Seeing photos of other people’s gardens in magazines and on social media can make us want to renovate our own home landscape. But upon examining our gardens, we may feel that ours can never look as good as those who can afford professional landscape artist advice. This cannot be further from the truth, as simple concepts can be employed to mimic the polished look of those professionally done gardens. With careful planning, we can make our landscapes more cohesive and, in turn, more pleasing to the eyes.
Include the Home in Your Design Plan
Before looking at the land to design, professional landscape artists always look at the house and the structure of the entire property first. This is because the house is the main visual element that needs to be enhanced by the garden, just like how the interior design should also enhance the exterior. So logically, the structure of the house, including its motif and vibes, must be taken into account before planning the design for your landscape. This means that if the aesthetic of your home is vintage, whimsical, or contemporary, your garden should complement the existing structure to help everything look more cohesive. Unifying your home and garden is the key.
Commit to a Theme
After assessing the feel of your home, you should try to commit to a specific theme that you will follow for your garden. The theme can dictate the kinds of plants and the way you plant them. This will help you to narrow down your options and prevent you from making weird design choices. Although, this is not a one-size-fits-all kind of step because you will still have to make decisions that will suit your vision for your home, even if it deviates from the established theme.
Plan Your Plants
Depending on your goals, the plants you will place inside your garden should also be planned well. One of the main factors to consider is the changing of seasons. If you would like to have a garden that looks good all year round, you should opt for plants that stay healthy and blooming throughout the year. Or you can strategically place your plants in a formation that does not leave bald spots for when the season changes.
Another factor is the texture and movement of your garden. This refers to how you choose your plants as not to make your garden boring or monotonous. The colors of the flowers and leaves should look harmonious without looking too disorganized. The varying heights of different plants must be managed so that all of them can be viewed but not distract from each other. How you cluster certain plants should also be strategic. This is the step where you should trust your eyes and follow your gut. Do your research and find inspiration online to help you decide on your plants and their placement.
Incorporate Your Patio
Incorporating your patio is also important in designing your landscape. As the area where you will be viewing your garden, you should also make sure that it connects well with the surrounding theme. This means that your entire garden set should be cohesive as well.
First, consider hiring paving contractors to lay a base that will complement your garden vision. The flooring and walkways around your garden will also affect the look of the landscape, so choose the most suitable kind of pavers in terms of durability and visual appeal. Then select your furniture. These can be as simple as a table set for the outdoors or as grand as a fully-furnished cozy lounging area complete with a fire pit. The lighting fixtures should be complementary as well to enhance the ambiance when it gets dark.
Add Tasteful Decorations
Decorations can be a hit or miss when you incorporate them in your garden. Simplicity is the easiest and surest way to keep everything cohesive. You can make use of colorful pots and textured stones that are already in your garden to add more interest. Tiny and subtle ornaments can be good additions to the landscape without having them clutter the view. Or you can go big by having a garden centerpiece like a water fountain or trellis. Stone statues can give a classic feel, while metal sculptures can give a contemporary vibe. Just make sure that they do not go as far as looking tacky.
Your garden doesn’t have to be designed by a professional to look polished. You just need to look at your surroundings and build from them to make a cohesive and appealing space to be in. Remember to trust your artistic self and bring to life the garden of your dreams.
