Landscaping is not only a selection of a collection of plants, but a separate art form with its own rules. Moreover, it solves both aesthetic and practical problems (improving the environment, zoning of the territory, protection against landslides, etc.). Beginners in this business should begin by familiarizing themselves with the basic principles.

The basic principles of landscape design

The basic principle of landscape design is based on a person’s targeted preferences. The first step is to determine what emotions the appearance of the site should cause (safety, peace, joy, peace, etc.). It is this factor that should be the starting point in modeling the territorial arrangement. Based on it, it will be possible to select vegetation, materials, colors and decorative elements. The next factor concerns the monetary side of the issue. The basis of successful design planning is to make accurate miscalculations. Without fail, your ideas should first be displayed on paper.

When drawing up a project, it is worth considering:

• the presence / absence or possibility of the appearance in the future of the family of children, pets - all objects must comply with safety rules, and also include separate zones for them;
• plot dimensions and elements that are planned to be placed on it.

Thematic

The arrangement of the garden should begin with a choice of topics and clearly follow the basic principles within the given framework. It is not necessary to become attached to generally accepted stylizations. It is important to identify basic and secondary details. There are a lot of gardening styles.

Important!When planning the design of the site, you should immediately pay attention to the quality of the soil, the location of groundwater and the climatic features of the zone. These are determining factors in the selection of vegetation, as well as when placing play areas for children and gazebos for recreation.

To begin with, beginners can familiarize themselves with the main ones:

1. Classical - assumes the correct geometry and pronounced symmetry with the regularity of the composition. Suitable for those who love order in everything and prefer minimalism.
2. English or landscape - combines smooth transition of lines, natural naturalness. Such a structure of the territory will allow you to feel relaxation, calm, relieve tension.
3. French - One of the most complex styles of part layout. Refers to landscapes intended for recreation. Combines romantic and sophisticated forms.
4. Country or rustic, - one of the styles that appeared a long time ago. Its structure involves the use of details characteristic of the period when the first human settlements were just emerging. Mainly includes small buildings, field plants, fuzzy arbitrary lines.
5. Eco garden - enjoys the greatest popularity at this time. It involves the reconstruction of a corner of the wild. The style is quite simple to execute.
6. Japanese and Oriental - Designed for a quiet pastime, unity with nature. Such stylizations do not use artificial materials and decorative figures with the correct geometry. The main elements here are plants harmoniously combined with each other.
7. Muslim or Islamic, - the goal of this topic is to create an oasis designed for relaxation. The idea allows to realize not only visual details. Plants that exude pleasant aromas during flowering and fruiting are used in such a garden. This allows you to significantly enhance the effect that the author seeks.
8. Russian classicism, or noble garden, - it is intended only for sites with large dimensions, because the style is characterized by its scope. It uses large architectural buildings, landscape elements in the form of trees, shrubs. The composition combines utilitarian and artistic functions.
9. Mediterranean - assumes the presence of an artificial or natural body of water, a large area. Creates an atmosphere of relaxation, fabulousness. In this style there are not only visual details, but also a combination of aromas of various herbs.
10. High tech - aims to create an environment for a busy person of our time. It uses modern materials and plants that impress them. The details are clear, symmetrical, even slightly rude.
11. Modern - combines sophistication, streamlined forms. It creates the impression of high cost, elegance. Details are characterized by smooth transitions.
12. Minimalism - based on interior design. It is rather difficult to carry out, i.e. when using a small number of parts, it is necessary to clearly convey the idea.

Unity

The first law of harmony in landscape design is unity. All elements should complement each other within the framework of the subject. For this purpose, both artificial and natural details are selected according to color, texture, size, dominance, etc. characteristics. At the heart of creating a sense of the integrity of the picture is the "rule of three."

Did you know? Name itself “Landscape design” arose about 200 years ago. Although the tradition to equip the territories around their homes originated about 9000-13000 years ago.

According to him, elements are arranged in groups including an odd number of units (from 3 or more). Objects grouped in this way are pleasant to behold. Oddness creates a strong illusion of integrity due to the fact that at a subconscious level a person understands the indivisibility of such numbers in half.

Simplicity

The simplest elements and forms give the most successful combinations. Provide a sense of harmony and integrity of the image. This principle is based on the human desire for unity with nature. Probably, everyone noticed that in a forest or field it is easier to breathe, the soul becomes calmer, tension and irritation disappear. All because there are simple forms created by nature. But heaps of gray buildings in the city, overloading the nervous system with its massiveness, driving into a depressed state, cause irritability and fatigue.

Balance

Not observing the balance between the details, it is possible to jeopardize even the harmony that existed on the site before its modernization. It can be asymmetric or vice versa - geometrically correct. For symmetrical balance, it is assumed that similar elements are used in specular reflection.

They are located in relation to a specific central point, which can be structures, paths, large plants. The asymmetric balance is characterized by the use of diverse shapes and sizes. At the same time, all elements should not compete with each other, but rather make up a single picture.

Colour

The technique of working with a color palette is very important in creating specific topics. With the help of shades, it becomes possible to visually control the dimensions. For example, when using cold colors, you can create the illusion of the remoteness of the object, and with the help of warm colors, close proximity. Neutral are white, black and gray shades.They are usually used in the design of background elements. Varying the color palette can also solve the problem of strong shading. So that the garden does not seem gloomy, dark and does not induce gloom, use plants with a light green color, white flowers. For contrast, hot shades are often added. For example, in the central part are red or orange flowers.

Natural transition

The smooth transition of the lines is also an important component of a properly designed composition. This concerns, in particular, the location of plants on the site. Tall, large specimens are planted in the background, then medium ones, and in front - small-sized, grassy, ​​creeping.

The naturalness of the transitions is important not only aesthetically, but also in practical terms. For example, when planting large plants in the near background, it turns out that small ones will be in the shade and will not be able to fully develop.

Lines

To achieve unity of composition help smooth lines. Usually the alignment of elements is based on the dominance of one part over another. This means that they take one main element, for example, a tree, and around it begin to create an island from other plants that can coexist with it in symbiosis and emphasize significance. But if an oak tree 10 m high is planted on the site, and daisies around it, the integrity of the picture is violated.This is due to a strong gap in the dimensions and interruption of the lines. Location according to the “rule of three" allows you to create multi-stage transitions. This further enhances the aesthetic completeness of the image, because the lines do not break off at the same level, but flow smoothly into one another, ending at the very ground.

Proportions

Comfort, which must be created with the help of design, is achieved due to the correct selection of proportions. These are the dimensions of a particular object in relation to other details. First of all, this object is a person, i.e. it is for his comfort that the overall picture is created. If you place it in a garden with huge trees, then at least they will create the impression of pressure and cause fear of an enclosed space. Also, a person will feel uncomfortable in an empty area with ground cover plants - this will create a feeling of insecurity.

Important! The use of a large number of repetitions creates a feeling of monotony, and when they are lacking, an impression of congestion is created due to the large scatter of different parts.

From this it follows that all the elements of decor, buildings in the garden and plants are selected in relation to the growth of a person. The remaining important proportions are in the correct combination of the sizes of the area of ​​the plot, apartment building, territory reserved for planting vegetation. Regarding floral details, 3 types of proportions are distinguished: in relation to a person, home, other representatives of the flora. Equilibrium is also achieved through the correct combination of the size of the area occupied by buildings and landings.

Repetitions

The technology of repetition of elements is an integral component of any landscape style. Using duplication of lines, shapes, colors and textures, the author sets the necessary rhythm. This technique can be simple or complicated. The first option involves duplicating the same parts in a line or drawing a certain pattern from them.A complicated repetition is an alternation of identical elements or a systematic change in sequence on a regular basis. For example, the use of a certain shape (square, triangle, etc.), which gradually increases or decreases in size. You can apply repetitions on both architectural elements and plant elements.

Rules of geometric shapes

Planning to transform the garden, everyone wants to achieve harmony. But creating the necessary picture is not always easy. The rules of geometric shapes will help to avoid problems. The tradition of using the correct form dates back to antiquity. An example is the regular garden of Versailles, laid back in the era of the French monarchy.

Did you know? Nature - the best designer. This can be seen on the example of "Chocolate Hills" in the Philippines, which have a perfectly even conical shape and are represented in quantities of more than 1770 pcs. on the territory of. Bohol.

The whole composition is based on 3 rules of geometric shapes:

• a triangle;
• square;
• circle.

Triangle

The triangle rule is based on the selection of 3 heights, 3 shapes, 3 colors. But the components must be combined in different proportions - 8: 3: 1.

Design by the rule of the triangle:

• forms - multi-format, small elements complement the larger ones;
• height - details are arranged on a descending principle: large in the background, small in the front;
• Colour - 2 main ones are selected, for example, white and orange, then a small amount of contrasting (purple, blue or any other) is added.

With shades, you can experiment with your chosen style. In combination, the circle rule will help.

Square

This law is based on the location of 4 cardinal points. This is one of the tips for the designer, indicating how to place the vegetation - for each element its place and conditions.

The nuances of applying the square rule:

• the location of plants on the site, taking into account their botanical features;
• colors look different in different conditions - for example, white flickers in the shade and glows in foggy weather, and in bright light is lost against the general background;
• direct sunlight depletes the color scheme, pushing even an unusual shade to the primitive spectrum (yellow, blue, red), so it is better to decorate open areas in yellow-red;
• blue tone visually expands the space;
• at sunset time, the last shade is red, so the western part of the territory should be decorated in a burgundy-violet-red spectrum with a white background.

Of the circle

The circle rule allows you to vary the color spectrum. There is a special design circle that shows a combination of warm, cold shades. If you visually divide the space of the circle in half, then on the right there will be warm colors (from yellow to red), and on the left - cold colors (from green to blue).As already mentioned above, black, white and gray tones are neutral, so they are not in the design circle. But they are necessarily present in the composition itself. The main thing is to rely on the principles of simplicity and the rule of the triangle in the combination of colors. This will help to achieve a harmonious picture.

Landscape Design Elements

A harmonious combination of various elements is one of the main tasks that should be mastered by a beginner in landscape design. Among them are central and secondary. Using the second group of elements, emphasis is placed on the main ones.

Components of landscape design:

1. Building - are the central detail in the overall picture. The purpose of the design is to create a harmonious, cozy aura that emphasizes the advantages and brightens up the disadvantages of this element.
2. Lawn, paths, borders - minor details that can combine herbs, shrubs, stones. In addition to placing emphasis on buildings, they are also used for zoning the territory.
3. Green islands - flower beds with flowers, trees or bushes. Depending on the subject, they can be primary or secondary elements. They allow you to create coziness, set off a place of rest, zoning the territory.
4. Large decorative details (small architectural forms) - can play the role of secondary against the background of large buildings or be the main ones. This group includes artificial reservoirs (lakes, pools, streams, fountains), sculptures, arbors.
5. Small decorative accents - minor group of parts. It includes lanterns, flower beds, flowerpots, garden figures, furniture, mirrors.

Using the basic principles and rules of landscape design described above, you can easily create a cozy corner on your site. The first thing to do is display your ideas on paper.Then you can take on the selection of plants, taking into account their botanical characteristics, development and growth needs, as well as the characteristics of a particular site.