Landscape Design: Ten

Important Things to
Consider
When designing a residential landscape, the most important step is to put a plan on paper.
Developing a master plan will save you time and money and is more likely to result in a successful
design. A master plan is developed through the 'design process': a step-by-step method that
considers the environmental conditions, your desires, and the elements and principles of design. The
goal is to organize the natural and man-made features in your yard into an aesthetic, functional, and
environmentally sustainable landscape.

The Design Process

The five steps of the design process include: 1) conducting a site inventory and analysis, 2)
determining your needs, 3) creating functional diagrams, 4) developing conceptual design plans, and
5) drawing a final design plan. The first three steps establish the aesthetic, functional, and
horticultural requirements for the design. The last two steps then apply those requirements to the
creation of the final landscape plan.

The process begins with a site inventory and analysis of soil, drainage, climate conditions, and
existing vegetation. This is a critical step for both plant selection and placement and locating family
activities and functions. It's important because the same climate conditions that affect the plants—
temperature, humidity, rain, wind, and sunlight—also affect you, the user. The next step is to make a
list of your needs and desires—this helps you determine how your yard and landscape will be used.
The site and user analyses will also help you establish a theme for the form and style of your design.
The functional diagram is then used to locate the activity spaces on the site and from this diagram a
conceptual plan is developed. The last step is a final design that includes all the hardscape and
planting details that are necessary for installation. Throughout the design process there are ten
important things to consider:

1. Understand your site for plant selection and activity location

2. Remember the user by considering what you want and need

3. Use a form and/or style theme to help determine shapes and organize spaces

4. Create and link spaces by designating activity areas and linking with elements

5. Consider the function of plants for both the environment and the user

6. Structure the plantings by using massing and layering techniques

7. Highlight important points such as transition areas and focal points

8. Pay attention to detail in the materials, the colors, and the surface textures

9. Take time into account for the growth and maintenance of plants
 10. Protect your resources by using sustainable design practices

Understand Your Site

A thorough inventory and analysis of the site is important to determine the environmental
conditions for plant growth and the best use of the site. Issues of concern include the soil type,
topography, and regional climate. The type of soil determines the nutrients and moisture available
to the plants. It is always best to use plants that will thrive in the existing soil. Although soil can be
amended, amendment is often costly and most times ineffective. Existing vegetation can provide
clues to the soil type. Where plants grow well, note the soil conditions and use plants with similar
growing requirements. Pay particular attention to areas where plants are not doing well and adjust
when choosing new plants. Topography and drainage should also be noted and all drainage
problems corrected in the proposed design. A good design will move water away from the house
and re-route it to other areas of the yard.

Climate concerns begin with temperature: plants must be able to survive the average high and, most
importantly, the average low temperatures for the region. Use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
([Link]) as a starting point to choose plants appropriate for your zone, but
remember microclimates within your yard can offer alternatives. Sun/shade patterns, the amount
and length of exposure to sun or shade (Figure 1), create microclimates (sometimes called
microhabitats). Recording site conditions and existing vegetation on a base map will reveal the
location of microclimates in the yard. Plants usually fall into one or two of four microclimate
categories-full sun, partial shade, shade, and deep shade. It is important to remember that
sun/shade patterns change with the seasons and over time as trees get larger.

Figure 1. Sun and shade patterns.

Credit: Gail Hansen, UF/IFAS
It is essential to note all the existing conditions on an accurate base map when doing the site
inventory (Figure 2). Utilities such as power lines, septic tanks, underground utilities and roof
overhangs determine plant location. Use a surveyor's plat of your property for the boundaries and
location of your home. Measure and note on the survey other structures and hardscape such as
patios, driveways, or sidewalks. It is very important to hire a surveyor if you do not have a plat;
guessing the location of boundaries can be a costly mistake.

Figure 2. Site inventory.

Credit: Gail Hansen, UF/IFAS

Remember the User

The users are typically you, your family, the family pets, and visitors, and each have their own needs.
There are five things to consider: 1) how do you currently use the yard, 2) how do you want to use
the yard, 3) aesthetically, how do you want it to look, 4) what is your maintenance style, hands-off or
hands-on, and 5) what is your budget.

It is very important to consider how you currently use the yard. For example-which entry is used by
whom, where do the kids play and where does the dog usually run? (Figure 3) Thinking about how
you currently use the yard, and how you want to use the yard in the future (Figure 4), determines
the need to re-organize old spaces into new spaces and amenities. It is also important to remember
the vehicles used by your family; driveways and parking are space intensive. Budget concerns
include the materials, initial installation costs and the on-going maintenance costs. Determine the
time and money you are willing to put into maintaining the plants and hardscape-be realistic about
your intentions and ability.

Figure 3. Current use areas. Figure 4. Proposed use areas.

Use a Form and/or Style Theme
There are many different landscape design themes- from simple to complex, but it is helpful to
choose one to guide your plant and material selection. Think of a theme as the inspiration for your
garden. Many people find it helpful to look in gardening magazines and books for ideas. This is a
good start, but be aware that the gardens in the photos were picked because they are outstanding
examples. Look at the photos with a critical eye to gather ideas that you can adapt to your passion
level, your budget and your site. Before choosing a theme it is important to look at the surrounding
views of your property. Decide if you want to open your yard, close your yard, or a little of both, to
these views. In other words, do you want the garden to enclose the space around you and relate
mostly to the house, or do you want the garden to open views and look outward, relating to the
surroundings? This will give you a starting point to think about a theme. Care should be taken to
choose appropriate themes for your yard based on the architecture, the type of neighborhood, the
topography, and the regional landscapes. This is called "sense of place", which means it fits with the
surroundings.

There are both form themes and style themes. Every garden should have a form theme, but not all
gardens have a style theme. In fact, many residential gardens have no particular style except to
blend with the house by repeating details from the architecture such as materials, color, and form.
All gardens, however, should use a form theme to create spaces for activities. In a form theme the
organization and shape of the spaces in the yard is based either on the shape of the house, the
shape of the areas between the house and the property boundaries, or a favorite shape of the
homeowner. The form theme determines the shape and organization (the layout) of the spaces and
the links between them.

Common themes include geometric, such as a circle, square, and rectangle; or naturalistic such as
irregular (organic edge) or curvilinear (meandering lines) (Figure 5). Form themes are sometimes
combined; geometric shapes are used for the hardscape and naturalistic shapes for the plantings.
For example, plant bedlines are often curvilinear while the hardscape is square in form.

Figure 5. Naturalistic form theme

Style themes are most often related to the architecture and they often simplify the design of a
residential yard because materials and form are to some extent pre-determined. Many style themes
today are a contemporary version of traditional garden designs. Architecture is usually the primary
source of a theme, but themes can also represent a time, a culture, a place, or a feeling, such as
serenity or calmness. The advantage to using a traditional style theme is the established set of forms
and elements have historically worked well together and endured the test of time.

Because architectural styles typically fall into a formal or informal category, the landscape theme
tends to be either formal or informal (Figure 6). Formal architectural and garden styles that can be
used for inspiration include French, Spanish, Italian, and Middle Eastern. Less formal designs include
Oriental, English, and American. Style themes can also apply to the planting plan and may include
tropical, desert, meadow, woodland, marsh, or coastal plantings. Themes can be as simple as a color
mix or plants with a distinct character- such as grasses-used repeatedly in the composition.

Figure 6. Formal style theme.

Create and Link Spaces

The yard is an extension of the home where a variety of activities take place. A yard can generally be
divided into three areas: public (the front yard), private (the back yard), and service (typically the side
yard). The location of activity areas depends primarily on the type of area, the size of space needed,
the type of activity, and the desired proximity to other activities and structures. A few examples of
spaces include the front entry area that brings you and your visitors to your home, a
cooking/eating/entertaining area (patio or deck), a play area, a dog run, a secret garden/relaxation
area, a vegetable garden or hobby area, and a trash/compost/work area.

Perhaps the most important spatial concept for successful garden design is the creation of outdoor
rooms in the yard. These spaces are often separated through the use of plant beds, sod areas, trees,
planters, garden walls, arbors, level changes, and paved surfaces (Figure 7). The features are used
to enclose or define the spaces and give them a room-like feel. For psychological comfort, creating
spaces that are of human scale is important because most people prefer to be in places that feel
protected and sheltering, rather than open and exposed. The outside wall of the house often serves
as the first wall or starting point of an outdoor room. Incompatible uses should be separated, and
related activities, such as cooking and dining, should be put together to make the yard more efficient
and enjoyable. When using hardscape to create spaces, use construction material similar to that used
in the house for continuity from the house into the garden.
 Figure 7. Outdoor rooms.

Pedestrian circulation in the landscape should move people through the yard and provide organizational
structure. Outdoor rooms are typically linked by pathways, steps, and walkways, or openings with gates or
arbors that encourage exploration and use of the entire yard (Figure 8). These spaces can also be linked by
visual features such as a creek bed (wet or dry) that meanders through or beside several spaces, or a garden
wall that begins at a patio, moves along a turf area and ends along a planted area.

Figure 8. Linked spaces.

Using similar hardscape features and repeating plants pulls the eye around the garden. Important points along
the way can be emphasized with plantings or features that draw attention and encourage movement in a
particular direction. Moving along the path takes a person from one area to the next and allows the user to
have a variety of experiences. In an informal garden the curves and bends of the path should partially conceal
what lies ahead. This provides a sense of mystery that promotes exploration and discovery of the landscape.

Consider the Function of Plants

From a design perspective, plant materials have three major functions in the landscape: aesthetic, structural
and utilitarian. Aesthetically, plants create a visually pleasant environment and structurally plants organize and
define spaces. Plants are utilitarian because they can transform the environment for the comfort of the user by
modifying light, temperature and humidity. Plants can also be used to control noise and odor, and provide
food for homeowners and wildlife.

For psychological comfort plants are used as physical or implied barriers for privacy and safety. Physical
barriers block both the view and access to a space and include fences, walls and plant hedges. Implied barriers,
typically low growing plants, block access but not the view (Figure 9). Other functions of plants include
cleaning the air, preventing erosion and soil loss, retaining moisture in the soil, and returning organic matter to
the soil.

Figure 9. Physical and implied barriers.

For these reasons, the types of plants to be used (such as trees, shrubs, or groundcovers) should be chosen in
the early stages of planning. Plant types are chosen for their functional capabilities so that their future purpose
and required space can be considered at the same time.

For structure and utility, trees and large to medium shrubs are the most important plants in the landscape,
they contribute the most to microclimates (Figure 10), spatial organization, and security concerns. The size,
form and texture (density) are the three dominant characteristics that determine how the plant can be used to
make more pleasant microclimates and create a more functional, organized, energy efficient yard.
 Figure 10. Microclimates.

Structure the Plantings

Plants provide structure in the garden in the same way as do the walls of a building. Shrubs can act as walls in
a space and the branches of trees form a ceiling canopy overhead. The overhead plane, the vertical plane and
the ground plane should all be considered to create enclosure. Once the shape of a plant bed has been
established, the plants should be massed (grouped) and layered to achieve visual unity and the desired
amount of enclosure. The size of a plant mass will depend on the total size of the yard, the size of the
individual plants in the mass, and the emphasis or impact desired from the plant material. Overlapping the
masses of plants so that they are layered, both horizontally (Figure 11) and vertically (Figure 12) links the
plants with an interconnecting pattern. Each plant mass is in front of, behind, or next to, another mass.

Figure 11. Horizontal plant layers

Pay Attention to Detail
Detail in the landscape is derived from the visual quality of plants, hardscape, and garden ornaments. Sensual
qualities such as scent, sound, and touch also add detail to the landscape. Various combinations of form, color,
texture, and size create aesthetic qualities. Plants come in various forms-such as round, columnar, weeping,
and spreading, that compliment or contrast with each other depending on how similar or different they are
(Figure 13). Form is the most enduring quality of a plant and thus the most important characteristic.

Figure 13. Plant forms.

After form, texture is the next dominant feature of a plant; coarse, medium and fine textures can be used for
contrast and emphasis in the landscape. Form and texture both trump color in the garden for most of the year.
However, during certain seasons, color will be the most noticeable characteristic of the garden. To extend
color displays throughout the year, use plants that have color in numerous plant parts, such as the foliage,
bark, and fruit.

Various color schemes, based on color theory, are used for contrast or unity in a garden. Typically one color,
two contrasting colors, or several analogous (similar) colors are repeated throughout the garden. Both color
and texture affect distance and can change the perceived size of a space-warm colors and/or coarse texture
make a space feel smaller; cool colors and/or fine texture make a space feel larger. The characteristics of
individual plants affect balance, unity and emphasis in the composition. Dark colors and coarse textures make
a plant look heavier and larger (more visual weight) and must be balanced with the same or with a larger mass
of bright or light colors with fine or medium texture. Massing plants with similar colors and textures provides
unity, but contrasting plants should be included to provide emphasis at important points.

To fully appreciate and experience a garden, all of the senses must be considered. The pleasant scent of plants,
the sound of wind in the trees, the sound and texture of water, and the colors and textures of sculptures, pots
and garden furniture all add to the experience of the garden. One detail that is often overlooked is the effect
of light on the aesthetics of the plants. Light shining through a plant, such as a feathery grass, can change its
appearance. The entire garden changes in function and appearance over the course of the day, and the course
of a year, as the light and temperature change from morning to night and season to season.

Take Time into Account

Plant selection must consider a plant's growth rate, its mature size and form, and the maintenance it will
require. Fast growing plants may or may not be desirable depending on the size of the site, the design intent,
and the expected level of maintenance. It is important to know the eventual mature size of plants so they can
be placed in the right location and spaced properly when they are installed.

Giving plants room to grow is a challenge because the common mature size is typically based on optimal
growing conditions and the environmental conditions of a site may cause a plant to grow larger or stay
smaller. If plants are spaced too closely (to simulate a fully grown landscape) the overcrowded plants will
present a maintenance issue. Provide enough space so that, when fully mature, the plants are barely touching
their neighbors and a somewhat solid growing mass is formed (Figure 14). It is important, however, to leave
space so the plant does not touch the side of the house-this space allows for air circulation and home
maintenance. Another common mistake is to plant too close to utilities such as AC units and meters.

Figure 14. Plant spacing.