A No-Stress Guide to Planning Your Residential Landscaping Project

What Are The Main Design Areas Of Residential Landscaping?

Just like there are rules for interior design, there are also elements and principles to follow when designing an outdoor space. If you’re setting out to create your own residential landscaping plan, here are some things you’ll want to consider:

Cohesiveness:

Even though the various areas of your yard have different functions, you want the whole space to feel unified. Repeat similar colors, plants, and textures throughout all areas of your yard to give the full space a cohesive feel

Balance:

You can decide whether to use symmetrical or asymmetrical balance in your yard. If you go with symmetrical, that simply means your yard is a mirror image of itself. If you choose asymmetrical, your yard will still be balanced, but you will use different elements with the same visual weight to achieve the feel of balance.

Variety:

Avoid visual boredom in your space by incorporating a variety of plants, trees, flowers, and other elements. There is a fine line between a healthy variety and visual chaos, so be careful not to select too many elements, but add some interest by mixing up the space a bit.

Repetition:

Cohesiveness and repetition go hand-in-hand because one way you achieve cohesiveness is through repetition. As you repeat various plants or other elements throughout the space, it will bring a feeling of togetherness and make the area look thoughtfully planned.

Scale:

This is perhaps the trickiest element of them all because plants tend to grow and change shape and size over time. So as you plan for scale in your residential landscaping project, consider what that plant will look like in the future. This will help you select appropriately sized varieties, as well as the right quantity.

And as you plan each of these elements, take into consideration the shape, line, texture, and color and how they all work together. For example:

Shape:

Each plant or element has its own shape. Whether tall and thin, short and boxy, round, spreading, or something else entirely, think about how that shape will look in the space. If it’s a plant, consider its appearance in every season—with leaves and without, with flowers, and without. If it’s furniture or a more permanent fixture, look at how it fills the space and plays off of the other shapes in the yard.

Line:

Lines are used to draw your eyes to a focal point or define an area, and they are everywhere. Pathways, garden bed lines, and even furniture all have lines. One of the first steps in designing a landscape plan is to establish your garden bed lines.

Texture:

This element is often overlooked. Plants, trees, flowers, and grasses all have textures. Stones, pavers, concrete, wood, and furniture fabrics also have texture. You want to include a variety of textures in your landscape plan without going overboard.

Color:

Too little color in your yard can be boring, but too much can lend a feeling of chaos. When putting together a color palette, start by selecting colors that compliment your house, and build from there. A few strategically placed pops of color can give your yard a little extra depth and interest.

You can read up on more backyard landscaping tips and ideas here.

9 Residential Landscaping Ideas To Inspire

If you’re looking for residential landscaping ideas, here are nine outdoor spaces that showcase a variety of styles, spaces, and elements. If you’d like to see more, take a look at the Big Rock Landscaping portfolio.