1. Diana Alfuth, Horticulture Educator UW-Extension, Pierce County
Landscape Design
Designing Landscapes as Part of a Sustainable Landscape
Diana Alfuth, Horticulture Educator
UW-Extension, Pierce County

2. Why Landscape?

3. Sustainable Landscape Design
Functional
Maintainable
Environmentally Friendly
Cost Effective
Visually Pleasing

4. Sustainable Landscape Design
Consider the function of each portion of the landscape
Note problems/attributes in the existing landscape
Evaluate the site characteristics, including soil type, pH, light, wind, etc.
Decide on your goal and landscape style

5. Garden Design
Garden Design
Formal = straight lines, plants in rows, symmetrical, globes and columns
Informal = curvilinear patterns, plants in intertwined masses, asymmetrical, natural plant forms

6. Sustainable Landscape Design
Locate gardens as part of your overall landscape design
Create a good turf area, with functional spaces and gardens behind the concept lines that form the turf shape

7. Garden Design
Consider each individual viewpoint when designing the gardens and planting beds

8. Sustainable Landscape Design
The most beautiful
landscapes are
“designed”, not
decorated. They
create unity by
incorporating
Principles of
Design, including:

9. REPETITION (more info in later slides)

10. VARIETY

11. BALANCE

12. SCALE

13. SEQUENCE

14. SIMPLICITY

15. Garden Design
Design beds to keep maintenance to a minimum

16. Sustainable Landscape Design
What makes it look good?
Human eyes need a place to start:
FOCAL POINT
A focal point is the first thing we see when we look at a landscape.

17. Sustainable Landscape Design
Examples of things that create focal points are:
Artwork
A plant that is different than those around it
Structures
Birdbaths, birdhouses, birdfeeders
Boulders
Bare spots
Diseased/dying plants
Debris
FOCAL POINTS CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS!

18. Sustainable Landscape Design
Focal Point

19. Sustainable Landscape Design
Focal point

20. Sustainable Landscape Design
Locating Focal Points
Any given view of the landscape should have one major focal point, and maybe one or two secondary focal points. Too many focal points creates a “busy” landscape.
Locate focal points 1/3 of the way from one side .

21. Sustainable Landscape Design
Focal Point??

22. Sustainable Landscape Design
After our eyes find a focal point, they need to go somewhere, and look for lines to follow.
Lines can be formed by edging, paths, structures, plant masses, plant form, shadows, etc.

23. Sustainable Landscape Design
Focal
point

24. Sustainable Landscape Design
Lines

25. Sustainable Landscape Design
Lines

28. Sustainable Landscape Design
Too many lines, or no lines, create a confusing, busy landscape.
Lines should take the eye where you want it to go—and keep it in the landscape.
Avoid lines that take the eye into the sky, or into the neighbor’s yard!

29. Sustainable Landscape Design
Before you start thinking about specific plant species, to get a good design, you must first plan for each plant’s characteristics, or “Principles of Design”

30. Principles of Design Repetition Variety Balance Emphasis Scale
Sequence
“R.V. BESS”

31. Repetition
Similar use of colors, plants or shapes within an area or entire landscape.
Repetition can be overdone
Avoid becoming monotonous and predictable

32. Repetition: Similar use of colors, plants or shapes

33. Repetition: Similar use of colors, plants or shapes

34. Repetition: Similar use of colors, plants or shapes

35. VARIETY

36. Variety = Lack of monotony

37. Variety = Lack of monotony

38. Variety = Lack of monotony

39. Balance “Visual Weighting”
This doesn’t mean that design elements have to be mirror-imaged
Balance should consider the “fulcrum effect”

40. Balance – a focal point draws the eye and serves as a fulcrum to the rest of the landscape

42. Balance – a focal point draws the eye and serves as a fulcrum to the rest of the landscape

43. Emphasis: Major landscape components are highlighted more than less important ones. Framing, plant numbers, or creating an unusual focal point are examples of creating emphasis in the landscape.
Emphasis

45. Scale

46. Scale – plantings are relative to the size of their surroundings

47. Scale – plantings are relative to the size of their surroundings

48. Scale – plantings are relative to the size of their surroundings

49. Scale – plantings are relative to the size of their surroundings

50. Scale – plantings are relative to the size of their surroundings

51. Scale – plantings are relative to the size of their surroundings

52. Scale – plantings are relative to the size of their surroundings

53. Sequence

54. Sequence – proper arrangement on the basis of size

55. Sequence – proper arrangement on the basis of size

56. SEQUENCE
Sequence – proper arrangement on the basis of size

57. Can you see RV BESS?