Frontlighting a dark area highlights a particular feature.īacklighting silhouettes a sculpture, tree, or shrub.

Various fixtures and their positioning create different effects.

It is easy to add a low-voltage lighting system to extend your garden enjoyment into the evening hours. Keep in mind that light can be either natural or artificial. Bright light has the same impact as warm color-it advances visually, making an object or area feel closer than it really is. Although you can’t control natural light on your property, you can play up its effects.

Light and shade change the way colors look and how they work together. What could be more lovely than early morning or evening in your home’s garden, when plants virtually glow from warm backlighting? Who can deny that light gives plants life? It’s up to you to know where the lines will lead you or your eye and what you will see when you get there. Curving lines take the eye on an intriguing journey. Vertical lines lead the eye up and out of the garden. Horizontal lines on the ground slow you down. Lines going away from you on the ground draw you forward. No matter which types of line you use, be aware that lines lead the eye. Vertical lines project a sense of strength and movement. Think of the ocean and how its wide expanse meets the sky, creating an irrefutable sense of peacefulness and majesty. Soothing horizontal lines create a sense of stability. Straight lines evoke a sense of order and a crispness that is more formal. Strong lines can draw your eye into the landscape, directing both where people look and where they go.Ĭurved lines shape informal garden beds and add interest to pathways. None is more important than the others-each has different effects. There are four main ways to describe lines: curved, straight, horizontal, and vertical. As you plan and design your garden, always consider the line that is created by whatever you are adding. A sidewalk, driveway, or fence is a clear and readily accessible line in the landscape. Think about the trunk of a tree, the distant horizon, the line created when a lawn ends and the adjacent woods begin. Everything in your lawn and garden illustrates a line. Lineįor homeowners, line is one of the most important and useful of all outdoor design elements. Rely on these artistic principles to take the mystery out of garden design, even if you are working with a professional. But with a few key essentials, you can successfully create and maintain a beautiful yard and garden that best showcases what your property has to offer. Weather, weeds, and critters all can alter your home’s landscape. You’re working with elements that sometimes may seem beyond your control. Landscaping and designing your outdoor living areas can be a challenge.

Better homes and gardens garden planner