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Contributed by Green Landscape Nursery
The key landscape design elements most fequently mentioned are color, texture and shape. Additional, equally important components are balance, proportion, variety, and repetition.
Proper balance means creating equal visual weight on either side of the "center" of your home--usually the front door. A formal landscape achieves balance with symmetry, where the elements mirror each other. An informal (or asymmetrical) design is balanced, but appears random; for instance, the visual weight of a single tree or a large shrub is placed on one side of the center and a group of smaller plants on the other side. Both strategies work well.
Choose plant varieties and maintain them so that they will be in proportion to each other and to your home. Corner plantings would be no more than 2/3 of the way up to the eaves, and most other foundation plantings about 1/3 of the way up.
A variety of plants around your home adds interest. However, don't go overboard with variety. Use one or two elements of contrast, such as size (long leaves with round ones, etc.) or height (tall plants behind low, mounding ones).
Repetition, or duplicating colors, forms and textures, can be done using plants, or using a combination of plants and hardscape features. For instance, if you have lots of round, mounding plants, repeat the shape with a round birdbath, gazing globe, or round stepping stones.
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