Landscape Principles

Basic principles Artistic principles

•Color •order and unity,

•Form •Simplicity
•Line of sight •Variety
•Scale or balance •scale and proportion,
•Texture •balance and harmony, and
•rhythm and repetition/ sequence

Functionality principles
Design principles
•Visually pleasing
•Cost effective •point
•Easy maintenance •line
•Functional •form/ shape
•Environmentally sound •space
The 5 basic principles of landscape
design are:

•Color
•Form
•Line of sight
•Scale or balance
•Texture
Color
Color theory is often used in
landscape design by dividing the color
spectrum into 4 categories:

•Primary: reds, yellows and blues.

•Secondary: greens, violets (purples)

and oranges.

•Tertiary: Mixtures of the primary and

secondary categories.

•Neutral: White, grays and silvers.

The spectrum is shown as a wheel, divided into slices that
stand for the colors.
Using color theory landscapers use this wheel:

•to choose adjacent colors

in the spectrum to provide
unity

•or juxtapose items directly

across from each other on
the wheel for contrast.
A simple way to achieve
unity is to:

•match warm colors to warm

colors (red, yellow and
orange)

•Cool Colors to cool colors

(blue, purple and green).
Proper use of color theory can influence the mood felt in a
yard.

•warm colors tend to

excite the viewer
colors like red are
natural for focal points

•cool colors are more

likely to relax the viewer.
colors like blue are
a logical choice for
meditation gardens.
Beginning gardeners plant
their favorite colors with
little or no planning

advanced gardeners use

the color theory to make
their plantings create mood
and style!
 form
In landscape design terminology, form is the shape of a
plant.

•Upright
•oval
•columnar
•spreading
•broad spreading
•weeping
Tall plants create a vertical look, drawing the eye upward

Low spreading plants draw

the eye to the horizon.

Use individual specimen plants

to break monotony and create
interest.

A mixture of a variety of form becomes confusing

 Line of sight

The line of sight is the viewer's

eye movement or flow being
influenced by the arrangement
of plants and their borders.

Eye movement is unconsciously

affected by the way plant
groupings fit or flow together,
both on the horizontal and
vertical planes.
Hedges or rows of plants
direct the attention to a focal
point or specific area

Meandering lines or curves

slow movement and create a
natural, undisturbed feeling.
Scale and Balance

the visual relationship of

the landscape
components, relative to
size.

Equal sizes on both sides

of the landscape gives
balance
Symmetrical – the repeating of
the elements on either side of
an axis (an imaginary central
line)

Asymmetrical – equal size or

weight on both sides of the axis,
without repeating specific
elements
T texture is the touch or visual surface quality of an
object, or plant
e
The texture of a plant's foliage or bloom can be
x viewed as coarse, medium or fine.
t
u
r
e
FINE MEDIUM COARSE
Mix plants with larger leaves (coarse texture)
and smaller leaves (fine texture) to avoid
monotony in a planting bed and to add visual
interest.

The greater the distance the plant is, the

smoother the texture appears to be
Texture changes with

distance.

Close up texture comes

from the size and shape of

leaves, twigs and branches.

At a distance, texture comes

from the mass and play of

light.
TEXTURE
Mix plants with larger
leaves (coarse texture)
and smaller leaves (fine
texture) to avoid
monotony in a planting
bed and to add visual
interest.

The greater the distance

the plant is, the smoother
the texture appears to be
 Elements in design are form, line, texture, and color. In
landscape design, additional elements of sound (chimes, or
the sound of water in rivers, the ocean, or waterfalls) and
fragrance can also be included.

Design elements are arranged according to design principles.

These include :
order and unity,
Simplicity
Variety
scale and proportion,
balance and harmony, and
rhythm and repetition/ sequence

Design themes such as Japanese, tropical, or contemporary

can also unite the design components in a distinct fashion.
 Order and unity
Agricultural fields convey a strong
sense of order, with their equal
spacing between crop plants and
rows. residents and visitors value
the open, orderly vistas preserved
by agriculture.

Sugarcane and pineapple fields

providing aesthetically pleasing
views of order and unity that benefit
the tourism industry.

Humans naturally look for order

and tend to find it unpleasant when
elements look like they are placed
by chance or at random.
The uniformity of a large field of anthuriums in flower is aesthetically appealing .

In nature, a plant species can become dominant under certain environmental

conditions that favor that species.
Simplicity: Limiting Change

Achieved by repetition of ideas or materials.

One of most common errors in landscapes is trying to do “too
much”

Less can be more. Too much variety in plant material

becomes chaotic

Reduce the number of themes

Viewer should experience the landscape in parts as

well as a whole

Too much simplicity = Monotony

Variety = Absence of Monotony

Variety allows for a prominent element.

Engages viewer with what's going on.

Important to have something unexpected.

Variety adds spice and interest…..

but, too much variety = Confusion

Delicate relationship between Variety and

Simplicity
Rhythm and repetition

The principle of rhythm and repetition tends to achieve visual unity. Golf
courses have a natural thetic appeal because of the repetition of grassed areas.

Water features the ocean, lakes, and rivers achieve an effect because of the
repetition of water. Many people take pictures of sun sets over the ocean
because of the outstanding color of the setting sun and the stark simplicity of
the sky and ocean.
Repetition of the same plant species automatically repeats the
same texture, color, and form.

With more repetition of different elements the design becomes

more powerful.

In landscape design the principle of rhythm and repetition is the

most important. Absolute order and unity can be somewhat
monotonous and boring. So, one of the last steps in creating a
design can be to add some disunity. As a general rule, change
some elements of the plant material, but not more than
10 twenty percent.
Scale and proportion

Scale and proportion can refer to individual plants or the

relationship of the plants to the architectural structure. If a ti plant
has a diameter of 6 inches from one end of the foliage to the other
end, the plant may be in good proportion below 1 foot (Fig. 15) or
be out of proportion above 2 feet. Single-trunk tree ferns and
palms (Fig. 16) may be in scale when young but out of proportion
when old. Large trees such as monkeypods are generally 1815
too large for small lots but are fine for large parks (Fig. 17).
Balance and harmony
The use of line can be a strong element in design. Vertical lines, for
example, can impart an emotional lift to a design. In Hawaii, coconut trees
(Fig. 18), Cook pines (Fig.19), bamboo (Fig. 20), and ironwood trees (Fig.
21) have been used as vertical elements in landscapes. In the U.S.
Northwest, conifers (Fig. 22) can be used in the same way. The use of
horizontal lines in hedges (Fig. 23) and the stairs of buildings (Fig. 24) can
impart a solid, grounded feeling.
One use of the principle of balance and harmony would be the
juxtaposition of a single large tree on one side of a residential lot with
many smaller trees on the other side of the lot. Even the use of
complimentary colors can provide a balance between the colors (Itten
1970). For example, one part of yellow balances three parts of violet, one
part of orange balances two parts of blue, and one part of red balances
one part of green (for more on this subject, see “Color Basics for
Landscapes,” http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/L-18.pdf).
These elements must be
considered in designing both the
hardscape and softscape of the
design.

•Hardscape – walkways,
driveways, patios, walls

•Softscape - gardens, lawns,

shrubs and trees.
All good pictures need a focal
point

A well planned landscape is art –

like a picture, and requires a focal
point.

Remember, a landscape is not a

static picture – people will move
throughout it changing the line of
sight, focal points and balance as
they move
Focal points may change as
seasons change.

Spring may focus on a bed of

bulbs

Summer might show off a

planting of annual flowers, or
a garden

Fall and winter need

evergreen trees and shrubs
to maintain pleasing design
 DESIGN PRINCIPLES
POINT

LINE

FORM/ SHAPE/ volume

SPACE

COLOR

TEXTURE
 POINT
A LANDMARK/ FOCAL POINT DESIGNED IN ANY
LANDSCAPED AREA.
ITS CAN CENTRAL POINT OF WHOLE THEME.
 LINE
•Line is edge between two materials, outline

or silhouette of form, linier or curvilinear

feature

•Controls movement of eyes and circulation

flow
Hedges or rows of plants direct

the attention to a focal point or

specific area

Meandering lines or curves slow

movement and create a natural,

undisturbed feeling.
Straight Lines
Straight lines are structural and forceful; they create a formal character, are usually
associated with a symmetrical design, and lead the eye directly to a focal point.

Curved Lines
Curved lines create an informal, natural, relaxed character that is associated more with
nature and asymmetrical balance. Curved lines move the eye at a slower pace and add
mystery to the space by creating hidden views.

Vertical Lines
Vertical lines move the eye up, making a space feel larger. An upward line can
emphasize a feature and has a feeling of activity or movement.

Hortizontal Lines
Horizontal lines move the eye along the ground plane and can make a space feel larger.
Low lines are more subdued and create a feeling of rest or repose. Horizontal lines can
spatially divide a space or tie a space together. Low lines are created by low garden
walls, walkways, and short hedges.

Lines are used to draw forms on a plan.

 FORM
Shape is created by an outline that encloses a space, and form is the
three-dimensional mass of that shape.

Form is found in both hardscape and plants, and it is typically the

dominant visual element that spatially organizes the landscape and often
determines the style of the garden.

The form of structures, plant beds, and garden ornaments also determines
the overall form theme of the garden. Formal, geometric forms include
circles, squares, and polygons. Informal, naturalistic forms include
meandering lines, organic edges, and fragmented edges.

Plants create form in the garden through their outlines or silhouettes, but
form can also be defined by a void or negative space between plants.
Circular Form
Circles can be full circles, or they can be divided into half circles or circle
segments and combined with lines to create arcs and tangents.

Square Form
Squares are used for a variety of features, including stepping stones, bricks,
tiles, and timber structures, because they are an easy form to work with for
construction.

Irregular Polygons
Polygons are many-sided forms with straight edges. Triangles, for example, are
three-sided polygons.

Meandering Lines
Meandering lines often mimic the natural course of rivers or streams and can
be described as smooth lines with deeply curved undulations.
Plant Forms
Form is the most enduring quality of a plant. Common plant forms are well
established and standardized, as form is the most consistent and recognizable
characteristic of plants. Form can also be created through the massing of
plants, where the overall mass creates a different form than an individual plant.
Tree Forms
Common tree forms (Figure 6) include round, columnar, oval, pyramidal, vase
shaped, and weeping. Different tree forms are used for visual appeal, but the
form is also important for function.
Shrub Forms
Shrub forms (Figure 7) include upright, vase shaped, arching, mounding,
rounded, spiky, cascading, and irregular.
Groundcover Forms
Groundcover forms (Figure 7) include matting, spreading, clumping, sprawling,
and short spikes. Almost all groundcovers look better in masses because they
are typically small, ground-hugging plants that have very little impact as
individual plants.
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