What carpet and paint add to the décor inside of your home, shrubs, bushes, and hedges add to the décor outside of your home.  In fact, they are versatile element used in garden and landscape design for eons.   This is due to their immeasurable versatility.  Whether you are looking to create a natural, rustic landscape or an art deco garden, with the right garden design and preparation, shrubs will add to your property’s appeal all year long.

Shrubs work well with trees and perennials to create borders, anchor structures, stabilize the soil, and soften hard lines pertaining to the architecture of your home.  Decades ago, evergreens were commonly used to break the horizontal lines of homes.  However, with today’s modern architecture, the typical evergreen tends to be a bit outdated and overpower the landscape design as a whole.

Furthermore, have you noticed that when new-build homes are completed, they are often left alone a lot with only sod or grass, devoid of mature trees, or a landscape with any shape or form?  By utilizing softscape items, such as shrubs, the property can quickly have an appealing curb appeal.

Here are a few more benefits shrubs bring to garden and landscape design:

• When placed along an exterior wall, they are an excellent softscape element to mask or hide raised foundations of homes.
• They break up vast expanse such as exterior walls, empty space beneath windows, as well as areas along driveways, fences, and roads.
• Rounded and bushy shrubs create a softer dimension for your landscape design; the solution to stiff, vertical lines, thus preventing your home from appearing lackluster and uninteresting.

In short, the versatility and function of shrubs simply bring together both hard and softscape elements in your landscape.  Their usefulness certainly cannot be underestimated.  With the right garden and landscape design prepared for your property, you can be certain that shrubs can be utilized in some very innovative, yet practical, ways to make your landscape simply magnificent!

If you are fortunate to possess a spacious plot of land, a garden and landscape design by a professional landscape designer will enable you to have a multi-functional, spectacular area that can be enjoyed by the entire family and friends, alike. It is true that designing and landscaping a large parcel of property involves more work and effort than a smaller plot. However, as the property owner, you have more flexibility with landscape design creativity and options when dealing with acres instead of feet.

Plan ahead. It is important to determine exactly how you and your family will be utilizing the area. You want the landscape design to meet your anticipated needs, while at the same time selecting hard and softscape items that promote low maintenance. For example, instead of having acres of lawn to mow and weed, install a rock garden instead. Rock gardens can be filled with easy to maintain plants, and the rocks add a magnificent accent to your landscape.

Consider. Ground covers such as moss, clover, and ferns can cover large areas without requiring a lot of maintenance. Likewise, perennials, once planted, will return year after year. In addition, they tend to spread over time, thus adding color, texture, and dimension to your vast landscape design. Breaking up the monotony of an expanse of green lawn can be achieved by planting several masses of large, fast growing shrubs that contain vibrant blooms, such as rhododendrons. Also, plantings of flowering trees like dogwood, crabapple, and redbud can create views from patios, as well as rooms within the residence.

Review. Separate your property into sections. Review each section and make sure it contains the elements you want it to include, plus meets the time requirement you are willing to give to maintenance and upkeep. Review and educate yourself on the climate in the area, the amount of sun, and the soil requirements for the specific softscape elements you desire. Likewise, review the hardscape elements, as well. For a serene sitting area, a few benches, a koi pond, or fountains are excellent choices; a play area for children would require playground fixtures and sod.

Quite frankly, the demand for landscape designs for large spaces, fields, and countryside are increasing. The ease of upkeep is at the top of list of must-haves. However, a well-prepared landscaping design, such as that prepared by TM Garden & Landscape Design, will keep you from ending up with a high-maintenance property that requires more time than you have and more cumbersome than you anticipated. Time you would rather be using by enjoying some wonderful R&R in your appealing and customized landscaped haven!

Annuals (plants with a life cycle lasting no more than a year) provide bursts of color to your landscape throughout the Spring, Summer and yes, even Fall. Their use in landscape design is many, such as edging and bordering driveways, walkways and patios. Better, yet, when annuals are combined with perennials, your landscape will maintain a fresh and alive pizzaz.

Similarly, when annuals are planted en masse, the visual impact is impressive. By doing so, it can emit an illusionary perception that an area is smaller or larger than it may actually be; or create bold strokes of color, texture, shape and form. A quality landscape designer, such as TM Garden and Landscape Design, has the knowledge and expertise to use annuals in the same way a magician uses his or her skills to create optical illusions to delightfully enthuse an audience.

The conjoint delight also emanates from flowerbeds and flower boxes housing vivid and vibrant annuals. When strategically placed in or around patios and entranceways, annuals transform dull or bland areas into interesting and captivating spaces. Furthermore, while flowerbeds are waiting to come alive with the blooming of perennials, annuals are an excellent “understudy.” Annuals are a great colorful stand-in until the perennials arrive.

When factoring in the costs of incorporating annuals in your landscape design, consider, if you will, that planting annuals are no more expensive than the amount of money spent for a good dinner at a nice restaurant; both are lovely experiences. However, the meal lasts one evening while the beauty of annuals is enjoyed for several months.

Finally, it is important to have a good plan when using annuals. It is crucial when using annuals that enough space is given to perennials and other soft and hardscape materials. A good landscape design contains a mixture of elements to give it a multi-dimensional appeal. It contains more than just perennials. Annuals add fun and delight to any landscape and garden.

If you find you own property that is a saturated wet area, do not worry. Even bogs and wet areas can be transformed into beautiful areas with a good landscape design. One way to address the situation is by draining the area and plant trees, shrubs and flowers that thrive in well-drained area. You can also go the alternative route and work with the wet area instead of against it. Transform the area with plants that thrive in damp areas. If there are densely saturated areas, why not create a beautiful water garden using plant material that grows naturally in that type of environment?

Below is a generalized list of softscape materials for use in wet areas.

Trees:
Alder
River Birch
Sycamore
Willow

Plants:
Aster
Buttercup
Cat-tail
Iris
Touch-Me-Not
Violets
Water lily
Wood Fern

The above list contains only a few of the many known trees, shrubs and perennials that thrive in wet areas. What you do with the area depends on how you view it. Do you view it as a royal pain or a wonderful opportunity for a wetland wonderland? If you don’t want to go to the expense of draining your property, consider designing your saturated landscape with softscape materials that don’t mind getting their roots and stems wet from time to time.

Another thing to consider when maintaining a landscaped wet area is the added benefit of allure that the transformed haven will bring to your property. The well designed area will be inviting to wildlife creatures, such as toads, frogs, and butterflies , which would not normally be seen in traditional well-drained gardens, as well as emanate a magnificent attraction for all to visit and admire its natural beauty.

One of basic concepts to focus on in landscape design is creating a rhythm and flow, a well planned orchestration, of vertical and horizontal plant layers containing varying heights and varying masses along the ground. Visually, the melody is apparent in the plant patterns that echo within each layer. As music is pleasant to the ears, a well planned landscape design is pleasant to the eyes. Let’s take a look at how designing with height can create a beautiful landscape masterpiece.

The first step to consider in designing with height is focus on the space. To illustrate, when planning for the placement of plants in beds, it is crucial to space them so they are touching when they reach full-size in growth. This creates a flowing connection between the masses of plants, eliminating gaps and spaces in between. Similar to brush strokes, when you repeat colors, textures and forms of plants in every bed, you inevitably create an impressive patterned landscape.

The next step to consider is creating vertical layers for a feel of movement of depth. Start at the lowest level and go from there. For example, start with turf or ground cover (growth up to 6”), then add the foreground plant layers (plant growth of 6” to 24”). Foreground plant layers’ purpose is twofold, to edge plant beds and transition to the midground layer (plant growth 24” to 60”). Their purpose serves several functions: (1) define space, (2) link lower plant layers to higher softscape or hardscape elements such as tall plants, shrubs, trees, or buildings, and (3) create color and texture. The tallest layer in your design will be the background plants, such as shrubs and trees.

It seems pretty basic, but designing with the element of height also requires varying the plant heights from front to back as well as from side to side, while at the same time avoiding and/or eliminating gaps and spaces. One of the biggest mistakes is skipping layers, such as abruptly jumping from the ground level to the midground layer, etc., unless, of course, the objective is to have stark differences in the layers. Otherwise, the focus should be on creating flattering horizontal layers of color that compliment the vertical (height) element of the varying plant layers.

Collectively, with what has been previously discussed above, the gist of designing with height is utilizing patterns to create an appealing rhythm, through repetition of colors, forms, and textures.

Designing a small area or garden does present some challenges.  The hurdles consist of curbing the quantity of plants to use in the design; maintaining a congruent color scheme; increasing the functionality of the selected hardscaping materials; and, lastly, creating a distinctive, yet unique, personality of the small area.  Limited space does not permit more than a couple of apportioned sections or “garden rooms.”  Yes, it can be challenging to designing.  However, more isn’t necessarily always better, either.

Sometimes the most beautiful gardens are uncomplicated and uncluttered.  In fact, a small garden can be just the thing to accentuate a magnificent home.  With a tad of creativity and a bit of focus on appealing accessories, even a small plat can be transformed into a heavenly place. In addition, less time is needed to maintain and tend to the upkeep.  The costs are substantially less to landscape than that of a larger lot, too. So, as you can see, designing a small garden or landscaped parcel does bring with it benefits.

Moreover, by implementing a focal point in your garden or landscape, you will find it easier to confine yourself to a select quantity and quality of plants, shrubs and/or trees.  What you choose to embed around the focal point will serve as the elemental foundation to the overall design theme.  Excellent ideas to use as focal points in a small garden or plat are:

• Dwarf tree, such as Japanese Maple.
• A fountain or birdbath.
• A cluster of plants, such as False Goat’s Beard, Bleeding Hearts or Ferns.
• A statue or ornament.
• Dwarf shrub.
• Large boulders.

To sum it up, proportion and design are definitely the crucial components that produce a paradise-like landscaped lot or garden of minimal space.  Yes, the design process can contain limiting aspects, but as you can see from above, there are more benefits than hindrances. A well planned garden or landscape design assures that even the smallest of area can be transformed into a blissful haven for you, your family and friends, alike.

What makes your landscape really stand out from the rest in the neighborhood?  This is a very important question to ask yourself when assessing the appeal factor of your property. Without a doubt, the old adage “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” rings loud and true.  First impressions count! So, today is the day to make the most of it and start the process of transforming your property to radiate magnificent curb appeal.

The first step to consider is the hardscape material to be used in the conceptual design.  It is imperative that the materials augment the concept and theme you intend to create on your property.  The basis of any well planned design is the functionality that hardscaping brings to your property. Hardscape materials embody things such as pavers that people will walk on, a gate that opens up to a beautiful entrance-way, a beautiful deck that encourages social gatherings, and a fountain that resonates ethereal sounds of flowing water.

Next, it is crucial that the design provide contrasting textures among the softscape materials. The hardscape and softscape materials must work in unison to ensure a pleasing design. This is because plants, trees, and shrubs are appealing to the human senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing.  Foliage can soften hard objects, while at the same time provide sensational aromas, delicious fruits or vegetables to eat, and decorate the property with vivid colors and textures.

Last, but certainly not least, the perfect entrance way needs to contain the elements from both the softscape and the hardscape. Simply, your driveway or entranceway should not look worn and neglected.  The key to impressing passers-by and visitors is with a touch of creativity.  A well-designed entranceway, with great functionality, adds depth to not only your property but extends the appeal to your home, as well.

Professional landscape designers, such as TM Garden & Landscape Design, are a great resource to team up with.  They present wonderful ideas, concepts, as well as possess experience in softscape/hardscape design.  When you work with a designer, the results should be functional, innovative, and artistic. TM Garden & Landscape Design is available to help you by providing a well-planned design—a design that leaves visitors to your property with an amazing first impression.