Elements of a Quality Softscape Design

Line is one of the most important and useful of all design elements. Everything on a property involves lines. The line created when a lawn ends, next to a sidewalk, driveway, or fence.

There are four different lines (curved, straight, horizontal, and vertical)

Strong lines can draw your eye into the landscape!

  1. Curved lines add interest to pathways.
  2. Straight lines create order.
  3. Horizontal lines gives a sense of stability.
  4. Vertical lines project a feeling of strength and height.

Visual textures invite you to touch

As a professional gardener, we use texture to contrast plants. Changes in texture can be obvious or subtle, depending on the textures of various plants as they relate to one another. We utilize many different types of texture, some examples are: broadleaf, vertical, smooth, frilly, small ground covers, course shrubs, dainty, etc.

We use endless combinations to create contrast, balance, textures, colors and focal points.

Scale, or proportion, is very important when designing a garden. The most eye pleasing gardens are in perfect proportion to the size of the home.
Contrast emphasizes the difference between a plant or an object and its surroundings. Using contrast is the best way to avoid predictability in a garden. Most garden design principles, contrast is good, but too much can be confusing and uncomfortable to the eye.

We create contrast by manipulating various elements such as form, texture, and color.

The colors of flowers can create exciting contrasts. For example, red and green, purple and orange, and yellow and blue represent the highest contrast in color.
Color seduces the eye, evokes mood, and compliments the seasons. Cool blues, purples, and greens soothe, and warm reds, oranges, and yellows enliven.
Single-color schemes enchant with their simplicity. We have fun when it comes to expressing your personality by combining colors that are interesting to you. Whether it be a mass planting of all one color and variety of a plant, or a free for all exciting feel of height, color, texture and mixing of plants.

Accents and focal points serve to make a landscape more interesting.

Often, a single, interest element added to a garden can create a beautiful work of art to enjoy. Focal points, by virtue of their interesting character, deserve attention and should stand out from the rest of the garden. We utilize accents, such as an arbor, a sculpture, or a specimen plant, help create balance in a garden.

Contact Us Today to see how we can transform you garden softscape!