Principles of Design
The arrangement of visual weight on either side of a central axis.
Balance
The shape or silhouette of plants (such as columnar or globular).
Form
Plants placed along the building’s edge to blend it into the landscape
Foundation planting
A simple drawing method requiring few tools but difficult to modify.
Hand drawing
Tool used to draw straight horizontal lines.
T-square
A mirrored, identical layout on both sides of the landscape.
Symmetric
Curved or straight features that guide the viewer’s eye through the landscape.
A grouping used to form a visual boundary or screen.
Line planting
Digital drawing method that allows quick edits but requires training and software.
CAD design
Common residential landscape drawing scales.
1:8 and 1:10
This principle selects and positions strong visual items to attract the viewer’s eye.
Focalization
Coarseness or fineness of materials, such as smooth vs. rough.
Texture
The outdoor “public area” of the home.
Front yard
The first conceptual drawing using freeform shapes for use areas.
Area of the drawing listing plant symbols, quantities, and sizes.
Legend
The size of one object in relation to another
Scale
Repetition with regular spacing that helps the eye move through the design.
Rhythm
A grouping of many plants to fill a large area of the landscape.
Mass planting
The designer’s first draft showing layout and area shapes.
Preliminary design
A type of scale that uses measurements in multiples of 10.
Engineer's scale
The principle that unifies all design parts into one cohesive whole.
Unity
Often the most striking design element; comes from flowers, fruit, bark, or leaves.
Color
The landscape area used for trash cans, storage, compost, or gardens.
Service area
The detailed, specific plan incorporating client feedback.
Final plan
Part of the drawing containing client information, designer name, and date.
Title block