The following presentation has been rated PG.

1. The following presentation has been rated PG. PG Practical Gardening Viewer Discretion Advised

2. Principles of Planting Design

3. As practical as it is, planting design is an art. It is the designer’s task to apply the principles of planting design to form an artistic composition. Plants and materials have sensory qualities. We must coordinate the functional uses of plants with our sensory perceptions.

4. Basics of Design In the following slides we will look at the steps necessary for a landscape design. Conception to Completion

5. Site Evaluation Light Soil Moisture Temperature Wind Contour of the Land Existing Elements

6. Light What conditions does our site have? Full Sun, partial sun, partial shade, light shade, full shade, dappled shade, deep shade

7. Soil What is the soil type; clay, sandy, loam pH How much organic matter exists? Drainage

8. Location Determine the best location. Where is the garden best viewed? Are you trying to block a view? How does it relate to other areas?

9. Style Gardens should reflect your style Will they be formal, informal, naturalized, or none Reflect who you are and “where” you are Create a mood Mood is created by color, form, plant selection, light and shadow, movement of the line, structural elements and art. Evoke emotions – refinement, graceful, tranquility, wild and free spirited

10. Scale & Proportion

12. Function What will be the function of the garden? Cut flowers? Attract birds? Butterflies? Wildlife? Fragrance? Privacy? Meditation and tranquility?

13. Color Color is everywhere, not just in the flower. Foliage, Fruit, Bark, Soil, Grass Color Palette – monochromatic, polychromatic, pastels or bold Colors change with the season • Peak season of interest • Special time of the year • Special event

14. The Color Wheel Primary colors red, yellow, blue Secondary colors orange, green, violet Tertiary colors red-violet, red-orange, blue-green, etc.

15. Color results from light penetration, absorption and reflection off an object. Analogous colors are adjacent Complementary or contrasting colors are opposite

16. Warm colors – yellows, oranges, and reds are bright, lively and inviting. They feel closer to us. Colors are either warmor cool Cool colors – blues and violets are restful. They give depth. As objects are farther away their colors cool.

17. Color Value Value is the colors luminosity. Light colors or tints contain more white. The contrast between light and shade creates depth. Tints add lightness. Shades add weight.

18. Tints are pastels. Bright pastels are more prominent Pale pastels are better blenders Tints to the back of the garden with finer texture will give depth. Planting shades with warmer tones, and coarser texture will shorten the depth. To balance you need more shades than light color

19. Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, Picea pungens ‘Thomsen’ Phlox paniclata ‘Tracy’s Treasure’, Picea pungens ‘Thomsen’

20. Intensity Intensity refers to the tone or saturation of a color Added to a pure color: White will give a tint Black will give a shade Gray will give a tone

21. Affecting Color Light During the day red, yellow, and orange are most prevalent In the evening the colors turn more cooler and blues and violets are stronger Bright sun will wash out pastels and are better viewed in the shade Distance Distance makes colors appear cooler , neutral, or faded

22. Color Combinations Brighten a color by surrounding it with its complementary color. Brighten a color by surrounding it with neutrals or grays. Purple with gray. Decrease brightness with analogous colors or more saturated colors. Color value (luminosity) can be lighten with darker backgrounds or foliage. Darken a value with lighter background.

23. Amsonia tabernaemontana and Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’ Lilium ‘Apricot Brandy’ and Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’

24. Kniphofia ‘Primrose Beauty’ and Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’ Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’ and Stachys macrantha

25. Galium odoratum, Betula utilis var. jacquemontii Perovskia atriplicifolia, Clematis ‘Elsa Spath’, Nepeta sp.

27. Texture & Form in Color Vivid colors in soft airy textures have less impact than bolder, heavier textures. Fine texture on flowers and leaves will mix colors better. Bolder textures will show more color at a distance.

28. Colors A look at individual colors and the emotions they create.

29. Red An energizing color. Lighter color symbolizes affection and sensuality. Darker color desire and anger. In a large mass has very strong impact. Green is complementary color. Orange or purple will decrease brightness.

30. Orange Gives a sense of well-being, optimism and joy. Blue is its complement.

31. Yellow Warmth and power. An inspirational color. Violet or blue is its complement.

32. Blue A feeling of relaxation and tranquility. Inspires patience and calm. Rarest of all flower colors. Suggest distance. Increases space. Blends well. Orange is complement. Glows at dusk.

33. Violet Inspires creativity and fosters self-worth, and an inner calm. Saturated color associated with royalty and wealth. Too much is depressing. Yellow is complement.

34. White Purity and cleanliness. Crispness, class, sophistication, and formality. Doesn’t clash with any color. Brightens shady areas. Has a high value and is bright and prominent. Other colors deepen and increase in contrast. Reflects other colors around it. Makes pure colors stronger.

35. Gray Gray is versatile and neutral. Makes intense colors more intense. Makes soft tinted colors more delicate. Grays with silver in it have higher value and are more prominent. Muted grays are better blenders.

37. Texture Texture refers to the surface quality of a plant. We can actually see and feel texture. Fine texture gives depth or increases space. Bolder textures stop the eye. For balance you need more fine textured plants to equal a bold one.

38. Texture There are three types of texture; fine, medium, and coarse. Can be found in foliage or branching structure. Thick tight foliage will have finer texture. Distance of view should be considered. The farther away from a plant the finer the texture.

40. The Physical Properties of Plants Form Form is the physical habit of the plant’s growth. Most plants are rounded and more horizontal in shape. Rounded or horizontal shapes are less dramatic because they are expected. Vertical forms demand attention. Plants with strong lines make excellent structural elements.

41. Design Principles It is the designer’s objective to create order in the garden. It is the underlying structure of the garden. Formality or informal, natural, etc. Order through symmetry, asymmetry, and balance.

42. Unity Unity in a landscape design describes the harmonious combination of all the various elements to create a feeling of oneness. An elusive quality bringing aesthetics and functionality in a whole. It is achieved by successfully combining six ingredients: Simplicity – Variety - Emphasis Balance - Sequence - Scale

43. Simplicity Simplicity breed elegance. Simple lines, forms and functional designs are always more interesting than complex, hard-to-digest designs. They are easier to focus. The most important factor for simplicity is repetition - allowing the eye to move through the landscape. Restrain repetition to prevent monotony.

45. Variety Variety can be applied to form, color, or texture. Adds spice and allows the designer to control the mood of the design. Prevents boredom while adding interest. Too much variety creates confusion. Strong variety creates contrast, becoming “emphasis”.

46. Emphasis Emphasis draws attention to important features. Less important plantings take a subordinate role. Accent plants usually have strong features.

47. Balance can also apply to the depth of view, it must be preserved between the foreground, middle ground, and background. If unbalanced one view will predominate. Balance Subconsciously, we look for balance in everything we view. Balance can be symmetrical or symmetrical. Asymmetrical has elements with the same weight. Symmetrical elements are exact. Balance is not only seen but felt. Color and texture can also influence balance. Balance is 3 dimensional.