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The 5 basic elements of
landscape design are:
•Color
•Form
•Line of sight
•Scale or balance
•Texture

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.
Color

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!

In landscape design terminology, form is the
shape of a plant.
•Upright
•oval
•columnar
•spreading
•broad spreading
•weeping
form

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

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.
Line of sight

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.

the visual
relationship of the
landscape
components, relative
to size.
Equal sizes on both
sides of the
landscape gives
balance
Scale and 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

texture is the touch or visual surface
quality of an object, or plant
The texture of a plant's foliage or bloom
can be viewed as coarse, medium or fine.
T
e
x
t
u
r
e

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

These five 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

Creating “Rooms”
throughout the
Landscape
•Provides a welcoming
atmosphere
•encourages movement
•Defines special use
areas
•Allows for family
privacy
Outdoor Rooms

•Public area –
“front yard”
•Family living area
– “back yard”
•Service Area –
utilitarian space
•Private Living
Area – frequently
a quiet spot
located off the
Master Bedroom

Public Area
Puts home in attractive
setting
Identifies the point of
entry
Provides access to the
entry

Family Living Area
Links homes to yard for
social occasions
Usually the largest area
where most activities
take place
Sun and wind orientation
for maximum usage

Service or Utility Area
Provides the “work” area for
home
Storage shed, dog house &
yard, compost pile, clothes
line, RV or boat storage
Placed close to kitchen,
laundry, gate (for trash
removal) for ease

Private Living Area
•Usually off master
bedroom for adult use
•Small area for reading
coffee, meditation, or
quiet reflection and
conversation
•May include hot tub, spa,
outdoor shower
•Usually screened from
rest of landscape

Thoughtful design created for individual
families results in:
•Greater use of entire home space
•A personalized statement of family
values
•Improvement and increased home value

The homeowners wanted
to eliminate the
overgrown look, and
create a more inviting
entrance
Removing the clumped
tree and bushes and
replacing them with an
attractive planting bed
opens up the porch and
deck.

The homeowners want more than
a fence-worth of separation
from the noise of a busy street
and a train station. They want a
low-maintenance landscape that
will provide a private getaway in
this narrow lot.

From inside this home, the
only view is of the
neighbor's backyard. The
homeowners want to
walk out of their house
into a secluded garden
retreat.

This bare backyard
badly needs enclosure.
The only view is of the
neighbor's house.
A lattice fence and
arborvitae provide an
attractive low-cost
solution.

Homeowners wanted
to replace the worn-
out lawn with a
wildlife-friendly
mixture of mostly
native plants that
would be attractive
to birds and
butterflies.

A hedge conceals the
unsightly air
conditioning unit, and a
planting bed dresses up
the side of the house
The front and side of
the house have
nothing to offer
except an air
conditioner and a
hose

Low water does not
mean you can’t have
lush growth and
privacy
Tempe, Az home at
initial landscape
installation, and
6 years later.

Original Landscape Conversion completed
2 Years
Later

Proper choice of
plant material results
in a landscape that
matures quickly
Using native
plants insures a
landscape that
looks appropriate,
and is easy to
maintain

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