Pike Nurseries' Melodie McDanal stopped by Good Day Atlanta on Friday and offered some basic principles of landscaping.
Landscape Design Basics
Designing a landscape is similar to decorating your home
Think about things like color, texture and functionality
Choose a foundation "piece you love" and build from it
In the home, people may do this with a sofa they love or maybe a family heirloom like a wardrobe
Your landscape may already have the "piece you love," like a mature tree or even a row of hydrangeas
If you don't have anything you love in your current landscape, start by choosing something you love at the garden nursery
Once you have that foundation piece, start to build your landscape around it
Design In Layers
Layer 1 – Tall
The tallest element, most likely a tree, should be in the back of the landscape or used as a focal element
Your tall plants or trees can serve a purpose – ask yourself these questions:
Do they need to be tall enough to create a green screen?
Do they need to act as a wide block?
Do they need to provide shade?
Layer 2 – Medium Height
This is where the bulk of shrubs fall into place
Make sure you are varying evergreen shrubs that will have foliage all year with deciduous shrubs that drop their leaves in winter
Layer 3 – Medium to Low Height
This is typically low-growing shrubs or perennials like heuchera and hostas
Layer 4 – Low Height
This is the layer where annual color typically gets planted and usually where you can add a seasonal punch of color
Fall/Winter
Asters, Pansies, Violas, Ornamental Cabbage & Kale
Spring/Summer
Petunias, Marigolds, coleus
Design in Repetition
Just like in your home, you want to create some repetition in your design
Repeat Colors
Create a good design by repeating colors
For example, pair a pink blooming azalea with a hellebores variety that is cream and has pink speckles in the flower's throat
It doesn't have to be completely matchy-matchy but you want to repeat some colors for cohesiveness
Repeat Patterns & Textures
Most people don't think about a plant's pattern but each plant has a unique leaf shape and structure
For example, camellias and magnolias both have large, waxy leaves so if you add in another plant with a smaller variegated leaf, the entire arrangement will pop
Landscape Design Services
If you're not ready to channel your landscape design talents just yet, Pike Nurseries can help:
If you're working on a small area or adding to an existing landscape, bring in a photo and our associates can help you choose the right plants
If you are looking to redo a larger area or even your whole landscape, Pike Nurseries offers landscape installation and design services
