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PHOTO BY JAMES BOWMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
A good landscape design is the culmination of listening to a client's needs and interpreting those into a balanced approach that gives equal value to person, plant and architecture. The well-designed landscape will be enjoyable to view and interact with, as well as functional. The ideal plan will solve problems while simultaneously adding beauty and pleasure to the space that surrounds. Ultimately, the goal of landscape design is to organize the space between our structured environment and the natural environment, incorporating elements of both while respecting the boundaries of each one.
Man has been shaping and influencing the world around him throughout history. Sometimes for function. Sometimes for comfort. Sometimes for aesthetics. These driving forces have developed into the sprawling cities, towns and neighborhoods we live in now. Nomadic architecture has given way to permanent structures and much of our lives have been spent indoors with each passing generation becoming a little more detached from the natural world that surrounds us. We sleep, bathe, eat, drive, work and entertain ourselves within the protection (isolation) from the elements afforded us by our houses and cars. Many times, the only consideration given to the out-of-doors is when it becomes problematic. The drainage isn't quite right and the grass is subsequently dying. The trees have become overgrown, blocking the view from our windows. The expensive ornamentals aren't getting enough sun/water/shade and are dying. It's only human nature to ignore something until a problem becomes evident. However, we cannot separate ourselves forever and our society seems to be yearning for some fresh air after being closed up for so long.
With a need to fill our lungs, bask in some sunshine and enjoy a cool breeze, we step outside to find ourselves face to face with the solid, unwavering exterior of the our neighbor's house. The only bit of nature awaiting us are the few straggling trees left over from the woods that used to inhabit this area, a scorched lawn struggling to breathe, and those ever-resilient squirrels that eat more of the bird seed than our aviary friends. A lot of hard work went into building and paying for the places we call home. So why shouldn't the rest of your property be just as functional, just as comfortable, and just as beautiful as the building in which you reside?
Unfortunately, there seem to be two distinct camps when it comes to landscape design. On one hand, there are those who treat plants as nothing more than decorative elements to be placed sporadically around buildings, patios & walks. Plants become swatches of color and form, selected from a book of samples and arranged in coordinating fashion. Designs of this breed can lack soul, and while possibly attractive at first glance, they often become dull and dated like the once fashionable wall paper that is starting to peel. Maintenance is also a concern as this type of landscape generally requires a 'tamed' appearance to keep everything looking as it was intended on paper.
On the other hand, there is the design approach that typically neglects the architecture of space altogether. Form and function are rarely consulted and the value of the landscape seems to be based on the overall variety of plants in the landscape. It's a "one of this and one of that" mentality that leads to a disjointed landscape that hardly relates to the rest of the garden, much less the house or other architectural element it surrounds. This type of landscape design functions more as a plant collection than an actual garden or landscape. Most people are confused by the incongruent nature of these spaces and leave feeling overwhelmed by the massive variety. Maintenance is equally overwhelming as the incredible number of plants will undoubtedly require a broad knowledge of plant culture to keep everything looking its best.
So how do we find a pleasing compromise that is visually stunning, full of life, and relatively easy to maintain? Well, it's simple, yet not that simple. First, it must start with an understanding of plant culture along with an understanding of good design. Great plant culture with no design is nothing more than a glorified nursery. A noble and pleasing venture in its own right, but not the goal of landscape design. Equally off the mark, good design with poor plant culture is akin to constructing the Eiffel Tower with bricks. A good design without the proper materials and implementation is just not effective at all.
Balance. It comes down to balance. The site must be known and understood. Sun, shade, water, (micro)climate, wind, soil and usage must be known. Who will be using the area? How will it be viewed? How will one enter? What is the intended use? Who will install it? Who will maintain it? These are just a few of the questions that need to be addressed when determining the design of a landscape. The design must balance the user's needs and wants with proper plant culture organized by tasteful elements of design. A good design will be gorgeous, full of life, and inviting to whoever is taking it in. A good design will blend harmoniously with its surroundings. To put it simply, a good landscape design will be enjoyable. That means taking care of the practical elements like drainage, ensuring all of the plants are "happy" in the appropriate location, fulfilling the needs of the end-user, and blending all of those requirements into a beautiful, aesthetic and pleasing space.