Oceanic Landscaping is the practice of modifying outdoor spaces to make them more attractive and functional. It involves choosing plants, altering terrain, and installing structures like patios and walkways.

Well-designed landscaping can increase the value of a property and provide environmental benefits, such as reducing energy costs by shading buildings and reducing air pollution. However, it requires ongoing maintenance to keep it looking its best.

Color is one of the most powerful tricks up a landscape designer’s sleeve. It can draw attention to a focal point, make a small garden feel bigger or a large space feel cozy, and even unify an otherwise diverse landscape design. It can also add a punch of personality that is uniquely yours.

When it comes to landscape color schemes, a skilled professional will think beyond just your personal preference and consider something called color relationships. This concept focuses on how different colors go together and how they should look in relation to each other to achieve balance and appeal.

For example, warm colors tend to pop in the landscape and can create excitement, while cool colors blend in and may offer a more relaxing feel. Likewise, hues that are close to each other on the color wheel are complementary, meaning they enhance each other’s intensity and provide visual harmony. Some common examples include yellow and green, red and orange, or blue and purple.

Your landscaper can also use tints and shades of a single color to create a monochromatic scheme that is visually appealing. Tints are lighter variations created by adding white to a color, while shades are darker versions created by adding black to the color. The result is a palette that still offers plenty of room for creativity, but feels unified and balanced.

If you’re looking for a way to add color without the work of growing flowers, consider foliage plants like ferns and hostas. They can make a big impact with their rich color and texture, and they require very little maintenance.

Form

Landscaping is a popular way to improve the appearance of property and can boost curb appeal. It also has many practical benefits, such as reducing soil erosion and improving air quality. In addition, well-placed plants can shade buildings and reduce energy costs by lowering the need for air conditioning.

Form is the overall shape of landscape elements, including plants and hardscape features. Plants come in various forms, from upright and trimmed shrubs to loose rhododendrons, while hardscape forms can take the form of pathways or retaining walls. A balanced landscape design carefully considers form to create a unified aesthetic. Form can help control movement in a garden by drawing the eye with lines that direct the flow of the eye around the garden, or it can define separate spaces with different forms.

Like lines, forms have a three-dimensional quality that adds depth and texture to the landscape. Forms can be either straight or curved, and they can create different moods by evoking a sense of formality with an axial layout or giving the impression of movement with sweeping curves. For example, a sheared boxwood hedge may evoke a feeling of order and a manicured garden, while a free-form rhododendron could create the sense of an organic woodland.

Landscaping also includes non-plant elements, such as ponds and fountains, walkways and retaining walls. These can serve a functional purpose such as creating outdoor living spaces or controlling erosion, but they also have an emotional impact on the people who use them. A calming reflective pool or bold sculpture can transform the way a person feels about a landscape and make it more memorable. The challenge is finding a balance between function and form, so that one doesn’t overshadow the other.

Lines

Lines are the most basic of all design elements and shape how the eye travels through a landscape. They can be vertical, horizontal, straight, wavy or diagonal. They’re found everywhere from the edge of a hardscape surface to the outline of a planting bed. In landscaping, lines create patterns, develop spaces, create forms, control movement, establish dominance and help to define an overall design theme for a property.

The way in which you utilize these linear elements will distinguish your property from others. Whether they are structurally formal with symmetrical, straight rows of plants or softened by meandering pathways that lead the eye around the garden, property line landscaping ideas can be as unique as your home and yard.

Contrasting textures and heights will help some features stand out, while harmony will create cadence and unity for your landscape. You can balance these elements by creating a combination of large and small features, as well as using repetition to create a pattern. However, you must be careful not to over-use these techniques, as too much repetition can result in monotony.

Proper proportion is also important when designing your yard. It refers to the size of an element in relation to its surroundings, and ensures that the overall design feels balanced and well-organized. It’s critical to maintain proper proportion in your landscape design because it improves the visual appeal and practical use of your outdoor space.

Soaring trees, trellises and curved plant edges accentuate vertical movement in your landscape and enhance the natural beauty of your home. They can also serve to frame views we want to see and hide those that aren’t as appealing.

Texture

Probably the least well-known element of landscaping, texture is used to add interest and contrast. It refers to the roughness or smoothness of a plant’s leaves, bark, stems, flowers, and other elements. It can also be applied to hardscape features, like pathways and patios. Texture can be seen by the eye when a landscape is viewed from different angles and distances, and it is affected by light and color.

Plants have different textures based on the overall branching pattern of their leaves, as well as how close together those leaves are grouped. A tightly branched plant will appear dense with fine texture, while plants with coarse branches or leaves that are spread farther apart will have more of a bold texture. Our view of a plant’s texture can be affected by its color, as warm colors tend to draw the eye and create excitement while cool colors tend to ground the eye and create harmony.

Texture is one of the most important components in any landscape because it creates depth and balance to your garden. It is easy to create a visual effect using texture, and it is especially effective when combined with repetition of shape and form. Repetition helps your garden to feel cohesive, and contrasting shapes help prevent monotony.

Another great way to create texture is by combining different types of plants, flowers, and hardscapes. For example, if you have Silver Lace Dusty Miller in your garden, pair it with some coarse-leafed Red Salvia. This will create not only texture, but also color contrast and a striking display. Using both fine and bold textures throughout your garden will produce eye-catching combinations and prevent boredom.

Space

For many homeowners, the purpose of landscaping is to create a unique outdoor environment to relax or entertain guests. Grass provides a soft foundation, trees offer shade and privacy, and flowers add color and texture. Plantings also have environmental benefits, such as reducing soil erosion and improving air quality.

When creating a landscape, it is important to consider the amount of time you want to spend on maintenance. Choosing low-maintenance plants and hardscape features will minimize the need for regular watering and pruning. When choosing materials for your landscape, keep in mind that larger pieces may look crowded in smaller spaces. For example, a large paver walkway will make a small garden look cramped. Instead, opt for a pea gravel walkway or stepping stones that are less bulky.

Landscaping is a great way to increase the value of your property and enhance your quality of life. It can also provide many health benefits, such as lowering stress levels, increasing productivity, and providing a habitat for wildlife.

In addition, landscapes can contribute to social sustainability by connecting communities and fostering a sense of belonging. Incorporating local residents in the planning process ensures that landscapes meet real needs and foster a sense of ownership. It also helps identify opportunities for innovation and encourages stewardship.

Businesses have also discovered that well-designed landscapes can enhance employee performance and retention. They can also provide a sense of community and demonstrate corporate responsibility through green initiatives, such as rooftop gardens. Landscaping has also been shown to have a positive impact on the bottom line, as customers are more likely to spend money at a business with attractive and appealing outdoor spaces.