3.1 Garden Planning Principles

Question 1

Sylabus
Describe the relevance of garden planning principles to the production of a garden design that works. That follows accepted rules or conventions and is pleasing to the eye.

Answer 1

include examples of how a successful garden design, on which is pleasing to the eye, demonstrates accepted principles of garden planning.
Unity/Cohesion, balance, form, scale/proportion, movement/direction, rhythm, repetition, simplicity.

Question 2

Ideas to keep in mind alongside accepted principles

Answer 2

Sense of place
what one is hoping to achieve
how to conserve existing living features where possible
Realistic about budget and maintenance

Question 3

Harmony:

The quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole.

Harmony in the garden will successfully use differing components in combination to a pleasing effect.
Harmony relies on using elements that are similar, alongside those that are different/contrasting.

Harmony should be between:

Answer 3

The buildings and garden
Within the garden itself
The garden and the space outside it

Question 4

Harmony can be achieved by using:

Answer 4

• Hard landscaping materials that match the house (and local area)
• The same hedging material all around the house
• Repeating geometric shapes
• Repeating plant types
• Repeating colour and textures (rhythm)
• Features that screen and lead to other areas of the garden, hedges, pergolas, walls, arches (movement)

Question 5

Contrast with harmony

Is most successful when a contrasting characteristic such as form combines in harmony with another harmonious characteristic such as colour.
eg. Contrasting two types of plant form but harmonised with the colour.

Answer 5

Using contrast creates a visual impact, but balance between harmony and contrast must still be maintained. Too much contrast can be visually jarring, while too much harmony can be uninspiring.

Contrast can be used with colours, textures whether hard materials or plant texture.

eg. Using a clipped Taxus bacatta hedge behind a blousy herbaceous border. Contrasting straight lines with soft shapes.

Question 6

Simplicity:

Answer 6

Too great a variety of features, plants or material can make a space feel unrestful and cluttered. It can effect the movement of the eye through the garden.

It can also mask positive characteristics that one would wish to stand out.

Limiting features can improve simplicity but also separating the features into different areas of the garden can help.

Question 7

Balance

The concept of visual equilibrium.

Unbalanced designs feel lopsided.

Answer 7

A well designed garden has a balance of masses (plants and structures) which are broken up by voids (open spaces such as lawns, patios and paths).

Balance can be achieved by considering the weight/density of a particular feature and using a similar feel on the opposing side of the design. This does not have to be symetrical.

Question 8

Form

The shape of a feature

Answer 8

This can be used in regular forms and shapes, such as the layout of a bed or border. Circles, squares.

Natural forms of plants, such a leaves, Palmate.
Or columnar, fastigiate, conical, rounded, weeping, spiky.

Objects, columns, pergolas, walls, containers

Question 9

Scale / Proportion

Scale is the absolute size of an object

Proportion is the size of an object relative to other elements within a composition

Answer 9

Scale can be varying but if an object or feature is out of proportion with the rest of the garden it can feel unbalanced and disproportionate.

Question 10

Movement:
Movement of the garden elements
Movement of the viewer

Movement can encourage the viewer to explore the space, it can make the space feel alive, with the movement of plants and water.
Moving through a space allows one to explore gain a feel for the space. It becomes exciting, an adventure.

Answer 10

Viewer:

• Physical, the design drawing us through the space, by using different hidden areas or a focal point to move towards.
• Visual movement, leading the eye through the space, rather than settling on one element

Garden Elements:

• The motion of plants, such a grasses catching the breeze.
• Water, either running horizontally or vertically.

Question 11

Repetition:

The repetition of a garden element.

Answer 11

Repetition can be used in repeating colours, or shapes, textures.
Plants, or vases, structures rose arch.

Question 12

Rhythm:

The regular repetition of an element

Answer 12

Enables the space to feel coherent, and increases harmony.

Can drive a sense of movement throughout a garden.

Question 13

Unity / Cohesion:

Creating a one-ness by making a garden harmonious within its surroundings.

Answer 13

Elements throughout the garden relate to each other, whether that be plant choice, or hard landscaping materials relating to the house, to create a consistency.