YOU'LL KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE IT... GARDEN DESIGN ELEMENTS EXLPAINED

A gardener's dream usually consists of lush greenery of various hues and textures interlaced with show stopping splashes and various flecks of color from spring until early fall. And, while that may be a great vision to have, in fact it is only the icing on the cake. The structure of a garden no matter the size is very important.
    For a great many of us, our gardens are creatures and creations that have evolved over time to become what they are today. It is a grand and enjoyable experiment that has proven its physical and mental rewards. We find what works here under our favorite tree or sitting area and what can't possibly live there at all. Usually the best we can hope for is that the tag in the pot is accurate enough for us to site our plant and that our trusted nursery wouldn't mistake a perennial zoned for warmer climes as a sure thing in Greater Louisville. But when we are ready to take that next step, we realize the epiphany that what we have been longing for; design....real design...hard elements....a walkthrough approach to gardening. This is what makes a good garden great and a great garden the buzz of the gardening community.



Creating visual interest

We have all found the pot or sculpture or fountain that we fall in love with. The temptation to simply line up all of our wares is great and we end up with the "science fair" of garden delights. Not that there is anything wrong with loving our newly found elements, but they would be far more loved if simply sited correctly. Take time to visually walk through your garden in your mind. Where do you turn?  What new view presents itself in your line of sight?  What are the corners, points, twists and crevices?  This is where you want to place your hard features. Your visual interest and that of your botanical buddies will be tickled as you round the bend to only find your most beloved armillary or bubbling brook. Create a written plan, buy some software, slow down and think...really think how this will work out.

Size matters

Placement is one thing but scale is another. If your visual element can be seen from afar you should go big!  The same should be said with your plants. A point or corner that can be seen from over 20 or so yards away should feature a hard element much larger than say a small crevice only visible to the garden adventurer; ready to get up off of the porch swing and really investigate what you have created. If you have small recessed nooks along the way it would be a great place for a small character to look over your garden gems. But if you can see it from afar, make a statement!  But beware. Don't make the mistake of too many statements. Three or four major focuses may confuse the eye. This is tantamount for the smaller garden or terrace. One large focus is it.....no more. One large bubbling fountain will create relaxation and enjoyment in the small space. Twenty-five trinkets and baubles will create visual harassment.



A view from a sill

As we head into winter, never is it more important to consider how your hard features are placed than from your most visited windows. Wherever you eat, relax, play and work is where you want to focus your efforts. Your gardener's eye deserves to be drawn outside. And, it bears repeating, go small upfront and bigger the deeper the visual line. You want to be drawn out into the garden and you will want to draw your visitors out into the garden as well, so remember not to make too many statements. One great big element at the ultimate destination you wish to reach means far more than thousands of little elements that get lost in the visual noise of it all.
    As gardeners we are getting ready to put our gardens to bed for the winter. What will that leave us during the bleak late days of autumn and the doldrums of winter?  Not much without proper planning. Put it on paper or save it to your "my documents" file. Either way you'll be happy you did.



In "seeing" a landscape, one both "chooses" what to see and passively allows nature to act upon one's eyes and subconscious mind. Because of this continuous oscillation between will and passivity, one can never truly comprehend what scientists and painters alike have called the "champ de vision," or "field of vision."  In the end, houses are perceived as houses, trees as trees, and roads as roads, and they are not simply  colored light acting upon the retina. Certain forms contain powerful  meanings and associations for individual viewers, others are blander, and each participates (unequally) in a larger abstraction called "the landscape."
-   A Day in the County: Impressionism and the French Landscape, Los Angeles County Museum of Art