Garden Design

Most people see garden design and landscaping on two different levels. While designing a garden implies a smaller project than an entire landscape plan, the principles are the same for both.

So before you put anything to paper or on the ground, you should become familiar with the Basic Principles Of Landscape Design. This will give you a better understanding about color, balance, form, plant selection, and "tricks" like Repetition and Contrast. It doesn't matter if you plan on creating your garden yourself or "borrowing" ideas. It's just good to know.

The purpose of your plans should be clear. Not the design itself, but the purpose. Your garden will either be created to be a viewed work of art, an extended livable "room" of your home, walked through and enjoyed, all of the above, or whatever. Keep this in front of you and coming up with a design idea will be a lot easier.

Garden Styles and Themes

Other than plant selection, shape or theme is where most people have a problem designing gardens.

The landscape planning page will guide you through the steps of measuring, plotting, designing, and drawing your plan. And this is all good to know whether you plan on pencil drawing or are considering using design software.

However, unlike the principles and planning steps that I can lead you through, the exact shape and theme of your yard is yet to come from your own imagination.

One of the best ways that I still use at times for gathering new ideas is to simply look at other designers works and designs. The following links should give you plenty of gardens to look at for hours:

Pictures Of Landscaping
A photo resource of different garden design styles and themes. Lots of pictures.

Free Garden Plans
A nice directory of over 120 different designs, plans, sketches, and ideas.

Landscape Ideas Gallery
A gallery of my own garden designs along with written explanations behind each plan or project.

Small Gardens

Designing small gardens has its own special set of rules and tricks. It can actually be quite a challenge. But for whatever reason, if you live where your outdoor space is limited, you shouldn't and don't have to sacrifice your love for gardening.

Making the most of what limited space you have and proper plant selection are the main tricks in creating small gardens. However, there are ways of making your space seem larger than it really is. This is what garden designers refer to as "creating illusions".

For information and tips on creating illusions, plant selection, and ideas for designing small, balcony, and roof-top gardens, see small gardens and small garden design ideas.

Xeriscaping (not zero scaping) is the art of water-wise gardening. Xeriscaping has not only become very popular, but because of a lack of natural resources, has become a necessity in many areas.

In spite of it's growing popularity, xeriscaping is still very much misunderstood by a lot of people. True xeriscaping is a very beautiful method of garden design that saves on resources, time, and money.

The Japanese influence in gardens is more common than most people think. Sometimes it's subtle while at other times it's quite obvious.

Free Backyard Landscaping Project Plans