Landscape Design- E. Killinger

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Landscape Design

By: Elizabeth Killinger

Extension Educator

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties

and the United States Department of Agriculture.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

and the United States Department of Agriculture.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

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Landscape Design 101

Landscape design principles

Plant Considerations

Designing

Landscaping mistakes


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Landscape Design Principles

Order/Design Framework

Balance

Repetition

Proportion/scale

Rhythm

Unity

Emphasis


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Order/ Design Framework

The big picture

Achieved by using a consistent design

theme (formal, informal, natural)

Grouping plants help enhance, usually in

odd numbers

Does it make sense?

Is there a quality of ‘one-ness?’


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Balance

Two common types-

Symmetrical- has a central axis, most

common, easy to design

Asymmetrical- uses different shapes and

sizes on either side of the axis, but still

gives visual balance


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Repetition

Repeating any element- color, form, texture,

particular plant, or a plant grouping

Most common mistake is trying to use too

many different plant species.

Repetition contributes to rhythm


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Proportion/Scale

Relative Scale- size relationship between

different landscape elements

Absolute Scale- the relation of a design

element to a human, affects how you feel in a

landscape

Intimate or “distant”

Small perennials get lost in large spaces

Large perennials overwhelm small spaces

Scale is always a relationship


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Rhythm

Organized movement

May be visual, the eye is pulled through the

landscape, or physical, moves the person

though the landscape through stepping

stones or pathways


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Unity

Physical linking of various landscape

elements

Achieved in many ways- using the blue

containers to bring out the blue color of the

front door, using a line for edges of beds and

sidewalks

Repetition and unity work together to create

a whole landscape


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Emphasis

Focal points

Spark interest and draw attention when

viewing a landscape as a whole

Each major area has a focal point

Focal points draw interest so be sure it is an

area you want attention drawn to.


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Plant Considerations

Environmental Requirements/ Growing

Environment

Aesthetic Quality

Form

Texture

Color


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The Growing Environment Climate—Macro and

micro

Temperature and slopes

Sun and slopes

Moisture and slopes

Wind and slopes

Soils and slopes

Pests and pathogens

Management practices

Kim Todd


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Aesthetic Quality

First the place

What do you have and what do you want?

Desired function and actual function

Growing environment

Management

Then the plants

By scale and form and texture

Kim Todd


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Consider the Growing

Environment


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Kim Todd

Whatever…


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Kim Todd

From This Place


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Kim Todd

Sun Worshippers


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Kim Todd

Under Cover (of Darkness)


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Kim Todd

Water Lovers


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Kim Todd

Rock On


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Kim Todd

Hold Me


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Kim Todd

I Want to Live Forever…


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Kim Todd


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Aesthetic Quality

What do you LIKE?

Blend in or stand out

Trendy or traditional

Structured or casual

balance

From THIS place or

THAT

Colorful or subdued

Kim Todd


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Form

What works for this

space?

Same forms

Different sizes

Different textures

Different colors

Contrasting forms

One is dominant

Kim Todd


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Texture

Lasts beyond color

Any form and size can be any texture

Usually changes seasonally

Can be high contrast or subtle

Is seen in relation to its surroundings


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Texture Too little contrast

blurs lines and diminishes individuality

Too much contrast reduces continuity and makes every plant a show-off


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Using Texture

Bold textures move

forward

Fine textures recede

Color becomes its

own overlay if it is a

pattern


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Jack Frost and Sedum


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Color Changes with time of

day, time of year,

weather conditions,

maturity of plant or

plant part

May be fleeting—

unless it’s green

Can be its own focal

point


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What Affects Color?

Light

Proximity

Texture

Background

Contrast


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Understanding Color

Traditional color

wheel contains 12

colors

3 Primary

3 Secondary

6 Tertiary

www. cyber-prof.com


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Warm Up or Cool Down

Warm

Yellow undertone

Energetic

Advance and stand

out

Cool

Blue undertone

Calm

Recede and blend in


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Choosing Colors

Hue

The color itself, with no

black or white

Value

Luminosity

Amount of dark (shade)

or light (tint)

Intensity

Brightness


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Simple Combinations

Complimentary

Across from each other

Strong contrast

Split complimentary

Either side of a

complimentary color

Contrast, but not as

much


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Split Complementary


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More Combinations

Triad

Equidistant on the color wheel

Middle-of-the-road

Analogous

Next to each other

Harmonious but may not contrast enough

Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same color


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Triads Equidistant on the color wheel


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Primary


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Hot Colors


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Cool Colors


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Analogous Next to each other Harmonious but may not contrast enough


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Monochromatic Shades and tints of the same color


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Blenders

Colors that allow

visual transition

Subtle, toned-down

A tint or shade of a

dominant color

A neutral color


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Classic Combos

Blue, silver, yellow

Pastels

Jewel tones

Whites

Green is a color…


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Sugar-Sweet Pastel


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Jewel Tones


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Season of Interest

Emphasize a season

in a single spot with

texture and color

Change focal

emphasis with time


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All-Season Interest

Combine woody and herbaceous plants

Use hardscapes and garden elements

Look from all vantage points

Screen unsightly objects for all seasons

Leave seedheads


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Show-offs/ Focal points

Sweeps, overlapping masses, and

backdrops let the odd ones show

Only the most dramatic plants placed

properly in relation to their friends

deserve center stage


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Designing

Starting Point

Designing Ideas

Landscape Use Areas

Concept Plan

Symbols

Full Blown Design


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Starting Point

What is already there?

Is there existing plant material

Where are the sight lines

Do a site analysis and base map


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What is already there?

Site Analysis and Base map should include:

Existing plant material

A direction and scale

An idea of all hardscapes and structures

Property lines, sight lines, utilities

Any noticeable slopes, drop offs, low areas

Views- both the keep and screen

Potential problems of the sight.

Measurements


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Base Map vs. Site Analysis

Base Map

Contains existing

materials

hardscapes and

plant materials

Site lines

Property lines

Structures

Site Analysis

Contains

information about

the site

Slope

Winds

Aspect

Utilities

Often done on the same

drawing


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Practice

Draw a base map/ site analysis for a portion

of the room

Share with your neighbor


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Are you Ready?

Do you think you are ready to start

designing?

Remember

Many contributing factors can be from

surrounding environments.


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Get Ideas

Questions to ask

What do you have in mind for this space?

What do you want to get out of this landscape?

What type of style do you like or dislike?

Function of the Landscape

Others?


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Designate Landscape Use Areas

Public

What the public sees from the street. Main

purpose it to frame the house and create an

inviting landscape

Private/ Family area

Take into account privacy, year-round interest,

climate control, (possibly) play area

Service/ Utility

Compost, garbage


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Landscape Use Areas


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Concept Plan

Bubble diagram for ideas that you have for the

space.

Very broad, doesn’t name plant materials only

designates the areas


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Symbols

Symbols help to convey your vision

Shading

Understory plantings

Directions

Groupings


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Which one would you choose? Most clients choose

with their eyes when it

comes to landscape

design


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North Arrow and Scale


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Symbols- Plan View

A bird’s eye-view of

the landscape

Center dots locate

plants in a design

Plants in a grouping

often have their

center dots

connected to show

a mass planting


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Symbols- Plan View

Tell you what is to

be done with a plant


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Symbols- Plan View

Size of the canopy

relates to the size of

the plant


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Symbols- Plan View


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Symbols- Plan View


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Symbols- Elevation View

Easier to relate to an

elevation view than

to a plan view

Always include a

person or other

object for scale in a

elevation view


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Adding Texture


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A legend gives good

insight to the plants

and their symbols


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Landscape Design

Start inserting plants based upon their form and

what they are going to do for the space, then meet

the requirements of the client; fruit bearing, red

color…


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Landscaping Mistakes

Poor Scale or Proportions

Looking in a bubble

Plant ping-pong

Too Much

Volcano Mulch

Bad angles/placement

Dead horse berm


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So many more so little time…

Poor installation

Poor management

Mowing the lawn too short

Poor plant choices/locations

Topiary/animal shrubs

House hugging foundation plantings

Topping Trees!


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Resources

Home Landscaping: Understanding the basics of

landscape design. EC1254

Landscape Sustainability. G1405

Landscapes for Shade. G1341


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Thank you.

Any questions?

Education

Landscape Design- E. Killinger