
viewing
Scale and Proportion

•Scale- size or physical dimensions, creates and defines space


•Proportion- size relative to adjacent objects
•The most important scale is relative to the human body.
Scale/Proportion of Plants:

•The size/scale of individual plants or a mass of plants can vary greatly

Use like sizes to Use markedly different


achieve repetition sizes to achieve
and unity contrast
Scale/Proportion of Hardscape

•Should relate closely to the human body


for function and psychological comfort

Scale/Proportion of Voids

•Size and scale of the open areas between


plants and structures is determined primarily
by function and the overall size of the yard.

•In planted areas with masses and voids the


proportion is the spatial relationship
between the open space and the planted
area
Balance
•Balance – an equal mass - actual or visual-
about a central axis

Shape, color, size and texture all affect visual mass


and balance is either:

•Symmetrical- mirror image


• Asymmetrical- equal visual mass
• Perspective- relates to depth
Symmetrical Balance Asymmetrical Balance

•Mirror image is more formal, easiest to •Considered informal balance by


achieve. visual mass of non-equivalent forms,
size, color, and texture
•The mind naturally assumes a central
axis and seeks even distribution of
objects or visual mass
Perspective Balance

• Includes the foreground, midground, and background

Foreground and background elements have equal visual weight through


massing and color
Rhythm

•Repetition- repeated use of


features to create pattern or
sequence (sets up a rhythm)

•Alternation- alternating the


sequence of features for more
interest

•Gradation- gradual transition


from one quality to another

Too much repetition creates


monotony, too little creates
confusion
Rhythm in Plants
repetition, alternation, or gradation of type of plant, size, texture, or color

Repetition- of Gradation- slow or gradual Alternation-


same type of change from one quality to produces a regular
plant the next and anticipated
sequence
Rhythm in Hardscape

repetition, alternation, or gradation of form, material, size, texture, and/or color

Repeated use of square and spiral forms


Unity

A consistent organizational
theme, style or character
where all features blend for
connection and harmony

Results from similar


characteristics (pattern, form,
texture), an overall balance,
and proper scale. Some variety
is needed for interest.
Unity with Plants

Aesthetic characteristics of plants are used to create unity

• Analogous colors
• similar shapes
• Related textures
• Common plant groupings- tropical, woodland, grasses, aquatic, desert
Unity with Hardscape

• Organizational framework for the garden, connects and defines spaces

Materials have Continuation- a line, edge or


similar surface treatment connects
characteristics features in a composition
Unity and Variety-
unity must tie the composition together but also incorporate variety to
prevent monotony

In a monochromatic color
scheme use light to dark
shades for variation Repeat plants with similar
shapes for unity, but use
different colors for variety
Emphasis

•Focal Point- a dominant feature that


draws attention, used to guide views
and circulation. Use sparingly to create
interest

Contrast with other features in size,


color, form, or texture

Emphasis occurs with:


• Specimen plants
• Garden ornaments
Specimen Plants
attract attention through contrast

Isolate individual
plants- draw the Draw attention to
Dramatically contrast
eye by purposeful entrances, steps or
form, color, texture, or
placement of plants statuary
size
•Garden Ornaments-

Attract attention through contrast

Draw the eye by purposeful contrast to Dramatically contrast


the soft plant material form, color, texture, or
size
References

Scarfone, S. 2007. Professional Planting Design, An Architectural and Horticultural Approach for Creating Mixed
Bed Plantings

Thomas, H. & Wooster, S. 2008. The Complete Planting Design Course


Bertauski, T. 2005. Designing the Landscape, An Introductory Guide for the Landscape Designer

Austin. R. 2002. Elements of Planting Design


Messervy, J. & Susanka, S. 2006. Outside the Not So Big House

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