Design principles for a planting plan

A good focal point should not compete with other features in the garden. To learn a little more about focal points, look at other gardens in your neighbourhood and decide what captures your attention at first glance in each garden. If you want to be successful at landscaping your garden it is important to be able to learn from the successes and failures of others.

Line is important, particularly in the design of garden beds, paths and driveways. A garden should be designed either formally with straight lines, square or geometric forms and symmetrical balance on each side of paths and doorways, or informally and naturally.

An informal design has curved winding paths, soft rounded plants and asymmetrical balance. Converging lines add distance to the area while diverging lines shorten the distance. Try to mask parts of the garden so it is not all revealed at once and use winding paths to invite the visitor to follow them and look around the corner for a surprise.

Simplicity in the design of planting’s and garden beds is usually successful. It is pleasant to look at and not complicated, confusing or tiring to the eyes.

You can create a simple design by using a few different features and repeating them. They can be similar shapes of different colours, or different plants of the same texture repeated to give continuity and familiarity.

A successful garden design does not just happen; it has to be planned carefully. To discover the plants that suit your likes, needs, climate and site, visit as many local parks and gardens as possible to study the full size, shape and colour of the plants you would like in your garden. Take a notebook and pen and list the various combinations of plant textures and colours that you prefer. If you don’t know the name of a plant and it has no label, staff at a local nursery can often help.