Landscape Feature Planning: Part 3

So, you’re inspired to add some plants to your yard- right on! Well-designed landscaping adds to your property’s curb appeal... which in turn... adds to the value of your home (and makes it look just darling!) Now don’t get me wrong, it’s easy to get overwhelmed without any professional assistance. That's why I've created this as a no-fluff three-part series. 

• Part 1- Asking the right questions
• Part 2- Choosing your plants
• Part 3- Designing your feature

Grab your notebook and a fun drink because you’re about to complete the last step in designing your new landscape feature.  

_______________________________________________

Now that we’ve established your feature needs and the best plants to fill it, now it’s time to design! The hardest part is done with, it's fun from here on out!

Now would be the time to go outside with a tape measure or measuring wheel and find the exact dimensions of your project. Once this is complete, you’ll come back inside and draw the shape of your feature onto a piece of paper. It’s not too important that this drawing is to scale, so you do you, boo!

If you’re anything like me, you appreciate a good plan. But trust when I say that when you have those plants sitting in place ready to be dropped in, you’ll probably rethink the plan five more times. It’s important to stay flexible, but I want to share some principles that will make your neighbors ask you who your garden designer is. Find which tips work best for you and your features and use those. 

• If you have a large-scale feature, save some money by placing a hard focus on spreading/ re-seeding perennials rather than buying multiples of each plant right away. These can take a couple seasons to reach the “filled in” look, but they’re a gift that keeps on giving.

1. Allium, hosta, Lupine, foxglove, milkweed, beebalm, liatris, lambs ear, daylilies, creeping phlox, iris, echinacea, verbena, black eyed Susan

• When designing for the eye, repetition is important. Not only is it ideal to have groupings of multiple plants together, but also different groupings of groupings of plants.. Are you following?? When planting, plant a minimum of 3 of the same plants in one grouping. You get bonus points if you use another grouping of the same plant elsewhere in the feature (like #7 in the design here) 

• Rule of thirds doesn’t only apply to photographers. If you divide your feature into thirds both vertically and horizontally from an aerial view, place your focal point (like a special plant, water feature, or a tree/shrub) on one of the intersecting lines. Notice the tree and water feature on those intersecting lines.

• And while the rule of thirds is used mostly by photographers, we’re also taking some wisdom from interior designers by following the 60-30-10 color harmony rule. Use 60% of a dominant color, 30% of a secondary color for support, and 10% as an accent or pop.

 

You've made it to the end of our no-fluff landscape feature planning series! We hope you were able to come up with a feature without too much stress, and your next step would be acquiring and planting those plants. 

Sunshine Garden Center has an assortment of nursery stock, grasses, and perennials that are looking for a home in your yard. Shop our selection in store in Diamond Wednesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 10am-2pm. 

If you have any questions, feel free to stop by the store and ask for Courtney, or email info@sunshinegardencenter.com.